Inglorious Basterds

"We're gonna be doin' one thing and one thing only. Killin' Nazis."

And if you are on board with that, get ready for a wunderbar World War 2 ride with "Inglourious Basterds", directed and spelt by Quentin Tarantino himself. But don't expect a page of historical accuracy or a lighthearted fairy tale, because in this alternate timeline of how Adolf Hitler and his Third Reich are "glouriously" toppled, it is do or die, son.

If you were fortunate to watch Tarantino's 1994 masterpiece "Pulp Fiction", then you will find yourself in much content and nostalgia that both films echo strikingly similar elements. This time, however, there is a whole new world of comedy within "Inglourious Basterds" that is as audacious as scalping dead Nazis or mauling Hitler's face with a machine gun. Okay, maybe for the majority, some parts are too violent to be even funny, and admittedly, even I myself found it rare to laugh at silly jokes or satire, simply because they barely exist. Nevertheless, why I insist on calling "Inglourious Basterds" a comedy is due to its laudably ridiculous story about the end of WW2 in an old French cinema owned by an undercover Jew, and the hilariously degenerate characters that drives almost everything in the film.

Set in the midst of WW2 (this requires no backstory), Allied lieutenant Aldo "Apache" Raine assembles a squad of Jewish-Americans called "The Basterds" to wreak havoc and fear among the Nazis, by scalping the dead ones and carving swastikas on the foreheads of survivors. Meanwhile, a young Jewish girl, Shosanna Dreyfus, witnesses the massacre of her entire family in France, overlooked by SS Colonel Hans Landa, nicknamed "The Jew Hunter". Three years later, Shosanna finds refuge in Paris as a cinema owner, until her venue is unexpectedly chosen to be the location of a Nazi film premiere, who Hitler himself will attend. Shosanna and "The Basterds", realizing this as a grand opportunity, both plan their own attacks to bring down the leaders of the Third Reich in order (for Shosanna) to avenge her family and (for The Basterds) to end the war once in for all. Now is this a story worth paying attention to in your history class? I agree.

Usually if it is a film about World War 2, the big bad Nazis aren't awarded as much screen time as, say, the British, French or Americans. History has taught us to detest the Third Reich, to acknowledge Hitler as a complete nutcase, and that every single German soldier during the war are soulless automatons. Obviously the pure evil behind the Nazis' murderous intentions are undeniable, but at the end of the day, Nazis are humans too, and this universal fact, which gives "Inglourious Basterds" so much personality and diversity, is effectively demonstrated. Historical and controversial figures like Nazi propagandist Joseph Goebbels, fictional Nazi war hero Frederick Zoller, and Nazi officer Hans Landa are given abundant screen time as they converse in German (with subtitles of course) and participate in "human" interactions like bantering, flirting, crying, and drinking. In many cases, these Nazi characters either steal the spotlight or create the very foundation of "Inglourious Basterds" due to their charming uniforms, language and facial expressions. No matter how cruel they were, these Germans really knew how to dress and act with class, and by the end of the film, it made me want to learn German.

The incredible acting is the main reason why the characters feel so genuine and natural. You get to watch Brad Pitt with his impeccable Texan accent that complements the gallows humor, Martin Wuttke conveying Hitler's fiery attitude, Daniel Brühl showing a romantic side as a Nazi, Michael Fassbender boasting his lingual versatility, and August Diehl making the tiniest and most natural gesticulations while conversing. In other words, there are numerous actors that contributed to the impressive authenticity of the film. However, most people will have their eyes primarily drawn to Christoph Waltz's performance as Hans Landa. Who Tarantino calls the "greatest character he has ever written", Colonel Landa is the most complex villain I have ever seen on screen. He is a devout Nazi, and yet opportunistic. He is also suspensefully merciless, but charming and polite when necessary. And above all, he is a multilingual detective fluent in English, German, French, and Italian whose intellect rivals that of Sherlock Holmes's. Even if the explicit parts of "Inglourious Basterds" discourages you from ever watching it, I implore you to force yourself for Christoph Waltz. It's too bad Hollywood recognized him this late in his career, but as all's well that ends well, immense kudos to Tarantino for discovering the wonderful acting talent that is in Waltz.

And the flaws? There are some noticeable ones. The editing is not competently done, as there are several scene transitions that are just plain awkward and drama-wise nonsensical. Furthermore, the characters, while entertaining to watch, fail to display any impactful development or transformation from start to finish, because most of them either die or disappear after a chapter or two. Some critics also comment on the jarring silliness of the overall film, and even went to call Tarantino an "embarrassment". These are all valid criticisms from the community, but like I say for any film, it is all a matter of taste. "Inglourious Basterds" is far from a serious film oozing with morals and the injustice of war. In fact, it lacks every dimension of seriousness. And by all means, it is one of the most explicitly violent films out there (so do think wisely before you watch), but as a part of the satire and war genre, "Inglourious Basterds" fulfills its purpose. Will it go down as a classic? Probably not over Tarantino's "Pulp Fiction", but no doubt one of the best in the 21st century so far, with one of the greatest actors I've witnessed that is Christoph Waltz. Still not convinced? Just watch it, and you will be surprised by so many things under Tarantino's sleeves. And by the time you finish it, "Inglourious Basterds" may turn out to be your favourite film ever.

Verdict: Must-Watch 9

Release Date: August 21, 2009

Box Office: $321.5 million

Rewatchable: Yes

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