A basterd's work is never done (Inglourious Basterds (DVD))

Member Name: aylawarner

Product:	Inglourious Basterds (DVD)
Date:	29/10/09 (83 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Brilliant story and directing from Tarantino, wonderful acting

Disadvantages: Far too violent and gory for my liking

Once upon a time in Nazi occupied France, a young Jewish girl narrowly escapes after the slaughter of her family. Years later she plans her revenge when a German war hero takes an interest in her. A movie about his heroic killings is scheduled to be premiered at her theatre and in attendance will be hundreds of Nazi soldiers and officials. When a group of Jewish-American soldiers, nicknamed the 'Basterds', hear about the premier, they plan to get their own revenge in the most brutal way possible. Because, after all, they're in the Nazi killing business and business is a-booming.

~ Cast ~
Lt. Aldo Raine - Brad Pitt
Shosanna Dreyfus - Mélanie Laurent
Col. Hans Landa - Christoph Waltz
Sgt. Donny Donowitz - Eli Roth
Lt. Archie Hicox - Michael Fassbender
Bridget von Hammersmark - Diane Kruger
Pvt Fredrick Zoller - Daniel Brühl
Sgt. Hugo Stiglitz - Til Schweiger

I'm not usually too keen on war films but I loved Valkyrie and so thought I'd give this one a go too. But the trailers made the film look really silly so I was a little hesitant but everyone I knew said it was brilliant so I saw it anyway.

Brad Pitt has been played up quite a bit in this as he's not even in that much of the film to be honest. Although he heads up the team of Inglorious Basterds, the majority of the film isn't centred on them and he doesn't have that big a role. His character was a little goofy with his chin sticking out the whole time and a constant stupid expression on his face. I've seen him play much tougher and more violent characters which would have suited the part better and he just wasn't brilliant in this for some reason. And this is truly hard for me to say because Brad Pitt is one of my favourite actors and he was my teenage obsession!

Christoph Waltz was revolting in this. Every time I looked at him he would make me cringe and grimace. Whether it was because of the smug grins he would pull, or the looks of happiness he had when he'd got one over on someone or purely because his job was to find and kill the Jews, I just didn't like him. I suppose this was supposed to be the intention and the feeling we were meant to get from him so, in that case, he played his part very well.

All of the acting was brilliantly done and I managed to sympathise with the victims, want revenge with the Basterds and be disgusted with the Nazis.

The film wasn't at all silly so I don't know why the trailers made it out to be that way. It was however, very violent, as it was bound to be with Quentin Tarantino as the director. There wasn't violence the entire way through the film but only at a few certain places throughout but, when it did occur, it was very gory and very violent and I had to turn my face away from the screen most of the time as some parts were so gross. It truly deserves its 18 certificate.

Although the film is a very long one I didn't really feel that it was too long. I think every scene in it was needed as there was so much going on all the time.

I didn't expect to enjoy this film too much but I actually did. It was nice to see the good guys getting their revenge on the Nazis for a change and it was done in such a brilliantly clever way, as it always the way with Tarantino. There were also a few comical lines added in here and there and the Basterds were a pretty comical bunch of killers. Despite the disgusting violence and scalping of the Nazis heads, Inglourious Basterds is a brilliant film.

Running time: 153 minutes
Certificate rating: 18
Director: Quentin Tarantino

Summary: "We're in the Nazi killin' business and cousin, business is a-boomin'."