Review of Django Unchained (2012) by Mike D — 20 Mar 2016

It seems each and every Quentin Tarantino film is dissected to death by critics, audiences, fans and foes all fairly evenly. This is exactly the case with 2012's 'Django Unchained,' which explores a whole bunch of themes, from racism and retribution to pride and committment. This is nothing outside the norm for a Tarantino film, as they usually have at least some kind of political message baked into them.

There are many things to both admire and detest about 'Django,' which probably means it's a well-balanced piece of cinema. For one, the screenwriting is excellent, and the dialogue shines thanks to meticulous delivery from the German bounty hunter Dr. King Schultz (Christoph Waltz) when contrasted with the brash, simple delivery of many others he crosses paths with. As the film's namesake, Jamie Foxx delivers an impressive performance as a freed slave who takes up bounty hunting as a profession as he makes his way to Mississippi to rescue his wife, Broomhilda von Shaft (Kerry Washington). Along the way, Django and Dr. Schultz bond as the body count increases.

Perhaps the best performances come from Leonardo DiCaprio and Samuel L. Jackson, as the former portrays the smooth talking owner of the Candyland plantation and the former, his 76-year-old "Uncle Tom-ish" head slave, Stephen. DiCaprio's most remarkable scene is when he manages to cut his hand on pieces of glass on a dining table (not part of the script) and he continues to act out the scene as blood covers his hand. If that's not the mark of a great actor, it's hard to determine what is. Additionally, Jackson's character is so detestable that a lot of the credit needs to be given to the actor from bringing him to life. It should also be noted that the diverse soundtrack is another element that really elevates what transpires onscreen.

In terms of its shortcomings, of course 'Django' is filled with carnage, some of which is so ridiculously over-the-top that it's hard to not get distracted by it. Also, the 165-minute runtime really pushes boundaries here, but again, it wouldn't be a Tarantino film without these aspects.

Thanks to brilliant writing, a top-notch cast and an experienced, award-winning director at the helm, 'Django Unchained' is an important film that will be looked at by other directors for years to come.