Inglourious Basterds (R) 151 min.
Directed by: Quentin Tarantino
Rating: 4 stars
Main cast:
Brad Pitt-- Lt. Aldo Raine
Melanie Laurent-- Shosanna
Christoph Waltz-- Col. Hans Landa
"I Think this Might be my Masterpiece!"
By: Garrett Burns
Quentin Tarantino has always proven to be an idealist and a visionary when it comes to his directorial choices; a true constructive master of suspense and empathy for his protagonists (not to mention disdain for the antagonists). Inglourious Basterds is no exception, offering an offbeat outcome to WWII that would have been preferred by many. Had the war simply been a screenplay summoned by the collective mind of the world’s filmmakers, Inglourious Basterds would be that brainchild.
Basterds is a tribute to all that is cinema, revealing Tarantino's passion for the alternate--more specifically, utopian--realities forged by directors, writers and actors from the hundred-year history of the medium. The story appears to be one conceived from the realized actions of a very distinct cast of characters. Films--unlike real life--are almost entirely fatalistic. They are the products of a character's every action in every scenario predetermined by the director--not simply for the sake of entertaining the viewer, but also to reveal to them the true nature of each character. Tarantino is one director who truly understands this concept and respects it by marrying his characters to the plot (each pushing the other along).
When discussing Basterds with film critic Roger Ebert, Tarantino stated "At no time during the start, the middle or ever, did I have the intention of rewriting history. It was only when I was smack dab up against it, that I decided to go my own way. It just came to me as I was doing what I do, which is follow my characters as opposed to lead." That said, had Tarantino's characters transcended the big screen, "Lt. Aldo Raine and his Inglourious Basterds" would be passing the lips of history teachers and students world wide.
As in his past films, Tarantino brings us another cast of monumental characters who never fail to shock and impress. Lt. Aldo Raine, played by Brad Pitt, is a hell-bent American southerner who leads the Inglourious Basterds--a crew of equally pissed off Jewish Americans (reminiscent of the Dirty Dozen)--throughout Nazi occupied France exterminating and scalping every Nazi in their path.. Shosanna, played by Melanie Laurent is a Jewish escapee posing as a French cinema owner. Later devoting herself to revenge against the Nazis, she is portrayed as an obvious tribute to the femme fatale characters seen in many noir films of the great depression era. Col. Hans Landa, played by Christoph Waltz, is perhaps the most powerful character, bringing the definition of antagonist to a new level. He is almost paranormally intelligent and sadistic, constantly playing off the weaknesses of his rivals.
The climax of the film is a quite literally a burning cry of desperation and glee from Tarantino to anyone who truly respects the art of film. WWII’s most powerful characters are gathered in a small, dark Paris cinema to view a screening what is sure to be the Nazi’s best propaganda film. The power and iconicity of the scene are brilliantly reestablished through use of color (the room is almost entirely black and red) and shot composition (extreme close up shots showing the emotions of these legendary characters). As the screening nears it’s end, both Shosanna and the Basterds make movie history in a glourious assault of revenge and bravery.
Tarantino boldly blows-up all of our presumptions for a WWII movie. He dances around concepts of satire and parody with a fresh style that only he could pull off. In what can be seen as a message from Tarantino regarding his latest film, Inglourious Basterds ends as Lt. Aldo Raines looks into the camera and says with confidence "You know what... I think this is my masterpiece!"
