All skepticism about this movie is going to be extinguished in the following sentences. Anyone who has not seen this movie simply because they are not a Tarantino fan or thinks that “Inglourious Basterds” is another World War II Nazi movie is a close-minded fool. If you have not seen it yet for any other reason… well, I border upon weeping for you because “Inglourious Basterds” is nothing short of a visual/literary masterpiece. With Christoph Waltz standing opposite Brad Pitt, this picture has set the bar high for all the competing films for all the awards it has been nominated for. “Inglourious Basterds” is a well-rounded movie excelling in every aspect, and is reminiscent and even comparable to Tarantino’s 1994 masterpiece, “Pulp Fiction.”
Yes you read that correctly that was not a typo. “Pulp Fiction.” Like the early blockbuster, “Inglourious Basterds” is star-studded with homeland actors such as Brad Pitt (Lt. Aldo Raines) and Eli Roth (The Bear Jew), but also mixed in with international multi-linguist giants such as Christoph Waltz, Diane Kruger, Melanie Laurent, and many more including Til Schweiger (the notorious, Hugo Stiglitz). Once again, like “Pulp Fiction,” Tarantino molded the script around each character’s persona and created movie magic with the on-screen chemistry. The themes of love, war, vengeance, the blurry line between right and wrong, and even political issues such as racial inequality, were apparent, interwoven expertly into the plot, and relatable even on this day and age. Tarantino can go into excess with the symbolism and dialogue at times, but this is not one of these cases. It was the perfect amount of every element and the final product was simply sublime.
Those of you looking for an action war movie like “Saving Private Ryan” or “Black Hawk Down” will not be disappointed. However, you will be missing out on most of “Inglourious Basterds.” The dialogue and chemistry between the characters made this a sentimental and intellectual experience. This is a thinking man’s picture as well as a war fanatic’s dream as well as a comedy/drama lover’s movie. Again, because of the star-studded cast, the movie remained visually and mentally interesting. The tension, the building storyline, the ascending action generated could only be accomplished by a high caliber script only matched by the actors reading it. It is evident that the soul of the movie resided within the screenplay and it was, to say the least, perfected, liberated on the big screen, and flooded into the minds of every viewer in the audience.
Many would be surprised that one could describe “Inglourious Basterds” as “funny.” Indeed, it was a refreshing laugh after the drought of good movies. Only those who have seen it could describe to you the roller coaster ride that the characters take you on. Imagine “The Boondock Saints” —only there are eight of them. Need I say more?
Anyone who wants to be engaged and experience a true piece of visual literature—I urge you to see this movie. It is perfect date material. It is a perfect outing with the friends. It is a perfect bored-and-alone movie. Either way you cannot miss this movie because it will be one of your favorites and quickly become one of the classics stored on the shelf next to big titles like “Pulp Fiction.” If you haven’t seen “Inglourious Basterds,” it should be at the top of your list (even ahead of “District 9”). For any skeptics out there—stop being a fool and join everyone else who has witnessed the glory that is the “Inglourious Basterds.”
Thorn reviewer rating: 5 elephants