“Once upon a time in Nazi occupied France…” a group of bad asses led by Lt. Aldo Rain (Brad Pitt) throw down the gauntlet and scalp a shit load of Nazis. At least that is what the trailer for Quentin Tarantino’s, “Inglorious Basterds” wants you to think the film is about but Basterds is so much more than a simple bloody war movie. The film is an homage to the C war movies of the past and a love letter to film as a whole. The movie’s main story line actually centers around a Nazi propaganda film and a plot to blow up or burn down the theater that is premiering it, taking out every member of the Nazi high command in one fell swoop.

I am one of those who believe that there are very few directors who do talking and excessive violence quite as well as Tarantino and he is in rare form with this new release. I cannot even begin to describe the scene in which two of the Basterds, and a British soldier, are meant to meet with a German film star in a Nazi filled bar, because the speeches contained within that scene are so brilliant. Let’s face it, though, a writer can write the best scene in the world but without the right actor to deliver the lines it all goes to hell anyway. In this case, the man who delivers those lines best is Christoph Waltz as Col. Hans “The Jew Hunter” Landa. Every scene that this man is in is mesmerizing, he utilizes four different languages in the film (German, French, English and Italian) and manages to be terrifying and yet oddly charismatic in all of them. I have never hated a villain while simultaneously being drawn to him every second he is on screen as much as with Landa (if he is not nominated for an academy award this year it will be a complete and utter debacle).

There are, however, two very important things that anyone going to see this film should know. One; the Basterds are only on screen about half the time, splitting the movie with Shosanna the undercover Jewish girl who owns the theater where the Nazis are planning to premier their film. Two; the majority of the film is subtitled so if you aren’t willing to read your entertainment then don’t bother going (and if you choose to go, don’t bitch about it later).

What really made me love this film was the way in which Tarantino dealt with his Jewish characters. I have grown very tired of the way in which Jews are portrayed in film. It is rare to find a movie in which the Jewish characters are not some absurd stereotype. We often see Jewish characters with long beards, dressed all in black, wearing hats and having peyote while Klezmer music plays in the background. The Basterds are not stereotypes. Not once do we see them engaging in any type of stereotypical behavior; they are first and foremost soldiers. Each is representative of where he is from and so, collectively, they do not continue the absurd idea that all Jews are the same. I do not have the time to heap all of the praise I wish on this film so, “Inglorious Basterds” I give you…

5/5 - Punched in the face by AWESOME!