Movie review - Inglourious Basterds

Movies dates are funny things. At face value, they're the perfect opportunity to go out and do something with someone that automatically provides a conversation point for future reference. But then one is torn at the movie selection - to choose something light and fluffy to imbue good feelings in one another or follow the true cineaste path of a challenging film to actually get worked up about? On that note, to celebrate not seeing each other for a few weeks, H and I decided to go see the very Tarantino-esque Inglourious Basterds.

The story takes place in WWII occupied France. In 1941, Colonel Hans Landa (Christoph Waltz) has been dispatched to the French countryside to hunt down Jewish families. A girl, Shoshanna Dreyfus (Mélanie Laurent) survives the massacre of her family by escaping on foot. Later, a company of American Jews led by Lt. Aldo Raine (Brad Pitt) are moving around killing Nazis and taking their scalps as trophies and leaving their mark on survivors. Come Paris in 1944, Shoshanna is masquerading as a gentile and running a cinema and a young sniper, Zoller (Daniel Bruhl), falls in love with her (naturally, she is repulsed because he is a Nazi). But Zoller's exploits as a sniper has been made into a movie and he manages to convince Goebbels that the film should have it's premiere at Shoshanna's cinema - meaning that all senior Nazis will be in the same place at the same time. This snippet of information is passed onto the Brits and Basterds by the German actress and double agent Bridget von Hammersmark (Diane Kruger). And so everyone descends into Paris...and Hans Landa is still on the trail....

With all the plot and all the violence that comes with it, it's probably not a good date movie. But if you want a film with talking points, Inglourious Basterds is for you! This is a very Tarantino-esque movie in that it is divided up into distinct chapters, has crack dialogue, the interested mise-en-scene, and the large and excellent ensemble cast. The first scene in particular is excellent in the tension but also the revelation of the nature of Landa's character in that while he is ruthless in the pursuit of his mission, he ultimately sees himself as a romantic. Waltz is absolutely incredible as Landa and totally deserving of the Best Actor Prize he won at Cannes. In fact all the acting is excellent and Brad Pitt's opening speech to his troops was amazing!

If I had to complain, it would be that some scenes are a touch long. I did wonder during the movie however if that was a result of my desire to use the loo, but no, the scenes being long was confirmed by H. There is also the question of the violence which even made me flinch at some points. And then there is the significant re-writing of history that takes place in the movie. This was not an issue for me because I recognise that it's meant to be reflect *real* history but there were times where I thought *oh, they are NOT going to do that! OMG!! THEY DID!!!* But yes, it might be an issue for some.

Highly entertaining, very amusing, not particularly romantic but plenty of talking points. Probably not as good as Kill Bill and definitely not as good as Pulp Fiction, but still recommended.
7 (H's score) - 8 (my score)/10