Written by: Corey Wackel
“We respect directors in our country,” Shosanna Dreyfus remarks about midway through “Inglourious Basterds.” There’s no question that some directors deserve more respect than others, and it’s no stretch to say that Quentin Tarantino is one of the most respected directors of our time. Rightfully so, though, as Tarantino has brought us some of the best films of the past 15 years, again reminding us this year just how talented he is. Tarantino returns with his passion project of sorts, a film which displays his flair for violence and his immense talent with dialogue. It’s an ensemble piece for the ages, and it’s also an incredibly realized film.
In an alternate telling of World War II history, Tarantino constructs a story around several keys characters. He effectively uses different “chapters” to bring us farther into the thick of things. Melanie Laurent plays Shosanna Dreyfus, a French Jew who escapes the clutches of the Nazis, only to set up a movie theater in Paris. Brad Pitt, meanwhile, leads a group of Jewish-Americans, known as The Basterds, on a rather gruesome mission: to kill and scalp as many Nazis as they can. Colonel Hans Landa is the villain hot on the tail of both Dreyfus and The Basterds. As fate would have it, Dreyfus’ own theater becomes the venue for a prestigious film premiere. In attendance will be the highest ranking Nazi officials, including Hitler himself. Dreyfus plots to kill them all, but little does she know that The Basterds have a plan of their own, and nobody seems to quite know where to place Landa.
“Inglourious Basterds” proves to be Tarantino’s most ambitious project since he made “Pulp Fiction” in 1994. It’s a project that has been nearly 10 years in the making, but it shows. The plot is the most developed of any movie I’ve seen in some time. The beginning chapters of the film seem to take a little time, but that’s the beauty of a Tarantino film. Too many films rush into setting up a plot. Characters created in cinema now seem to be undeveloped and we, therefore, care little for them. Tarantino allows us to learn a little about pretty much every character onscreen, and all the action leading up the finale is wonderfully played out. It’s a movie that’s paced just right. Frankly, it’s not even Tarantino’s most violent film. When all is said and done, I even found that “Inglourious Basterds” was just as much a character study as it was a war piece.
Tarantino’s script and direction are filled with his trademark style. Few directors have really achieved a style of their own, but Tarantino defiantly has. Perhaps over the top, it always seems to work. His dialogue is wonderfully funny and carefully considered. Tarantino wisely uses a mixture of English, French, German, and Italian to tell his story. This decision helps advance the characters. We wouldn’t want to see them all talking in English because that’s not clearly how they would be in real life. Colonel Landa is the only character in the film to move freely between all four languages, and it makes him that much more menacing.
The cast members are all great, from the main players to the “guest stars.” Tarantino employs the help of several big names in very small roles to help tell his story and they all seem to add a little something, even Mike Myers who seemed to be stuck in the same one role for his last handful of projects. Brad Pitt delivers his second award-worthy comedic performance, coming off of his hilarious turn in last year’s “Burn After Reading.” Pitt’s a truly talented actor and he shows it again here, securing his place as the frontrunner for my pick as Best Supporting Actor. He’s an apt leader of The Basterds in the film, but, more importantly, he sees to be just right for the part of Aldo Raine. Christoph Waltz already won Best Actor at the Cannes Film Festival earlier this year for his turn as Hans Landa, and he’s equally effective. “Inglourious Basterds” is Waltz’s first non-German film and it’s the perfect film to introduce him to a new, and much bigger, audience. He makes Landa menacing as well as wonderfully enjoyable. It’s a hard balance for any actor to achieve, but Waltz does it astoundingly. He’s the more obvious frontrunner of the Best Supporting Actor Oscar, and I have no problem with that at all. I also hope to see much more of Waltz in the near feature.
On the other side of things, Tarantino has written two very strong female characters. Diane Kruger makes us all forget about her less-than-stellar work in both “National Treasure” movies, and is rather good as German movie star Bridget von Hammersmark. It’s not necessarily a hard part, but Kruger seems to give it her all. She’s convincing as a sexy, German screen siren, and that’s all that really counts. Melanie Laurent, on the other hand, is quite something. Like Waltz, “Inglourious Basterds” is Laurent’s first major Hollywood production. As Shosanna Dreyfus she deserves all the attention in the world, and while she’s not an obvious frontrunner for the Best Supporting Actress Oscar, she should be. Laurent allows us to feel Dreyfus’ pain, and consequently causes us to cheer on her actions. What seems to be a rather simple role is elevated, in the end, by Laurent’s talent as an actress. She doesn’t rely only on her astounding looks, but also on her ability to make the audience react to what they are seeing.
