Whoa!! Tarantino? How were you able to pull off this insane and yet diabolical ode to vengeance on the screen? The only part of this movie that I didn't find fascinating was Brad Pitt. (and I like Brad Pitt,) Lots of times symbolism goes over my head. It's hard for a movie to communicate political or social theses without disrupting the plot of a movie or seeming pretentious. Nice job Quentin. (oh and thanks for providing me with a slightly more gruesome image to replace the one from Old Boy where teeth are pulled out with the back of a hammer.)
The symbolism: The one that I want to talk about was at the end of the movie...wherein the Nazi's are watching a movie of Nazi's slaughtering Americans and British troops and laughing, all the while we are watching a movie about American and British officers that mercilessly slaughter Nazis for our entertainment. The juxtaposition is too eerie to ignore.
The languages: I applaud most English speaking directors that go out of their way to make American audiences read and uncomfortable by using different languages. It's kind of a "screw you" to dullard audiences. I thought Inglourious Basterds did an amazing job of merging French, English, German, and even some Italian into a smooth story that didn't lose potency because of strange character interactions. I also thought that having the "give-away" be a gesture and not a word was a brilliant subtle cue by the Tarantino that even our bodies betray our origins.
Ratings:
Nazis: Skip it
Not good with blood: Skip it
Afraid of giant heads laughing maniacally through fire: Skip it
Realists: Skip it (It's a fantasy after all)
Cinaphiles: See it
On a scale of The Great Escape to Leather Clad Nazi Werewolf Women of the SS, I give Inglourious Basterds 3.89 out of 5 stars.
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