Inglorious Basterds (2009) Review

"You probably heard we ain't in the prisoner-takin' business, we in the killin' Nazi business" - Lt. Aldo Raine.

What do you get when you take a director who's films are famously violent and have him direct a war film? The result is Inglorious Basterds. Quentin Tarantino's iconic use of violence works brilliantly alongside his warped take on the Second World War. For me, Tarantino is a director who's films always offer something to enjoy. Be it either twisted humour or quotable dialogue, he's guaranteed to leave an impression on the viewer. Inglorious Basterds is no exception.

Like his previous works, Inglorious Basterds is told in a series of chapters (in this case, five), whereby all the characters are in some way intertwined with one another, even if they appear to be on completely separate paths. In Inglorious Basterds, we have two main stories that are linked: a group of Jewish-American soldiers on a mission to assassinate the Nazi leaders, and a young woman named Shosanna (Melanie Laurent) seeking revenge on the Nazis after her family is murdered. Unlike Reservoir Dogs (1992) and Pulp Fiction (1994), Tarantino tells the story as linear, and I think that works particularly well for the film. With both stories, there is a great deal of tension leading to an incredible climax, and so not knowing where the characters are going to end up makes for more suspense. What I especially admire is Tarantino's controlled use of violence in the film. There is a great deal of focus on character interactions here, perhaps even more so than his past films. The bloody violence is never given priority over the development of the plot, and of course is used to its extent only when necessary.

Without doubt the best aspect of Inglorious Basterds, like all of Tarantino's films, are the characters. What's highly commendable is his ability to portray both the Nazis and their enemies on the same level. The Nazis are not simply portrayed as the obvious villains, with their violent acts matched by the American's thrill of hunting them down. Lt. Aldo Raine (Brad Pitt) leads the Americans, referred to as the Basterds. He is shown to be a soldier on opposite ends of the violence spectrum, with him eager to collect the scalps of fallen Nazis, but also showing restraint in other circumstances. For example, after an undercover mission goes horribly wrong with some of his men slaughtered, Aldo attempts to negotiate with the last survivor, a Nazi soldier. He stays true to his word of approaching him unarmed, and in the end ensures that the Nazi trusts him. This adds a more human quality to him, rather than having him be just a straight-faced psychopath that loves to kill. Of course, I must mention Christoph Waltz, who plays SS Colonel Hans Landa. Winning multiple awards, including an Oscar, Waltz completely steals the film. Whenever he appears, you are always anxious as to what he's going to do, made all the more unsettling by his calm persona. One particular nerve shredding scene is when he has a conversation with actress Bridget von Hammersmark (Diane Kruger), who is working with the Americans. I won't reveal what happens, but all I'll say is taking off a leg caste has never been more intense. For me, his introduction is one of the best scenes from any film. Landa and his men arrive at a small farmyard home, where he believes a Jewish family are being sheltered. His comparisons to the Jewish people and rats is an incredibly chilling monologue, leading to him calmly gaining a confession as to where exactly the family are hiding. Perfect acting, writing and directing.

The only problem I have with the film is the ending. Again, I don't want to give too much away, and at least it doesn't stop the film from being an overall incredible piece of work. What I didn't like was how one of the characters, shown to be totally in control of every situation, settles an agreement with the enemy that he will receive credit for ending the war. I found his sudden willingness to trust his enemies rather unbelievable, and if something like this really did happen in the war, it should have been left out regardless. Of course, things don't go the character's way, which is something that was inevitable to everyone expect him. 

Despite that one moment, Inglorious Basterds is another shining example of why Quentin Tarantino is one the best filmmakers of his generation. Everything you want from one of his films is here, and that means that it never fails to entertain and have you eagerly anticipating what will happen next. Some may be put off by the violence depicted in the film, but chances are you know that graphic violence is a recurring trait of Tarantino's filmmaking. Go and see it if you haven't already, and if you have seen it, like me you're probably going to be watching it many times more.

Pros:
+ Phenomenal performances from all, particularly Christoph Waltz.
+ Brilliant suspense, leading to a fantastic climax involving pretty much all the characters.
+ The opening sequence, everything about it is absolutely perfect.
+ Portraying both factions as equally sadistic makes for a good dynamic of character personality.

Cons:
- The final scene, as described above.