The name Quentin Tarantino has become synonymous with film lover’s wet dreams – producing sometimes-obscure reaching films that look like a mess from the outside, but really pay homage to some of the best genres and films styles of days gone past. Django Unchained is yet another of these movies that turns the Italian spaghetti Western on its head.
Check out the trailer and then read my review after the jump!
Having not much to do with the original Django (1966) (see it here), Tarantino does borrow the opening song and the title font for his film. We see slave, Django (Jamie Foxx) freed by eccentric bounty hunter Dr. King Schultz (Christoph Waltz). Free, that is, to become a quick-draw bounty hunter himself and attempt to rescue his lost wife Broomhilda (Kerry Washington) from brutal plantation owner Monsieur Candie (interesting choice Leonardo DiCaprio). SPOILER ALERT: He succeeds by the end, but not without killing almost everyone in his path along the way.
We are treated to classic Tarantino moments, including the gang of white supremacists trying to figure out how to wear their hoods. The comic moment, enhanced by Jonah Hill, was almost a short in and of itself. This is what Tarantino specializes in, bringing us from place to place where he can flaunt his perfect and wordy dialogue punctuated by outstanding and almost comic violence and gore. Dr. Schultz’ character is a never-ending source of Tarantino dialogue. Instead of the heavy monologues we usually see from the director. We have a constant source of this type of overblown, verbose dialogue in this one character. The next to final showdown could have been ripped from Kill Bill, only its hillbillies clamouring down the stairs rather than the Crazy 88.
The best parts of this movie have to include the bobbling tooth, featured on Dr. Schultz’ dentist wagon, blowing up white supremacists, Jonah Hill and his hillbilly cameo, all the gore and blood spatter you could want, and Django’s epic revenge.
If you have any interest in film history, black comedy, spaghetti westerns or pimped out violence, you need to see Tarantino’s latest effort.
9 born free bounty hunters out of 10
Editors Note: Emily nailed this film on the head. I checked it out on the weekend as well and it could wind up being my favourite Tarantino film after Pulp Fiction. Great performances, a fantastic soundtrack and gorgeous cinematography.
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