So here's my first attempt to get caught up on my Oscar nominees. I figured I'd go with one of the cooler offerings to slip into the Best Picture category. Plus, I've been meaning to watch more of Quentin Tarantino's movies. I've only seen one other, and that's 1992's Reservoir Dogs, which I really liked. Everyone tells me I've gotta see Pulp Fiction but it hasn't happened yet.
But right now, it's all about Basterds. Let me tell you, very few film makers would try to rewrite history, especially the pitch-dark time period that was the second world war. But, this is Tarantino we're talking about, and what we have is a rip-roaring, often funny, occasionally tense revenge-fantasy that is as entertaining as it is cathartic.
Brad Pitt (luscious, luscious Brad Pitt) is a hoot as Lt. Aldo Raine, who leads a group of Jewish-American soldiers waging a campaign of terror against the Nazis in occupied France. Diane Kruger and Melanie Laurent hold up the female side of things, though I couldn't help but notice how much of a resemblance Laurent bares to Uma Thurman. Coincidence, or does Tarantino have a certain type, per se? But the player that really stood out to me was Christoph Waltz, who thoroughly earned that Best Supporting Actor nomination for his role as SS Colonel Hans Landa, a man who's so charming at times you almost forget how freakin' evil he is...until he eventually reminds you.
And while there was lots of gratuitous violence and a few scenes I had to cover my eyes for, there was also a number of scenes that just had a lot of talking between characters, which I wasn't really expecting but still found very enjoyable. Overall, I think how much you like this film will depend on how tolerant you are of playing with history, and how strong a stomach you have for the violence. If you can stomach it, I'd recommend this little look at a war that could've been.
My Verdict: Funny, action-packed and brutal. All good, and what I'm coming to expect from a Tarantino film.
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