Inglourious Basterds

Inglourious Basterds (2009)
Directed by Quentin Tarantino
Length: 153 minutes
Rated R for strong graphic violence, language, and brief sexuality




Let me be the first to say, I love Quentin Tarantino. Hailing from my home state of Tennessee, Tarantino has directed some of my favorite movies of all time, and more often than not delivers a film worth mentioning with the greats. Having kept this particular production on the back burner long enough, Tarantino has finally delivered his epic WWII/"band of brothers" film from the perspective much different than most WWII movies. While I may be biased in my love for Mr. Tarantino, he truly has developed an original, funny, frightening, and unbelievable film that truly will be considered one of the greats of 2009.

Set in Nazi-occupied France, Brad Pitt (The Tree of Life, The Lost City of Z) as Lt. Aldo Raine (hailing from Tennessee I might add) is the leader of the bastards, a band of Jewish-American soldiers sent to strike fear into the hearts of the Nazis...and collect some scalps along the way. There are various other side stories that intertwine, weaving a layered saga that culminates in the ending we all wish would happen at the end of a WWII movie...Hitler being brutally killed along with the rest of the Nazis. Is there a hint of farce to this movie? Yes, but that's what makes this film so unique; Tarantino has succeed in delivering his own interesting twist to the traditional mold. Instead of lamenting the horrors of the Holocaust, he has produced a Jew revenge film...and revenge the Jews do obtain! You'll cheer on the bastards as the "Bear Jew" and "Aldo the Apache" destroy the Nazis without mercy.

What really makes Inglorious Basterds go are the amazing characters and performances. Tarantino has often been successful at getting amazing performances out of his actors, but in this particular case, they are some of the best. To begin with, Pitt, the face of the movie, delivers a great performance as Aldo Raine. The thick southern accent delivered from a protruding under bite under a face constantly scowling will have you rolling with laughter at almost every line. However, the true star of the film has to be Christoph Waltz as Col. Hans Landa. Waltz, a German actor, delivers a performance wrought with layers and complexities: a sardonic, sadistic, calculating, evil, and charming character that truly deserves to be nominated for an Oscar. Col. Landa is the type of evil villain immortalized for striking fear into the hearts of his prey. Whether it be the subtle way he attempts to dig the truth out of someone through his almost playful questioning, the multiple languages he speaks in the film (German, English, French, and Italian as far as I remember!), or the ferocity of his hatred for Jewish sympathizers, Landa is the type of evil you remember for years to come. Waltz truly has delivered the performance of a lifetime and deserves the recognition for his brilliance.

The movie is a little violent and gruesome at times, but it doesn't even come close to reaching the same level as some of Tarantino's previous films. Yes, there is a lot of dialogue, but most of it doesn't feel unnecessary. Any scene with Landa, however long they may be, establishes the way he toys with his victim like a cat with a mouse. On multiple occasions, the dialogue may be long but succeeds in creating the tension and anxiousness that has you on the edge of your seat in anticipation.

My biggest complaint with the film is the lack of scenes involving the bastards themselves. Though each scene involving the crew of misfits is great, I would have liked to learn more about each member (or at least the main ones) or seen more scenes involving their exploits. Instead, the namesake only provide a supporting role to the film. Though Tarantino traditionally doesn't focus on one sole actor or actress (exception being Kill Bill), it would have made the characters more memorable and endearing for the audience.

Those worried that Tarantino would deliver another film heavy on the "excessive talking for the sake of talking" (a la Death Proof), rest assured that Inglorious Basterds is a perfect blend of dialogue and action. Without a doubt, this is one of the best films of 2009 and will deserve to be nominated for multiple Oscars come time. I hope you will support one of the immortal masters continuing to produce instant classics and go see Inglorious Basterds!

Final Rating: 4 out 5 stars

Favorite Quote:
Lt. Aldo Raine: "I need to know about Germans hiding in trees. And you need to tell me right now."
Sgt. Werner Rachtman: "I respectfully refuse, sir."
Lt. Aldo Raine: "Actually, Werner, we're tickled to hear you say that. Quite frankly, watching Donny beat Nazi's to death is the closest we ever get to going to the movies."
[shouts offscreen]
Lt. Aldo Raine: "Donny!"
Sgt. Donny Donowitz: [from offscreen] "Yeah?"
Lt. Aldo Raine: "Got us a German here who wants to die for country. Oblige him."

Oscar Winners:
Best Supporting Actor - Christoph Waltz

Oscar Nominations:
Best Motion Picture
Best Achievement in Directing - Quentin Tarantino
Best Original Screenplay
Best Achievement in Cinematography
Best Achievement in Editing
Best Achievement in Sound Mixing
Best Achievement in Sound Editing