2009 Best Film Nominee #1- Inglorious Basterds

I believe Inglorious Basterds is the best film of the 2000’s (kind of by default), one of the most poignant displays of the paradoxical American psyche towards war ever demonstrated through film, and also one of the cleverest screenplays ever written. (There, go crazy!)  It will be difficult to fully support all of these points without spoiling the film, but I promise to try.

I’m not a die-hard Tarantino fan, but I do appreciate his work and I also agree with his assessment that this is his masterpiece.  All the technical and production aspects are what you come to expect from a Tarantino film- excellent.  He writes characters better than anyone (maybe) and he delivers some bigger than life characters in this film as well, namely:  American Ltd. Aldo Raine (Brad Pitt) and German Col. Hans Landa (Christoph Waltz). Landa delivers the best performance by a male actor of the year, hands down.  He should almost get it by default considering he spoke four languages in the film, but, on top of it, he delivers a performance that is both absurdly ridiculous and powerfully terrifying (I didn’t even know you could do that.).

All that aside, I want to get to why I make such bold assertions about this film… its story.  It’s a bit of a paradox that I love this story so much because it absolutely is not based in reality (where as I criticized several best picture nominees for straying from the realistic).  Much to the contrary, Tarantino boldly creates a fictional, alternate ending tale to World War II.  So, he gets a pass about the unrealistic parts because he intentionally falsifies them to prove a point (which he does so brilliantly, but I digress). Ironically, though, he also approaches a World War II film in a much truer sense than most other World War II films… the language.  The film explores the notion that the two sides fighting each other, for the most part, look the same and the only barrier preventing them from being totally indiscernible (other than uniforms) is language.  In the film, every character is true to his or her native tongue and, as the Americans and British try to infiltrate the German ranks, language proves to be a realistic barrier. (You know us, we hate speaking other languages and refuse to do so on principle [at least that’s my excuse]) So, I give it a pass on stretching reality because it’s intentionally fictional and yet it’s also truer than more factual World War II movies. It’s a paradox wrapped inside a paradox. (yay!)

What makes this story so clever, though, is the deception it pulls on us (the old one-two).  The entire film is presented as one thing: a fun, action-packed war movie about the good guys going after the bad guys, who revel in their success and propaganda as the story snowballs and gains momentum towards the predictable (based on history), but triumphant outcome.  On this premise and entertainment value alone, this is still a good movie, maybe even still deserving of an Oscar nod.  However, Tarantino pulls a twist on us in the end that is completely audacious and just blew me away.  It ripples through the film, affecting every character and also actually including the audience as an active member of the story.  That’s what gets me about this film.  It not only has a huge twist that is unexpected, brilliantly set up, and ripe with great payoffs, but that twist also alters (more like creates) the meaning of the film.  It flips the entire thing on its head, and, if you catch yourself during it and pay close attention to your emotions and, most importantly, your perspective, you’ll realize how Tarantino completely just played your emotions and revealed something about you and your nature that you may not have realized about yourself. (Hint: if you find yourself applauding or wanting to applaud, that’s it! That’s the moment!) Yes, that is a very bold statement, but I believe it to be true… and that’s why this film is so amazing.

In case you haven’t noticed yet, I really like this film and really think you should see it! Tarantino’s films can be incendiary and graphic, but this one actually stays pretty clean (for Tarantino standards) on both counts.  It’s far less graphic than any film he’s made since Jackie Brown, so even if you’re a bit squeamish I think you can find this enjoyable.  Also, if the above paragraph sounded like lunacy to you, don’t let it deter you from seeing the film.  I don’t think you need to get all the subtle, deeper meanings to enjoy it.  Tarantino, for the most part, makes exciting films full of great dialogue and great characters and, on pure entertainment value, it nears Pulp Fiction.  It also might cure the common cold, make doughnuts healthy, and pay off your student loans (I don’t care if you’re 45. You’re still paying them!).  (Have I left anything out? Any other hesitations you may have?... well, I can’t think of anything.) So go rent it!

Scale: 

1-  Lots of Better Movies at Blockbuster   

2-  Might Be Worth Renting

3-  Rent It When You Get to It

4-  A Must Rent, at some point

5-  Put It in Your Queue NOW!

My Rating: 5

Buy Inglourious Basterds (2-Disc Special Edition) [Blu-ray]