Nazi Faux Snuff Film ‘Inglourious Basterds’ : Review [Spoilers]
August 22, 2009 by Desiree Washington
Filed under Entertainment, Film & TV
Quentin Tarantino dishes ‘true grit’ in this potent Nazi faux snuff film, “Inglourious Basterds,” which graphically depicts the revenge murder of Nazi soldiers. Set in France during the Nazi occupation between 1941 and 1944, “Inglourious Basterds” is an American action/western film disguised as a World War II movie. It is a violent 153-minute story of resistance and hope told from the perspectives of courageous Americans, Brits, French and Germans.
The movie opens in 1941 France in an intense interrogation scene between a Nazi colonel (played by Christopher Waltz) and French countryman Perrier LaPadite (Denis Menochet). One Jewish girl named Shosanna (Melanie Laurent) survives this countryside bullet fest, allowing “Basterds” to fast-forward to 1944, where she devises her ‘mission of justice.’
Most of the hype surrounding “Basterds” centers around Aldo Raine (Brad Pitt) and his band of vengeful Jews, including the legendary ‘Bear Jew’ (Eli Roth), who clubs Nazis to death with a baseball bat. Their mission is to drop into Europe, kill as many Nazis as possible and collect 100 scalps per ‘Basterd’ as keepsakes. This story is interesting in a comic-book sort of way, but lacks the depth one would expect following the insightful and engaging opening sequence.
“Basterds” has been crediting with being overly violent and self-indulgent. Compared to “Kill Bill,” that criticism is an overstatement. Those expecting an orgy of blood and violence will be disappointed. Still, the film does provide a level of gore sufficient to keep one’s pulse up. Tarantino even rewrites history to indulge our bloodlust, by killing much of the Nazi high command, including Hitler and Joseph Goebbels (Minister of Propaganda), in a hailstorm of bullets and raging fire.
“Inglourious Basterds,” which pulled in an estimated $14.3 million from 3,165 theaters on Friday, makes this Tarantino’s best opening day ever at the domestic box office, according to Variety.
Written and directed by Quentin Tarantino, and staring Brad Pitt, Melanie Laurent, Christopher Waltz, Eli Roth, Michael Fastbender, Diane Kruger, Daniel Bruhl, and Jacky Ido, “Inglourious Basterds” is a bloody good time.
No related posts.
It is a masterpiece!
Depicting the Nazis accordingly for their viciousness against the Jews and what most of us would have liked to have occurred against Hitler and his henchmen is in its proper perspectiveness.
The cinematography and color was awesome. Brad played a character and a half … the film took turns no one would ever think of and David Bowie’s song was so great … as well as the rest of the soundtrack. The characters were terrific and the acting was excellent.
Tarantino’s work is an absolute masterpiece. He indeed did invent a new shade of red! Really a stunning movie.
Guess it helps that my father fought at Normandy on D-Day through the Battle of the Scheldt in Holland and Belgium to Berlin and I have directed my own film about WWII. GETTYMOVIE is the Getty/Hitler trilogy.
Unique directors like Tarantino … inspire one to push the envelope.