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Movie Review: Inglourious Basterds by Mark Stone
Brad Pitt in Inglourious Basterds (photo: fandango.com)
With Inglourious Basterds (now playing at Landmark Grand 10, Paramount and Capitol) Quentin Tarantino is now the only big name director in Hollywood who has not made a bad film. Reservoir Dogs was a classic; Pulp Fiction one of the greatest films of all time; Kill Bill 1 and 2 were two of the best revenge fantasy films ever, and Death Proof wasn’t too far behind on that front. Many may argue that Jackie Brown wasn’t that great, but it had the unfortunate distinction of following Pulp Fiction – his masterpiece. Or was it? The last line of Basterds, in which Brad Pitt proclaims that his character Lt. Aldo Raine has created his masterpiece, is more likely Tarantino speaking to us with an unmatched bravado and sheer audacity about his feelings regarding his latest work.
Five years from now, students of film will undoubtedly be comparing and contrasting Basterds with Pulp Fiction, arguing over which film is superior. Hold on, you ask, Is Inglourious Basterds really that good? It is. Not only does the film have what may just be the very best opening scene in recent memory (and my movie memory is long), but Tarantino gives us one of the most fulfilling climaxes we could ever hope for in a film.
Even the movie’s detractors – of which there are a few – would have trouble disputing the film’s set-up and climax. If there were to be a quibble about the film, it would have to be somewhere in the build-up, specifically the Kino chapter (the film is divided into five distinct chapters), where the strategy to destroy the Third Reich is being plotted. I’ve heard the bulk of the film described as leisurely and even glacial, but the same could be said for any Tarantino movie. His films are always talky – that’s his style. He writes screenplays that purposely get “bogged down” by everyday inane chatter, but to pull it off like he does here – in French and German nonetheless – is a testament to his expertise with the written word. Of the film’s two hour and thirty two minutes of running time, there may have been ten minutes at most where my thoughts might have wandered somewhat.
Having already established Tarantino’s proficiency of creating another wonderful film, what can be said of the actors and actresses? It wouldn’t be a great film without great acting, would it? Inglourious Basterds features one of the greatest representations of pure evil with the unforgettable character of Colonel Hans Landa, played with masterful skill by Christoph Waltz – a German actor in his first American Film. Waltz won the prize for Best Actor for this film when it screened at Cannes in May, and if there’s any justice in the world, he’ll walk away with a golden statue come Oscar night next February. His performance is that good. I’m sure we’re bound to see some great performances when the Oscar race heats up in December, but it’ll be difficult to top this one. Brad Pitt, the film’s most bankable star (and without whose contribution the film would be less likely to get made in the first place), holds his own here. He doesn’t get a lot of screen time (sorry, ladies) but he certainly commands the screen with great charisma and charm. Pitt’s character also serves as the film’s comic relief, which is always welcome after some of the movie’s more violent scenes – of which there aren’t as many as you’d think. The primary female characters – Shosanna Dreyfus and Bridget von Hammersmark – played with equal flair by Melanie Laurent and Diane Kruger respectively, portray women who are so bold for their time, they may be too much so for their own good. Both are excellent and mesmerizing.
Inglourious Basterds is about much more than the cinematic thrill of watching Nazis suffer. Walking into the theatre, my expectations were nothing more than just that: a revenge fantasy film – not unlike Kill Bill – where instead of seeing a woman scorned take her revenge on those that wronged her I’d be watching Jews getting their payback on some nasty Nazi ass. Surprise: Basterds may be Tarantino’s most complex film yet. And like I mentioned before, perhaps his masterpiece. But for that, only time will tell. For now, this is the year’s best film.
9 out of 10
Tags: Brad Pitt, Inglourious Basterds, movie review, Quentin Tarantino
