Not Just a Blood Bath: Inglourious Basterds Review

Don’t go to see Inglourious Basterds expecting two and a half hours of non-stop Nazi slaughtering. That’s not what this film is about (well, not totally), and let’s remember it’s Tarantino we’re talking about here.
The story is Quentin Tarantino’s fictional retelling of World War II, and the movie is brought to life by an amazing cast and fierce directing. There are so many characters in the film, all of them memorable and integral to the plot in some way. This is due in part to excellent acting (Brad Pitt, Mélanie Laurent, and Christoph Walt, just to name a few), but it’s Tarantino’s innate ability to create such well-drawn characters that makes this movie work.
Like a true novelist, QT sees the whole picture. Fans went in wanting a Kill Bill pt. 1-esque bloodbath, but Inglourious Basterds unfolds like a really good, epic book. And not just because it has chapters.
Tarantino is most definitely a writer first, director second. He’s the God of dialog, something screenwriting classes have always taught me to avoid. But it’s the dialog that adds suspense to the film and deepens the layers of the plot. I’ve heard Tarantino liken the tension in the film’s tavern scene to a rubber band being stretched as far as it can go before snapping.
The tension in that scene, and throughout the film, is created through good storytelling. He engages you, and the film plays out like a long, delicious beef stew. The ending of IB was one of the most rewarding I’ve ever seen and it wouldn’t have been nearly as satisfying if the entire film was intense bloodshed.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u6fBXTNCHo4]
Comments
i truly enjoyed your review… i may actually see the movie now… seriously.
thanks! you definitely should. it’s just good story telling! the ending is sooo worth it.
Great movie
I saw the movie and yeah it was good the most memorable moments of the film were the parts with Brad Pitt which thankfully he was in a lot. First good movie hes done in awhile. Kill Bill should have been one movie and death proof sucked except for a few parts at the end that failed to make up for his self indulgent dialogue.
originally kill bill was going to be one movie, but it was starting to get too long so the producers decided to split it up. fun fact!
death proof did suck and i also felt the dialog was self indulgent. it was like, listening to a bunch of annoying chicks that i wouldn’t wanna be friends w. in real life. but you gotta respect quentin for being ballzy.
Best Tarantino interview about the movie and Brad Pitt was on Stern show last week.
if that nazi asks for one more glass of milk i’m gonna FREAK OUT!!!!
I kinda want to see it again. like it might have the Napoleon Dynamite effect on me.