In the end, what sets “Inglourious Basterds” apart from every other film this year is its ability to transport us into the world created by all those involved. It’s an altered reality, wonderfully crafted by one of the most unique talents of our time. The film doesn’t compromise its characters, and it doesn’t sell itself short. Every word is placed in the film for a reason, and every action leads up to something wholly satisfying.
Final Comment: “Inglourious Basterds” is an astounding film from one of most original filmmakers of all time. It’s an immensely detailed project, which features great performance all around and a plot that is carefully developed throughout the entire film. The last line of dialogue in the film is spoken by Aldo Raine when he says “I think this just might be my masterpiece.” When it comes to Tarantino, I think “Inglourious Basterds" is just that.
Rating: 10/10
“We respect directors in our country,” Shosanna Dreyfus remarks about midway through “Inglourious Basterds.” There’s no question that some directors deserve more respect than others, and it’s no stretch to say that Quentin Tarantino is one of the most respected directors of our time. Rightfully so, though, as Tarantino has brought us some of the best films of the past 15 years, again reminding us this year just how talented he is. Tarantino returns with his passion project of sorts, a film which displays his flair for violence and his immense talent with dialogue. It’s an ensemble piece for the ages, and it’s also an incredibly realized film.
In an alternate telling of World War II history, Tarantino constructs a story around several keys characters. He effectively uses different “chapters” to bring us farther into the thick of things. Melanie Laurent plays Shosanna Dreyfus, a French Jew who escapes the clutches of the Nazis, only to set up a movie theater in Paris. Brad Pitt, meanwhile, leads a group of Jewish-Americans, known as The Basterds, on a rather gruesome mission: to kill and scalp as many Nazis as they can. Colonel Hans Landa is the villain hot on the tail of both Dreyfus and The Basterds. As fate would have it, Dreyfus’ own theater becomes the venue for a prestigious film premiere. In attendance will be the highest ranking Nazi officials, including Hitler himself. Dreyfus plots to kill them all, but little does she know that The Basterds have a plan of their own, and nobody seems to quite know where to place Landa.
“Inglourious Basterds” proves to be Tarantino’s most ambitious project since he made “Pulp Fiction” in 1994. It’s a project that has been nearly 10 years in the making, but it shows. The plot is the most developed of any movie I’ve seen in some time. The beginning chapters of the film seem to take a little time, but that’s the beauty of a Tarantino film. Too many films rush into setting up a plot. Characters created in cinema now seem to be undeveloped and we, therefore, care little for them. Tarantino allows us to learn a little about pretty much every character onscreen, and all the action leading up the finale is wonderfully played out. It’s a movie that’s paced just right. Frankly, it’s not even Tarantino’s most violent film. When all is said and done, I even found that “Inglourious Basterds” was just as much a character study as it was a war piece.
Tarantino’s script and direction are filled with his trademark style. Few directors have really achieved a style of their own, but Tarantino defiantly has. Perhaps over the top, it always seems to work. His dialogue is wonderfully funny and carefully considered. Tarantino wisely uses a mixture of English, French, German, and Italian to tell his story. This decision helps advance the characters. We wouldn’t want to see them all talking in English because that’s not clearly how they would be in real life. Colonel Landa is the only character in the film to move freely between all four languages, and it makes him that much more menacing.
The cast members are all great, from the main players to the “guest stars.” Tarantino employs the help of several big names in very small roles to help tell his story and they all seem to add a little something, even Mike Myers who seemed to be stuck in the same one role for his last handful of projects. Brad Pitt delivers his second award-worthy comedic performance, coming off of his hilarious turn in last year’s “Burn After Reading.” Pitt’s a truly talented actor and he shows it again here, securing his place as the frontrunner for my pick as Best Supporting Actor. He’s an apt leader of The Basterds in the film, but, more importantly, he sees to be just right for the part of Aldo Raine. Christoph Waltz already won Best Actor at the Cannes Film Festival earlier this year for his turn as Hans Landa, and he’s equally effective. “Inglourious Basterds” is Waltz’s first non-German film and it’s the perfect film to introduce him to a new, and much bigger, audience. He makes Landa menacing as well as wonderfully enjoyable. It’s a hard balance for any actor to achieve, but Waltz does it astoundingly. He’s the more obvious frontrunner of the Best Supporting Actor Oscar, and I have no problem with that at all. I also hope to see much more of Waltz in the near feature.
