Cast: Brad Pitt, Melanie Laurent, Christoph Waltz, Eli Roth, Diane Kruger
Writer: Quentin Tarantino
Director: Quentin Tarantino
"My name is Lt. Aldo Raine and I need me eight soldiers. We're gonna be dropped into France, dressed as civilians. We're gonna be doing one thing and one thing only... killing Nazis", says Brad Pitt in a thick Southern accent and this forms the premise of Tarantino's latest offering! Synopsis: It's WWII and we are in Nazi-occupied France. The Americans have sent a group of soldiers, referred to as the Basterds by the Germans, to kill as many Nazi officers (100 each to be exact) as possible, led by Lieutenant Aldo Raine (Brad Pitt) and Sergeant Donny Donowitz a.k.a The Bear Jew (Eli Roth). They are aided by a British secret agent and a German actress (Diane Kruger). Their plans also accidentally run parallel with those of a Jewish cinema owner (Melanie Laurent) who once saw her whole family wiped out by the Jew Hunter, Nazi Colonel Hans Landa (Christoph Waltz).
Remarks:
Firstly, TARANTINO IS BACK WITH A BANG! His classics, Pulp Fiction, Reservoir Dogs and Kill Bill among others, have enthralled audiences. His unconventional approach to film-making is very much conspicuous in all his movies. His narrative style is second to none and in Inglourious Basterds (Inglorious Bastards in a German accent!), he goes back to his chapter format, just like he did in Kill Bill. Each chapter tackles a pivotal scene in the movie, putting all characters involved in full limelight! The chapters don't always overlap or seem directly connected sometimes. In fact, each chapter looks like a mini movie in its own right! Usually, movies are a normal flow of scenes, some more important than others, but Tarantino, when using his chapter format likes to have at most 10 big scenes which displays the course of events. This keeps you well-engrossed, with the chapters building up nicely towards the climax.
I would never understand why Tarantino's movies have never been showered with awards for acting performances. Once again, the actors deliver mind-blowing execution of their roles. Brad Pitt is extremely funny, even bordering on genial, with witty dialogues and panache, typical of a Tarantino flick. The ladies, Diane Kruger and Melanie Laurent are as sexy and foxy as they are bloody talented (Who cares about 'pretty face' Megan Fox?? Think Uma Thurman in Pulp Fiction and Kill Bill). Eli Roth portrays a ruthless Jewish soldier with frightening ease! Nevertheless the gong for stand-out performance has to go to a certain Austrian, Christoph Waltz with his evil and fantastic jawline (pictured below)! Nope,me too, never heard of him. But the winner of the Best Actor award at Cannes 2009 stars as villain Colonel Landa as if he was born for that role! He is sarcastically polite, charismatic and as cunning as a fox! He is certainly a massive reason why you should watch this movie!
Now, the story itself. If anyone can rewrite history, it has to be Tarantino! The various layers of the story keep you on your toes. The opening scene of Waltz, that is,Colonel Landa's conversation with a french farmer to investigate whether he is hiding Jews is an amazing start to the movie and sets the pulse racing. The scenes may seem slow at times, but it is meant to be like that, because once they pick up pace, everything starts clicking into place beautifully. It's like the long mathematical problem you have been working on for hours which suddenly starts making sense! Finally, it would not be a Tarantino movie without gallons of blood splashing around and faces being crushed to a pulp! But again, nothing is done haphazardly. The gore carries a purpose and is not only meant to excite the crowd. No eye-gouging this time though... (Kill Bill fans will know what I am talking about...) although you get to see faces blown hollow by bullets!
Final verdict: You HAVE to see this movie. Even if you have to steal money to see it, DO IT! Even if you have to fight with your girlfriend who fancies He's Just Not That Into You, DO IT! In a summer where we have been bombarded senseless by mega-orgies of special effects, Inglourious Basterds is a welcome respite, and there is a fantastic plot and actors can act too!! The audience at the cinema actually gave an ovation at the end of the movie because like me, they were overcome by the sheer brilliance they had just witnessed...
