Review of Inglourious Basterds (2009) by Patrick P — 13 Jun 2015

If you're looking for a gruesome, bloody, violent, but darkly humorous and interestingly charming Tarantino epic then, well, I think it's clearly apparent by now that you've found it. Of the many WWII films out there, this one is indeed a bit different. A lot happens but it is not difficult to follow. I found myself excited to see what would happen next more often than I expected, even though the plot was somewhat predictable at times. It was about as entertaining as a crusade against Nazis could be.

Tarantino structured the film well. He successfully avoided some of the more stupid or absurd Nazi stereotypes, or put his own spin on them so that they were more tolerable. I didn't find the fact that the Basterds were Jewish to be an idea as particularly compelling as I initially expected, but it still remained an entertaining irony. The acting was superb and convincing; I never once imagined that anyone's heart wasn't in it. The brutality, the blood, gore and destruction did not disappoint. It was exhilarating, even.

I think this idea of "ingloriousness" is perhaps the most significant aspect of the movie. It does sometimes diminish from the plot's shock factor because you tend to have a good idea about what is going to happen. But the good part of this is that, regardless of predictability, the scenes never fail to satisfy. No matter what, it never seems as though Tarantino is desperately throwing freshly slaughtered carcasses to the wolves. Rather, he has prepared a very lovely dinner for them, in a banquet hall at a five star hotel, consisting of filet mignon cooked medium rare, smothered in wild herbs and spices and topped with a chive butter. The side dishes consist of fresh peppered potato cakes and an ornamented mixture of steamed vegetables including moisturized buttered carrot mash, a puree of celery, and chopped onions to represent soil and broccoli heads to represent trees and shrubs, and ground parsley as grass. As if that's not enough, for dessert there is French Vanilla ice cream topped with chocolate almond syrup, pecans and Kentucky bourbon mixed with cherry coke. Once the wolves are done eating they shake Tarantino's hand and exit the hotel. Upon entering and starting their luxury SUV, rubbing their bellies after the delicious meal and telling some classy jokes, Tarantino, standing in the doorway of the hotel, pulls out a machine gun and blows the wolves' heads off. Subsequently, the vehicle explodes in a barrage of fiery destruction.

Tarantino lights a cigarette and tries to pretend that he doesn't notice the carnage, although everybody knows he's loving it.