Inglourious Basterds

Publisher: Universal Pictures	Running Time: 2 Hours 29 Minutes
Release Date: August 21, 2009	Format: Theatrical

Once upon a time.... in Nazi occupied France.

Inglourious Basterds follows the exploits of two separate forces aimed at bringing down the Nazi regime – or at least do as much damage to it as they possibly can. Starring Brad Pitt as an American Nazi killer, his group of eight American Jews drops into France dressed as civilians.

“We ain't in the prisoner takin' business. We're in the killin' Nazi business,” Pitt's character, 1st Lieutenant Aldo Raine, says in the movie. The Nazis know him as Aldo the Apache. The group that Raine leads becomes known as the Basterds for their brutal tactics (much to be expected from a Tarantino movie).

The other person that the film follows is a Jewish girl by the name of Shosanna whose family is murdered by Colonel Hans Landa (Christoph Waltz), a member of the SS and an investigator for Jews that go unaccounted for in France. Waltz' role earned him a Best Actor award at Cannes.

The plot of the movie is woven together neatly throughout with the various characters planning attacks without the knowledge of the other. While some historical figures make the final cut, many of the characters are entirely fictional. Hitler is frequently lampooned throughout the movie and his Propaganda Minister (who would in real life go on to become Hitler's successor for a single day), Joseph Goebbels, is prominently featured as well.

The cast for the film could not have been better. Tarantino came up with a nice mix of German, French and American actors for the various characters. Brad Pitt was a phenomenal choice for Lt. Raine (supposedly from Tennessee) with a hilarious Southern accent that sounds more Texan than anything. Tarantino veterans Samuel L. Jackson and Harvey Keitel play minor roles as narrator and the voice of an Allied commander, respectively.

Somehow Tarantino has outdone himself. This is one of his better films and it is also one of the best films of 2009. This spaghetti Western meets World War II action movie is how history should have played out. It would have been a lot more satisfying had the Basterds gotten their way with the Third Reich.

Final:	10 out of 10
Written by Kyle Bell	Write a User Review

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