Movie Rating: 4 out of 5
Inglourious Basterds: Tarantino is back!
Cast: Brad Pitt, Melanie Laurent, Christoph Waltz, Eli Roth, Diane Kruger
Writer: Quentin Tarantino
Director: Quentin Tarantino
"My name is Lt. Aldo Raine and I need me eight soldiers. We're gonna be dropped into France, dressed as civilians. We're gonna be doing one thing and one thing only... killing Nazis", says Brad Pitt in a thick Southern accent and this forms the premise of Tarantino's latest offering! Synopsis: It's WWII and we are in Nazi-occupied France. The Americans have sent a group of soldiers, referred to as the Basterds by the Germans, to kill as many Nazi officers (100 each to be exact) as possible, led by Lieutenant Aldo Raine (Brad Pitt) and Sergeant Donny Donowitz a.k.a The Bear Jew (Eli Roth). They are aided by a British secret agent and a German actress (Diane Kruger). Their plans also accidentally run parallel with those of a Jewish cinema owner (Melanie Laurent) who once saw her whole family wiped out by the Jew Hunter, Nazi Colonel Hans Landa (Christoph Waltz).
Remarks:
Firstly, TARANTINO IS BACK WITH A BANG! His classics, Pulp Fiction, Reservoir Dogs and Kill Bill among others, have enthralled audiences. His unconventional approach to film-making is very much conspicuous in all his movies. His narrative style is second to none and in Inglourious Basterds (Inglorious Bastards in a German accent!), he goes back to his chapter format, just like he did in Kill Bill. Each chapter tackles a pivotal scene in the movie, putting all characters involved in full limelight! The chapters don't always overlap or seem directly connected sometimes. In fact, each chapter looks like a mini movie in its own right! Usually, movies are a normal flow of scenes, some more important than others, but Tarantino, when using his chapter format likes to have at most 10 big scenes which displays the course of events. This keeps you well-engrossed, with the chapters building up nicely towards the climax.
I would never understand why Tarantino's movies have never been showered with awards for acting performances. Once again, the actors deliver mind-blowing execution of their roles. Brad Pitt is extremely funny, even bordering on genial, with witty dialogues and panache, typical of a Tarantino flick. The ladies, Diane Kruger and Melanie Laurent are as sexy and foxy as they are bloody talented (Who cares about 'pretty face' Megan Fox?? Think Uma Thurman in Pulp Fiction and Kill Bill). Eli Roth portrays a ruthless Jewish soldier with frightening ease! Nevertheless the gong for stand-out performance has to go to a certain Austrian, Christoph Waltz with his evil and fantastic jawline (pictured below)! Nope,me too, never heard of him. But the winner of the Best Actor award at Cannes 2009 stars as villain Colonel Landa as if he was born for that role! He is sarcastically polite, charismatic and as cunning as a fox! He is certainly a massive reason why you should watch this movie!
Now, the story itself. If anyone can rewrite history, it has to be Tarantino! The various layers of the story keep you on your toes. The opening scene of Waltz, that is,Colonel Landa's conversation with a french farmer to investigate whether he is hiding Jews is an amazing start to the movie and sets the pulse racing. The scenes may seem slow at times, but it is meant to be like that, because once they pick up pace, everything starts clicking into place beautifully. It's like the long mathematical problem you have been working on for hours which suddenly starts making sense! Finally, it would not be a Tarantino movie without gallons of blood splashing around and faces being crushed to a pulp! But again, nothing is done haphazardly. The gore carries a purpose and is not only meant to excite the crowd. No eye-gouging this time though... (Kill Bill fans will know what I am talking about...) although you get to see faces blown hollow by bullets!
Final verdict: You HAVE to see this movie. Even if you have to steal money to see it, DO IT! Even if you have to fight with your girlfriend who fancies He's Just Not That Into You, DO IT! In a summer where we have been bombarded senseless by mega-orgies of special effects, Inglourious Basterds is a welcome respite, and there is a fantastic plot and actors can act too!! The audience at the cinema actually gave an ovation at the end of the movie because like me, they were overcome by the sheer brilliance they had just witnessed...
