Inglourious Basterds (2009)
Director: Quentin Tarantino
Starring: Brad Pitt, Christoph Waltz, Diane Krueger, Melanie Laurent
Primary genre: War
Nominated for: Best film, Best Director, Best Original Screenplay, Best Supporting Actor, Best Cinematography, Best Film Editing, Best Sound, Best Sound Mixing
Won: Best Supporting Actor
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Boldly revisiting a problematic era of human history which the World War II can offer, Quentin Tarantino, the larger than life and self taught filmmaker showcases with his war genre take a much more mature side, away from the dominating pop culture references, quotable lines, groovy soundtrack and cool antics. “Inglourious Basterds” was at that point in his career a sole attempt to create not only a subverting (and simultaneously entertaining) flick but also one that oozes visual flair and actual dramatic stakes by including the Third Reich (and its committed atrocities) as a central antagonist.
Told into five distinct segments, QT assembles a stellar cast to tell an exciting tale in the Nazi occupied France. Unafraid of deploying subtitles that spoiled Western audiences despise, he shoots in French, English, Italian and German exquisite pieces of conversation that are brought to life by an eclectic mix of Hollywood stars and nuanced European actors. His dialogue has been elevated to ridiculous levels of panache, embracing the European aristocratic culture, away from machoistic portrayals, over-sexualization of female counterparts and frequent swearing. Now, it bears more significance and gravitas and highlights brilliantly the underlying (and always escalating) tension in several moments that will keep you at the edge of your seat.
Despite the plethora of characters and circumstances that initially feel disjointed, this cross-country (i.e., France, USA, Germany, UK) jigsaw that is populated with fictional and real life personalities is completed in a thrilling climax that has some of the finest material of Tarantino. The gorgeous lenses of his regular (and underrated) cinematographer Robert Richardson offer some truly beautiful shots, making them a strong contender for new and timeless cinematic memories.
Yet, it will be an exercise to vanity to denounce Tarantino’s ability as a master craftsman of extraordinary stories and here he places strong emphasis on multi-lingual dialogical segments which favor tension and psychological pressure (and dark humor hints) instead of explosive violence; a “mexican” undercover stand off in a tavern goes against typical expectations but its the opening interrogation scene which beautifully references Ford, Leone and Eastwood that has to be among the cinema’s best.
Introducing his finest character to date, Colonel Hans Landa is a Nazi Sherlock Holmes if you will, an antagonist who changed the trajectory of villain portrayals for the years to come. Landa is delightful, polite and most importantly, excessively cunning; his sharp mind the biggest weapon of intimidation for the enemies of the Third Reich. A relatively unknown back then Austrian actor named Christoph Waltz was born to deliver the polished Tarantinian dialogue in several languages with incredible panache, gusto and when the occasion calls for it, the right amount of authority and murderous intent, thus single handily making “Inglourious Basterds” a must watch film.
The rest of the cast are fantastic too: Pitt sells every scene as the literal Lieutenant Aldo Raine (his Italian accent is phenomenal) and Fassbender makes an amazing impression that makes you wonder why he is not in other Tarantino films. Following strong suit after the example that Tarantino set with his “Jackie Brown”, “Kill Bill” and “Death Proof”, it is Diane Krueger’s Bridget Von Hammersmark and Melanie Laurent’s Shosanna Dreyfus who are the real heroes and the necessary ingredients that move the plot forward. An interesting mirage occurs here as both hide their real intentions in film related professions; Bridget is a high class and famlus German actress acting against the interests of Nazi and Shosanna is a Jewish survivor that poses as a French Parisian owner on a revenge mission.
Tarantino does not mince his words here. His tendency for brutal and OTT violence is mostly displayed for the “unfortunate” Nazi victims but his tonal balance is rectified by respecting this damaging era and highlighting subtly the fascist regime at its height and somewhat ridiculing it (in the form of Landa’s behavior and thought process). To tell, write and explain anything else would damage the nice surprises that QT has in store. This stay in the Nazi occupied France might be lengthy but by the time the credits roll, indeed you might be calling “Inglourious Basterds” a masterpiece just like Aldo brags about his “work”.
Tarantino’s unique take on the war genre
+Waltz gives one of the best performances of all time
+Fantastic cast…
+Particularly Laurent and Krueger
+Mesmerising (and less Tarantino-esque) dialogue
+Opening scene is a masterclass in tension
+So is the Tavern meet up
+Excellent production design
+And sound design
+And costume design
+More mature Tarantino
+Humor is spot on
+Bold revisit of WWII era
-Lengthy
-Not a traditional war movie