I always forget why Quentin Tarantino,
writer and director of the legendary
“Pulp Fiction,” is one of the most popular
directors of my
time. His newest
release “Inglourious
Basterds,”
sharing its name
and not much else
with a 1978 Italian
film, quickly reminded
me why. Although a great film,
it may not be what you expect.

Lieutenant Aldo Raine (Brad Pitt) and
his group of Jewish American soldiers
including Sergent Donny Donnowitz,
(Eli Routh) known as the Basterds, are
on a mission to kill as many Nazis as
possible. Taking place in Nazi-occupied
France, they have many opportunities to
do just that.

Despite the title of the film, the
Basterds are not the sole focus of the
film. German Colonel Hans “The Jew
Hunter” Landa (Christoph Waltz), who
provides a truly stunning performance,
and the only survivor of a Jewish family
Shosanna Dreyus (Melanie Laurent)
also receive large amounts of screen
time.

Divided into several chapters, each focusing
on a specific group or character,
like “Pulp Fiction,” the film may seem
fragmented but it ultimately culminates
in a climax that left me blown away.

While the movie itself is about killing
Nazis, the action sequences and violence
are not the highlights of the film.
The always stylish, sometimes hilarious
and somewhat realistic dialogue is combined
with the wonderful cast and cinematography
that’s always on point. The
film creates an almost constant feeling
of suspense that is only dropped once
throughout the length of the film.

This is a movie about a subject that’s
been explored countless times before
but still manages to be fresh and edgy.
While it is in fact a World War II movie,
it is a WWII with immense amounts of
flair. Notable examples include the introduction
of “The Bear Jew” who has
a reputation for using a baseball bat to
club Nazis, the narration done by Samuel
L. Jackson and the first chapter of the
film showcasing Col. Landa’s terrifying
persona. This film is not so much about
WWII as it is a tale of revenge that most
people can understand.

Every character, with the possible exception
of a certain British general, is cast
perfectly. However Christopher Waltz’s
performance as Col. Hans Landa takes
the cake. He manages to be scary, funny,
evil and cunning all at once. Brad Pitt’s
performance as Lt. Raine is as good as
it is over the top, with nearly every line
that comes from his mouth walking the
thin line between drama and comedy.
Melanie Laurent’s performance as the
beautiful and deadly Shosanna Dreyfus
makes you believe she is a woman capable
of plotting something that I won’t
spoil for you here.

The characters feel absurd yet somehow
genuine and the plot itself, while
based on the realities of WWII, is by no
means a true story and never pretends to
be one.

This is Quentin Tarantino’s version
of WWII, at times resembling a western
more than a war film. “Inglourious
Basterds” is violent and harsh, so if the
viewer has problems with that then this
movie may not be for them. If the viewer
can get past that, however, they’ll find
one of the best films of the year.