Quintin Tarantino’s 2009 hit Inglorious Bastards is truly one of his best efforts. Featuring a critically acclaimed performance from the always excellent Christoph Waltz as well as Brad Pitt, Melanie Laurent and Daniel Bruhl, this really is a modern masterpiece. It’s hardly surprising that a Tarantino film set during World War 2 contains multiple scenes of gratuitous violence. However, this makes for a spellbinding and ultimately deeply satisfying watch. Waltz is superb as SS officer Hans Landa aka The Jew Hunter, a Standenfuhrer who is the film’s main antagonist. Brad Pitt plays Lt. Aldo ‘The Apache’ Raine, the leader of the Basterds- a militant group who essentially aim to kill and scalp as many Nazis as possible.
While you won’t learn much about the history of World War 2 from watching this film, Tarantino does manage to capture the feel and tone of war time France. The costumes and scenery are immaculate and play an essential role in immersing the audience. Inglorious Basterds is certainly not for the faint hearted, not is it for the easily offended. In that regard, it is no different to any other Tarantino film. This is his best production since Pulp Fiction and also pips the more recent Django Unchained and Once upon a Time in Hollywood.
Tarantino is arguably the best director in terms of giving the audience what they want and Inglorious Basterds is the nourishment we need to fill our starving minds, as well as our thirst for revenge. It will not have you asking yourself many existential questions, rather, it’s redeeming value lies in its entertainment value and top quality acting. As an audience, we can often become numb to violence but Tarantinos constantly finds ways to keep us engaged. Build up and apprehension are everything in this film. There are several scenes where, as an audience member- you are drawn in by tension. Many scenes are a ticking time bomb where outbreaks of violence are almost inevitable. There is a constant sense of fear and tension throughout that someone will get found out for who they really are or someone else might get their head blown off.
This is a piece of art spattered with copious amounts of blood, but boy does Tarantino do violence well. Even a pacifist like me found myself yearning for more. At its worst, violence is remedial and destructive. However, at is best, it can be stunningly entertaining and can really lift a film.
‘Inglorious Basterds may not make for comfortable viewing. This is not the kind of film you watch when you’re looking for something light and comforting. You really should already know that though. If you haven’t already, wait till your in the mood for some gory, revenge and get watching because Tarantino’s unique portrayal of World War 2 is a must see for fans of cinema and is easily one of the best films of the 21st century.
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