Review of Inglourious Basterds (2009) by Pablo Z — 28 Dec 2015

Violent, unrestrained and thoroughly entertaining, this is a classic Tarantino thrill-ride not to be missed.A big, bold, audacious war movie that will annoy some, startle others and demonstrate once again that he's (Tarantino) the real thing, a director of quixotic delights. A violent fairy tale, an increasingly entertaining fantasia in which the history of World War II is wildly reimagined so that the cinema can play the decisive role in destroying the Third Reich. Energetic, inventive, swaggering fun, Quentin Tarantino's Inglourious Basterds is a consummate Hollywood entertainment--rich in fantasy and blithely amoral. On the other hand, it offers some of his best and most dynamic, as well. Christoph Waltz as Col. Landa stands amongst the best of Tarantino's baddies - brutal, charming, snake-like and cowardly. Waltz's effortlessly disarming performance is perhaps the best portrayal of a Nazi since Raph Fiennes in Schindler's List, fully-fleshed and endlessly engaging. It's just possible that Tarantino, having played a trick on history, is also fooling his fans. They think they're in for a Hollywood-style war movie starring Brad Pitt. What they're really getting is the cagiest, craziest, grandest European film of the year. Dialogue is sharp, the imagery mesmerizing and both come together to create a wildly entertaining film.

VERDICT: "Instant Classic" - [Positively Acclaimed Reaction] Usually I give this rating to a movie that I believe is absolutely outstanding and has little to no flaws in it. Audiences, who haven't seen this film, must see it right now! (Films that are rated 4.5 or 5 stars).