DJANGO UNCHAINED – Quentin Tarantino

When it comes to Directors, most people think of the “big boys” like Spielberg, Lucas, Cameron, Scorsese and Eastwood, but the younger generation has their fair share of great Directors as well; Kevin Smith, Robert Rodriguez, Bryan Singer, and of course, Quentin Tarantino.

Tarantino has been making films 20 years now and has not let us down since he first came on the scene with his break-through film, Reservoir Dogs in the early 90′s. Quentin’s style & taste of filmmaking wasn’t quite what people were expecting and not quite sure what to think of it at the time. Once Pulp Fiction came along, we were pulled out of our movie theater seats, monkey spanked, and thrown to the wolves. Quentin became Hollywood royality. His films are not for everyone! If you get offended, grossed out, insulted, or squirm in your seat by graphic gore and violence then he’s not for you. However, if you can appreciate true filmmaking at it’s best and dialogue that seems to ramble on for hours, yet keeps you listening – then that’s Quentin and he’s a slice of talent unlike no other.

This past year of 2012 has been a pretty decent year for films and although I haven’t seen all the films of this now past year, I plan to, but one that I had to see was Django unchained and all I can say is it might’ve been a long year, but it was well worth the wait!

This film is Quentin’s tribute to the Western’s of the 60′s like Fist Full Of Dollars, For A Few Dollars More and The Good, The Bad & The Ugly. The “spagetti westerns”, as they are known to be called, were epic, filmed on a large scale, cheesey sound effects, and very long. Quentin has brought ALL of that to his latest film and then some. The film begins when a slave by the name of Django (played very well by Jamie Foxx), has been sold along with his wife, Broomhilda (played by Kerry Washington), but they were sold and seperated. Not knowing by who, his wife is gone, but Django was bought by the Brittle Brothers. While on route to his new home at a plantation, an unknown stranger and ex-dentist by the name of, Dr. King Schultz (played perfectly by Christoph Waltz), who insists on buying Django because Schultz is a bounty hunter & Django is the only one who knows who the Brittle Brothers look like. The deal is; if Schultz rescues Django from his current owners, Django will help find the Brittle Brothers for their bounty. However, once that happens, Schultz see’s Django is a real natural when it comes to bounty hunting so Schultz makes another deal; they will go to every plantation they can, collect all the bounties they can and in return give Django his freedom and find his wife for him.

However, it’s not easy finding who she was bought by until they find out it’s a plantation owner by the name of Calvin Candie (played very well by Leo DiCaprio), who buys male slaves for fighting and female slaves for prostitution on a plantation called, Candyland. Schultz and Django decide to pose as a couple of fighter buyers so that they can get close to Bloomhilda and HOPE to buy her instead so they can be together again. However, once housekeeper, Stephen (Samual L. Jackson) get’s suspicious of why they are there, all hell breaks loose!! Literally! To find out of Django saves his wife or falls in a blaze of bullets – I highly recommend Django unchained.

Tarantino doesn’t dish out movies every single year like some directors, however, when he does release a new film, he takes his time, he focuses on the story, and more importantly; the dialogue. He has a strong story to tell and even tho it takes awhile to get there, the ride is very much worth it. Even tho I liked his last “revenge” film, Inglorious basterds, I felt this “revenge” film was more entertaining, better story, and very raw! There comes a warning with this film.  If you are not familiar with Tarantino’s work be warned! It is very long, very gory, very graphic, very violent, and very offensive to some. If you can handle all that, then you will enjoy every minute of this film. Filmed on a very large scale, beautiful landscaping, and sticking to the true “spagetti western style“, he covers all his base’s.

As far as the performance’s go, there are some actors in this film that not only should be Oscar nominated, but should win! Samuel Jackson does a great job, Jamie Foxx is Oscar worthy, and DiCaprio is at his best, but it’s Christoph Waltz as Dr. King Schultz who steals the movie. When I first saw Inglorious basterds in the theater, the very first thing I said when the credits rolled was, He’s gonna win an Oscar for that. And he did. When Django was over, I said the same thing and I hope I’m right. The rest of the cast are superb and there’s a whose-who of character actors that always pop-up in Tarantino’s films as well as cameos from old western stars. Plus, a few “special” cameos to look for. The soundtrack is a mix of old western songs, epic score, and modern day pop culture hits. I can’t say enough about this film other than it is officially my favorite film of 2012 and even tho being too long would normally cost it a star on my ratings system, I’m breaking that rule this one time. I believe it had to be told the way it was in order to get the full effect of the film. I truly hope you see this film on the big screen to get the same thing I got out of it and be prepared to be blown away… literally.