Movie with Abe: Inglourious Basterds

Inglourious Basterds
Directed by Quentin Tarantino
Released August 21, 2009

Previews and advance word for admired cult film director Quentin Tarantino’s latest movie made it seem exclusively like an exercise in fantasy revenge on the Nazis. Many found that appealing, and it’s likely that such a film dealing purely with that would have been successful. This film, however, isn’t just about revenge. Instead, it’s a shockingly layered fictional depiction of a number of struggles against the Nazi regime. Lieutenant Aldo Raines and his Nazi-scalping band of soldiers are certainly entertaining and often foolish, but “Inglourious Basterds” is a serious movie and a magnificent one at that. Truth be told, the Basterds aren’t even really the main part of the story, though they don’t detract the least bit from this excellent picture.

The opening scene of “Inglourious Basterds” sets a deathly serious tone for the rest of the movie as the ruthless and evil Colonel Hans Landa arrives at a Frenchman’s home looking for hidden Jews. That scene forces viewers to the edge of their seats, and the next two and a half hours should keep them there. Every moment of Tarantino’s lengthy effort is engrossing and thrilling, and it’s hard not to be interested in its multi-faceted exploits. It’s a typical Tarantino movie, and while that means that it doesn’t cut away when others might, it’s entirely incredible. Despite the impressiveness of “Reservoir Dogs,” “Pulp Fiction,” and “Kill Bill,” this may well be Tarantino’s best film yet. His signature tongue-in-cheek touch works wonders, and it’s the perfect way to tell the rather unique interconnected stories of the Basterds, Colonel Landa, and a Jewish woman named Shoshanna Dreyfus.

“Inglourious Basterds” is hardly a typical Holocaust movie. It doesn’t present itself in the same way as monumental classics like “Schindler’s List” and “The Pianist,” yet it still instills the same sense of terror and horror through its depictions of the acts of the Nazis. The difference is that there’s a recurring feeling of absurdist determination (present most in the tale of the Basterds) – a notion that you can’t save everyone, so you may as well go kill some Nazis while you can. The often comical story of the Basterds doesn’t detract from the film’s overall tone. When the Basterds have a troop of Nazi soldiers concerned, things become instantly terrifying and deathly serious. It’s not just a joke to them; they mean business, and they’re going to kill themselves some Nazis. Lines of good and evil aren’t clearly drawn, and deep parallels between the Basterds’ murder of defenseless, unarmed Nazis and the Nazi extermination of Jews are implied. It’s a stunning mediation on acceptability of actions, guilt, and violence.

“Inglourious Basterds” features one of the best casts in recent film history. Would-be insignificant members of the ensemble, such as the dairy farmer in the opening scene, become crucial elements of the film because their performances are just that good. Brad Pitt and the rest of the Basterds are perfect in the combination of brutality and oafishness they demonstrate. Christoph Waltz is outstanding as the inimitable Colonel Landa, and it’s a performance that needs to be seen to be appreciated. The real star of an all-around stunning cast is Melanie Laurent, who says more with her eyes before she ever speaks than many other performers do in an entire career. The three threads of the film are anchored by spectacular performances, but the entire ensemble deserves praise. It’s an amazingly assembled film, and everything about it is just mind-blowing. The basterds may be inglorious, but this film is nothing short of incredible, and the best of the year thus far.

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