On the other side of things, Tarantino has written two very strong female characters. Diane Kruger makes us all forget about her less-than-stellar work in both “National Treasure” movies, and is rather good as German movie star Bridget von Hammersmark. It’s not necessarily a hard part, but Kruger seems to give it her all. She’s convincing as a sexy, German screen siren, and that’s all that really counts. Melanie Laurent, on the other hand, is quite something. Like Waltz, “Inglourious Basterds” is Laurent’s first major Hollywood production. As Shosanna Dreyfus she deserves all the attention in the world, and while she’s not an obvious frontrunner for the Best Supporting Actress Oscar, she should be. Laurent allows us to feel Dreyfus’ pain, and consequently causes us to cheer on her actions. What seems to be a rather simple role is elevated, in the end, by Laurent’s talent as an actress. She doesn’t rely only on her astounding looks, but also on her ability to make the audience react to what they are seeing.
In the end, what sets “Inglourious Basterds” apart from every other film this year is its ability to transport us into the world created by all those involved. It’s an altered reality, wonderfully crafted by one of the most unique talents of our time. The film doesn’t compromise its characters, and it doesn’t sell itself short. Every word is placed in the film for a reason, and every action leads up to something wholly satisfying.
Final Comment: “Inglourious Basterds” is an astounding film from one of most original filmmakers of all time. It’s an immensely detailed project, which features great performance all around and a plot that is carefully developed throughout the entire film. The last line of dialogue in the film is spoken by Aldo Raine when he says “I think this just might be my masterpiece.” When it comes to Tarantino, I think “Inglourious Basterds" is just that.
Rating: 10/10
Written by: Tim Luisi
Since 1992, there have been few filmmakers more influential or iconic than Quentin Tarantino. Delivering masterpieces such as “Reservoir Dogs” alongside campy fun like “Kill Bill”, his impeccable dialogue and transparent love for 70’s b-movie cinema has constantly been on display with each new film. If not the best Hollywood has to offer, his films are always among the most interesting, and “Inglorious Basterds”, his newest effort, is no exception.
Taking his characteristic violence and absorbing dialogue out of modern day context and placing it inside of World War II Germany, “Inglorious” is an absolute delight. With a brilliant, hilarious, and complex script this is one of Tarantino’s finest efforts, simultaneously portraying the tale of a group of American Jewish soldiers hunting Nazis alongside the story of a girl seeking revenge against the Nazi officer who killed her family.
The acting, like the film itself, is excellent across the board. Brad Pitt feels right at home in the Tarantino universe, portraying the cartoon-like Lieutenant Aldo Raine gloriously over the top. Likewise, Melanie Laurent fits nicely in perhaps the films’ most complicated role. While these two and the rest of the ensemble were truly terrific, the show really belongs to Christoph Waltz, a bizarre mix of complete charm and utter evil, who will hopefully command Oscar attention at years’ end.
The film, while easily one of the years best, contains only one problem. Like always, Tarantino seems to be too in love with his dialogue, at times resulting in a lack of suspense.
With that being said, this is definitely a film that all movie lovers not offended by violence should see. It may not be Tarantino’s masterpiece, but it is indeed close and with a resume containing a perfect film like Pulp Fiction, that should be seen as high praise indeed.
Rating: 9/10
Since 1992, there have been few filmmakers more influential or iconic than Quentin Tarantino. Delivering masterpieces such as “Reservoir Dogs” alongside campy fun like “Kill Bill”, his impeccable dialogue and transparent love for 70’s b-movie cinema has constantly been on display with each new film. If not the best Hollywood has to offer, his films are always among the most interesting, and “Inglorious Basterds”, his newest effort, is no exception.
Taking his characteristic violence and absorbing dialogue out of modern day context and placing it inside of World War II Germany, “Inglorious” is an absolute delight. With a brilliant, hilarious, and complex script this is one of Tarantino’s finest efforts, simultaneously portraying the tale of a group of American Jewish soldiers hunting Nazis alongside the story of a girl seeking revenge against the Nazi officer who killed her family.
The acting, like the film itself, is excellent across the board. Brad Pitt feels right at home in the Tarantino universe, portraying the cartoon-like Lieutenant Aldo Raine gloriously over the top. Likewise, Melanie Laurent fits nicely in perhaps the films’ most complicated role. While these two and the rest of the ensemble were truly terrific, the show really belongs to Christoph Waltz, a bizarre mix of complete charm and utter evil, who will hopefully command Oscar attention at years’ end.
The film, while easily one of the years best, contains only one problem. Like always, Tarantino seems to be too in love with his dialogue, at times resulting in a lack of suspense.
With that being said, this is definitely a film that all movie lovers not offended by violence should see. It may not be Tarantino’s masterpiece, but it is indeed close and with a resume containing a perfect film like Pulp Fiction, that should be seen as high praise indeed.
Rating: 9/10