O Masterpiece
X Excellent
O Good
O OK
O Mediocre
O Avoid
Review by Jason Pyles / August 21, 2009
The brazen title of writer-director Quentin Tarantino’s new film, “Inglourious Basterds,” refers to a team of Jewish-American soldiers whose specialty and sole objective is killing Nazis — or as their comedic leader, Lt. Aldo Raine (Brad Pitt) says it, “killin’ ‘Nat-sees.’”
Running 153 minutes, “Inglourious Basterds” unfolds in episodic chapters, some of which play like self-contained short films. In fact, the opening chapter is incredible; its scenario is simple: In 1941 in Nazi-occupied France, German Col. Hans Landa, a so-called “Jew hunter,” visits a dairy farmer who is suspected of harboring Jews.
This first vignette and another later chapter set in a basement tavern are exceptional in the way they build suspense. Unfortunately, it has become commonplace in modern cinema to use quick editing and loud, dissonant music for jarring the audience into feeling tension. But Tarantino has trusted that his spectators will be patient enough to enjoy longer scenes that slowly build genuine suspense.
The trailer gives the impression we’ll be seeing a wall-to-wall war film bathed in blood, but “Inglourious Basterds” is a dialogue-driven drama punctuated only occasionally by explicit violence. Even so, Tarantino fans will be pleased with disturbingly real depictions of strangling, shooting, scalping and a baseball-bat scene that makes the one in “The Untouchables” (1987) seem mild.
“Inglourious Basterds” is an excellent film that is cleverly conceived, smartly written and well executed. It has the all-around craftsmanship of an Academy Award Best Picture contender, though I’m not sure its mid-year release date will afford it the nomination it deserves.
Certain aspects of the film are inspired by actual events and people, but nitpicking historians can take the day off, because much of the movie is fiction.
Those who have an aversion to subtitles should know that you’ll be reading 50 to 60 percent of the dialogue, unless you’re fluent in German, French and Italian.
Understandably, some people have incorrectly assumed that Tarantino’s film is a remake of the 1978 Italian flick called “The Inglorious Bastards,” but this new movie is hardly a retread, despite its nearly identical title. The older film is also set amid World War II, has rogue American soldiers — in France — and some Nazis, but Tarantino’s story is altogether different, not to mention superior.
With “Inglourious Basterds,” Tarantino delivers another memorable film that’s an odd blend of ferocious, realistic violence and offbeat humor.
Directed by Quentin Tarantino
Brad Pitt / Christoph Waltz / Diane Kruger
Drama 153 min.
MPAA: R (for strong graphic violence, language and brief sexuality)
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