Inglourious Basterds

(2009)

Directed by

Quentin Tarantino

Review by Terry Plucknett

Posted - 8/21/09

There is only one director where you can watch the first 5 seconds of the opening credits of any of his films and instantly know who made the film, and if you are like me, it brings a smile to your face just as instantly.  That director is Quentin Tarantino.  Another thing that defines Tarantino’s movies besides the unique music and style is the high level of quality found in them (with the slight exception for Death Proof).  When Quentin releases a film, it is an event like none other, as each film is a masterpiece.  Tarantino’s latest effort is under no circumstances an exception.

Inglourious Basterds starts out by setting the environment the film takes place in, which is German-occupied France during World War II.  The first scene of the film is classic Tarantino as a German officer (Christoph Waltz) hunting down and killing Jews sits and has a conversation with a farmer being accused of hiding Jews.  In this scene, Col. Landa elaborates on a comparison of Jews to rats that is reminiscent of Bill’s elaboration on the similarities between Beatrix and Superman in Kill Bill: Vol. 2.  He then shows how good he is at his duty by getting the information from the poor farmer and murdering the Jewish family, yet allowing the daughter, Shosanna (Melanie Laurent), to escape.  She ends up living a normal life and running a cinema in town when she catches the eye of a young German war hero.  This thrusts her into the culture that enabled the killing of her family, including a conversation with Col. Landa, who does not recognize her.

This is just one of the Tarantino-trademarked multiple storylines that take place.  And as intriguing as this story is, the movie belongs to the title band of brothers, the Basterds.  Led by Lt. Aldo Raine (Brad Pitt), the Basterds are a group of Jewish American soldiers sent into France undercover to kill Nazi soldiers.  As Raine says, “We ain’t in the prisoner takin’ business.  We in the killin’ Nazi business.”  So all Nazis they come across they kill and take their scalp.  If the soldier is willing to cooperate and give useful information, they let them go, but not before ensuring that everyone will know he was a Nazi for the rest of his life.  They accomplish this by carving a swastika into his forehead.  As the group’s leader, Brad Pitt steals every scene he is in.  The rest of the group, highlighted by Eli Roth, B.J. Novak, and Til Schweiger, play off Pitt’s lead as all of them turn in admirable performances.  Several welcome cameos are found throughout such as Mike Myers playing a British general (who I swear was only in the film so that he could say in his British, Austin Powers accent, “Basterds”) and the familiar narrating voice of Samuel L. Jackson, who has appeared in one way or another in more Tarantino films than any other person besides possibly Zoe Bell.

Although there are many great performances in this movie from Pitt, Waltz, Laurent, Roth, Schweiger, and Diane Kruger who I didn’t even mention, none of these should be considered the star of the film.  The star of this film, as it is with every Quentin Tarantino project, is Quentin Tarantino himself.  Possibly more than any other filmmaker in history has Tarantino created a genre all of his own that can only be described by using his name.  This is seen all throughout this film as you listen to the trademark Tarantino soundtrack, see giant 70’s style lettering appear across the screen during a freeze frame, and as you experience a story that can only come from one man’s mind.  It is a story set in a historical setting, involving some historical figures, but by no means does it resemble anything having to do with historical events.  If you have not seen all his other films, you may not catch some of the little Tarantino touches, but you will definitely be able to appreciate his unique style.

I realize that Tarantino’s films are not for everyone, but if you consider yourself to be a fan of film in any extent, this is a must-see.  At the very least, it is an extremely fast, entertaining, two and a half hour movie.  At the most, you will realize that it is yet another masterpiece from the bizarre yet ingenious mind of Quentin Tarantino.

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