Review: The Film, Inglorious Basterds…

Wish fulfillment. For most of us, it’s a lofty goal. Either we achieve it, or we don’t. There’s no in-between. For Quentin Tarantino, it’s an idea he cultivates, a target he strives for, a weapon he wields, whenever he makes a film. 

Inglorious Basterds (2009) is a fine example of this credo. Tarantino rewrites history and smiles a little, pleased with himself. We’re pleased, too, if not deeply satisfied, with that warmth you only feel when great tragedy has been averted, when villains get what’s finally coming, when justice has been duly served. The very image of Hitler and Goebbels violently jerking as bullets riddle them is something you won’t easily forget. 

Or want to. 

The film tells the tale of two separate plots to assassinate Nazi Brass near the end of WWII. One storyline follows a team of Jewish-American soldiers led by Lt. Aldo Raine (Brad Pitt, F1), while the other focuses on a French-Jewish theater owner (Mélanie Laurent, 6 Underground) seeking revenge for the murder of her family. 

But, as usual with Tarantino, it’s about the journey as well as the destination. The story takes its time, highlighted by punctuated violence, developing character along with the plot. At no time was I bored or reaching for my phone. This film grabs your attention and takes you along for its ride. 

Like many Tarantino films, this film is an ensemble piece. Talented actors populate a strong supporting cast. Most noteworthy is Christoph Waltz (Frankenstein), who won an Academy Award for this performance as Colonel Hans Landa, a charming, opportunistic, sadistic bureaucrat who’s not afraid to use unconventional methods to catch his target. Pitt and Laurent give their characters equal measures of depth and treachery, while Michael Fassbender (Black Bag), Diane Kruger (Troy), and Daniel Brühl (Eden) play their roles with aplomb, as much leeway as the well-written screenplay bestows.

Certain critics praised Tarantino for his reinterpretation of history as a form of cathartic fantasy, whereas others criticized the exaggerated revisionism and graphic violence, failing to see the operatic qualities of both aspects. Indeed, the film may have stretched suspension of disbelief, but I didn’t care. I engaged, I enjoyed, I approved. 

Needless to say, I highly recommend this film. Enjoy the maverick fantasy, engage with the phenomenal characters, marvel at the wishes fulfilled in Inglorious Basterds.