THE PROLOGUE:
I’ve been following the development of “Inglourious Basterds” for a few years now. Part of the film was written way before
Quentin Tarantino even made “Kill Bill”. Now in August of 2009 we finally get a taste of what Tarantino’s depiction of a
WWII story looks like. He basically has a unique love it or hate it style. Many say he just rips off a bunch of old films,
where others argue that he’s simply paying homage. The first time I was ever exposed to the Quentin Tarantino style of
filmmaking was with “Pulp Fiction”. I was intrigued and after countless viewings, it still holds up as one of my favorites of
all time. With the exception of “Jackie Brown”, I’ve loved everything that Tarantino touches. His storytelling, dialog,
directing and music choices are what ground him to create a world that one comes to eventually respect. His style is
and his films generate a buzz that creates a cinematic event. “Inglourious Basterds” is not just a war movie, its
Tarantino’s war movie. It happens to also be the film I had most fun watching all summer long.
THE PLOT:
“Inglourious Basterds” begins in German-occupied France, where Shosanna Dreyfus (Mélanie Laurent) witnesses the
execution of her family at the hand of Nazi Colonel Hans Landa (Christoph Waltz). Shosanna narrowly escapes and flees
to Paris, where she forges a new identity as the owner and operator of a cinema. Elsewhere in Europe, Lieutenant Aldo
Raine (Brad Pitt) organizes a group of Jewish soldiers to engage in targeted acts of retribution. Known to their enemy as
“The Basterds,” Raine’s squad joins German actress and undercover agent Bridget Von Hammersmark (Diane Kruger) on
a mission to take down the leaders of The Third Reich.
THE FILMMAKING:
It’s great to know that if I’d seen this movie and I had no previous knowledge about it, I would still know it’s a Tarantino
film. It’s a pretty rare trait to possess and a lot of filmmakers go their entire careers craving that. Not for one second does
this film ever disappoint. As soon as the vintage opening credits followed by the first frame, you’re immediately sucked in.
Within 5 minutes you are treated to an incredible scene that is sure to be quoted for years to come. Following in the
tradition of “Pulp Fiction” and “Kill Bill”, “Inglourious Basterds” follows the same pattern on non-linear storytelling. We
bounce back and fourth between chapters, are introduced to many characters, and are left to piece it all together. By the
time we reach, what I call the third act of the film, all of are players are set and the plans begin to take action. I’ve seen
many WWII films, but this literally takes all those rules and throws it out the window. We are not following “Hollywood’s”
WWII, this is Tarantino’s gig. It’s simply a breath of fresh air not know what to expect. History has taught us that the
United States and the allied forces have won the war, “Inglourious Basterds” shows us all that good stuff but with a little
extra on the side. Many people have disagreed with my review saying, “this film is too slow” or “the dialogue is just
useless”… blah blah. Basically, you need to just not only hear the words but also really listen. It’s not as if Tarantino is just
wasting our time with pointless dialogue, everything compliments each other. Yes, the words the actors are saying have
meaning! It’s clearly visible in the first scene as an extreme amount of tension is built. This film is written and directed by
someone that not only loves making movies but also just loves movies in general. It clearly shows and it’s a beautiful thing
when someone loves his or her job and his or her work performance proves just that.
THE PERFORMANCE:
Actors are just as good as the words and direction given to them. Since the box office failure of “Grindhouse”, Tarantino
was forced to work with a Hollywood big shot in order to attract an audience. When I heard that Brad Pitt was cast in this
film I became very excited because Pitt has proved himself to not just be a pretty face on screen but a worthy talented
actor. He is also a director whore, meaning he will go out of his way to work with the best directors that the industry has to
offer. So the Brad Pitt and Quentin Tarantino duo was in place and I must say that I was truly pleased. Pitt pulls off a “bad
ass” role as the leader of the Basterds, but he also plays it with comedic confidence. It was the perfect marriage between
Tarantino’s dark comedy script and Pitt’s ability to pull it off. The rest of the supporting cast was very impressive as well.
We are immediately drawn to the beauty and charm of Mélanie Laurent and Diane Kruger’s characters. The rest of the
Basterds, although in minimal roles, know how to work with them. It was good seeing Eli Roth and B.J. Novak fill these
roles, which were written perfectly for them. I do promise you this; you will see Christoph Waltz be nominated for an
Academy Award this year. His portrayal of the Nazi Colonel, Hans Landa, was dead on. As haunting as his character was,
it’s the one performance that stands out!
OVERALL:
The most fun I’ve had all summer, hands down. You watch the trailer and it looks awesome, just multiply that by a
hundred and you get the thrills that “inglourious Basterds” has to offer. Not to mention, the trailer gives you just a sneak
peek at what the movie is about. Yes, it’s about the Basterds and their mission but the film is not just full of gratuitous
violence and random dialog, it’s much smarter than that. I can recommend this to anyone that is a fan of Tarantino’s work
and a film lover. I praise the use of using native languages in the film, which is in subtitles. It lends to the realism and art
that Tarantino is creating. Just sit back and watch this half “foreign” film. If you know what to expect than you’ll know
you’re in for a treat. If you’re not use to a Quentin Tarantino film, then brace yourself. Viewer Beware…
Rating: 5 out of 5 FILM FRAMES
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