Inglourious Basterds (Theaters)

Whenever Quentin Tarantino releases a new film, it is almost like an event unto itself. Factor in his collaboration with Brad Pitt, perhaps one of the most recognizable actors on the planet, and the hype machine just accelerates into overdrive. Tarantino has also been working on the script for Inglourious Basterds for over 10 years now, so naturally the expectations are quite high already.

I think it is safe to say that this film is Tarantino’s biggest movie yet.  The scale of the film is epic in nature, as it not only takes place in the WWII era, but also on location where many of the war’s real life history transpired. To get into the plot would be to spoil Tarantino’s epic, as with most of his work, the less you know going in to the film the more enjoyable it is. The plot follows the Basterds, a group of US Jewish soldiers led by Brad Pitt’s Lt. Aldo Raine, on a mission to tear through Nazi occupied France and to kill and torture as many Nazis as possible in order to promote fear within their ranks.  The plot also follows a number of side stories, a common device in Tarantino films, that all intersect in the final chapter.

Also typical in Tarantino films, the narrative is a bit disjointed as it is broken up into 5 different chapters., each with its own focus on a separate group of characters. This has almost become standard format for many Tarantino flicks, and it works surprisingly well in Basterds. One gripe that I’ve heard is that the Basterds don’t have very much screen time. Other than the second chapter, which is focused on them, they don’t appear again until near the end of the movie. Regardless, the other characters are just as intriguing, if not more so than the Basterds.

The cast is excellent. Pitt has top billing in this film, and he no doubt deserves it. His Aldo Raine is perhaps one of the coolest characters Tarantino has given us in a while, and despite the odds that they are up against with the Nazi army, you get the sense that they are more than capable of toppling the entire Nazi regime if given the chance.  Many of the films funniest moments are attributed to Pitt’s character and you can’t help but want to see more of him every time he appears. The rest of the Basterds are no less engaging. My only complaint is that I would have liked to see more backstory given on each of them, as they are all quite unique and intriguing.

Melanie Laurent’s portrayal of a Jewish girl whose family was slain right before her eyes is superb. It is interesting to watch her hide her disgust of the Nazis, while at the same time trying to remain inconspicuous behind enemy lines.  You sympathize for her while at the same time hope that the Nazis get what is coming to them.

Perhaps the best performance of the entire film goes to Christopher Waltz as German Colonel Hans “The Jew Hunter” Landa, the source of grief and misery for many of the other characters. Landa is an amazing villain. He’s the type of character who can calmly smile with a Mr. Rogers demeanor and speak in a cheerful monotone while twisting a knife into your stomach. His command of French, Italian, German, and English is just unbelievable. Even more impressive is the conveyance of his personality through those languages. No matter the dialect, Landa is proof that evil is evil in any language.  Not since Heath Ledger’s Joker has a villain maintained such a constant level of uneasiness and tension each time they appear. While Ledger’s villainy was obvious, Landa’s is ever so subtle, like a ticking bomb just waiting to go off.

I had this film hyped up in my mind for some time. When I finally got to watch it, it was completely different than how I imagined it would be. This is often the case with Tarantino’s work, as his vision is unpredictable and unique.  Although the majority of the film is in a foreign language with constant subtitles, but after the first thirty minutes or so, it becomes almost unnoticeable due to how immersing the characters and story are. Perhaps the reason this film speaks to me is that my movie tastes are as ecclectic as the components blended together by Tarantino to make this movie. What we are left with is a truly unique piece of filmmaking that manages to transcend cultures and borders to give a unique and fictional account of actual events.  While this is perhaps one of the best movies I have seen all year, I can see how the film may not be for everyone. Regardless, you should go check it out to determine for yourself.