The name Quentin Tarantino has become synonymous with words like: violent, ultra violent,nostalgic, and entertaining. And his newest film Inglorious Basterds is no exception.
The film is a totally recognizable Tarantino film however at the same time it's not a Tarantino film.
Let me explain. Much of the dialogue, although mostly subtitled, is recognizably Tarantino as well as the soundtrack. Sporting killer bass lines and huge over the top orchestra pieces, just hearing the soundtrack will make you realize that you're watching a Quentin Tarantino film.
However, what we get here is a more, I don't want to say mature, but sophisticated Tarantino. Not sophisticated in the sense that it is tame and clean but sophisticated in the sense that he focuses more on smart, drawn out dialouge scenes, the best ones dealing with Christoph Waltz's character Col. Hans Landa. Now that is not to say there arent classic, twisted, intense, Tarantino action scenes, there are, but what the migority of the film is, is several (almost over long) talking scenes. All of which I heavily enjoyed but the point I'm trying to stress here is that it isn't a typical Quentin Tarantino flick, which unfortunately is what it's advertised as.
I mentioned Christoph Waltz playing a character known as The Jewhunter. He BY FAR does the strongest acting here, and I would not be surprised if he got a Best Supporting Oscar nomination for his work here. Everyone else here is also quite good. Brad Pitt is funny and charismatic, all the basterds do a good job of scalping people, and most extras all do very capable jobs.
Oh yeah remember the Jewish nerd from Freaks and Geeks?:
He kills Nazis in this. No, not with a dummy.
Another quick note is that the twisted director of films like: Cabin Fever, Hostel, and Hostel 2, Eli Roth, plays one of the basterds known as the Jew Bear, who specializes in killing Nazis...with a baseball bat...Awesome.
Now, it's funny, because I say, "yeah! Kill those Nazis!", which I'm sure many people who watch this film will do. However there is a certain amount of irony in this film and even though Tarantino says he doesn't put messages or morals into his films, in this one, he certainly shows an ironic parallel. The irony comes into play with a German film within a film called Nation's Pride. The film consists of a German sniper shooting American soldiers as they scream and fall off of stuff. Now we see whilst this film is being shown, the Germans watching it, are laughing and cheering about Americans being murdered. HOWEVER that is the same thing WE are doing to the Nazis e.g "Nazis being killed by a baseball bat. Awesome".
The film manages to remain comically violent and funny throughout the entirety while still being serious throughout the entire thing. However when you're dealing with the subject matter of WWII, I can see how many people will be offended by this film.
All in all, it's entertaining, it's escapism, it's bloody, and it is a good time.
Is it as good as Pulp Fiction or Reservoir Dogs? Not at all. Is it better than Kill Bill I and II? Yes.
Martin.
PS: One night, my mom once said, and I'm quoting, "Martin, you look like...you look like one of those Jewish nerds."
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