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In Nazi-occupied France during World War II, a group of Jewish-American soldiers known as "The Basterds" are chosen specifically to spread fear throughout the Third Reich by scalping and brutally killing Nazis. The Basterds soon cross paths with a French-Jewish teenage girl who runs a movie theater in Paris which is targeted by the soldiers.
Brad Pitt: Lt. Aldo Raine
Lt. Aldo Raine: So you're "The Jew Hunter."
Col. Hans Landa: [giddy] That's a bingo!
[Lt. Aldo and PFC. Utivich stare at him in confusion]
Col. Hans Landa: Is that the way you say it: "That's a bingo?"
Lt. Aldo Raine: You just say "Bingo."
Inglorious Basterds shows us Quentin Tarantino's vision of a Nazi infested France rife with chaos and anarchy. It simply is the most warped, crazy roller coaster rides of WW2 proportions to come out in decades. Cleverly the soundtrack is a modern web of guitar, Bowie, 80s music, spaghetti Western styled whistling and all of QT's previous works mixed into a mix worthy of Tarantino. Literally the music combines with the visuals effortlessly well, we feel glued to the screen because of the assault on our senses.
''What a tremendously hostile world that a rat must endure. Yet not only does he survive, he thrives. Because our little foe has an instinct for survival and preservation second to none... And that Monsieur is what a Jew shares with a rat.''
Needless to say, the cast of Inglorious Basterds is deliciously flawless and a gathering of some impressive players. The role I adored most was that of detective nemesis, ''Jew Hunter'', dastardly Col. Hans Landa played by Christoph Waltz. He has some of the killer lines and phrases in the movie, and he speaks German, French, English, Italian...He literally puts the yanks, Pitt and the other Allie chaps to shame. Nazi's were well educated, arrogant, pig headed brutes who weren't afraid to let everyone else know it, and Christoph effortlessly makes us aware of this. I was also in hysterics over the portrayal of Hitler, Winston Churchill, and a Mike Myers playing some General who looked like he had just waltzed off Austin Powers. This was one of the best cameos I've seen to date. Brad Pitt was abit annoying with his accent, Eli Roth hilarious, and the rest of the basterds not really on screen for long at all.
''You probably heard we ain't in the prisoner-takin' business; we in the killin' Nazi business. And cousin, Business is a-boomin'.''
I really must mention Quentin Tarantino loves his dialogue and Inglorious Basterds is full of talking and discussions you really need to pay attention to. These are deep topics here, and it isn't all over blown action and violence, although when there is boy does it hit home. This is a deep intellectual stab at history, a stab at history that doesn't have to be necessarily accurate. I mean Hitler gets a fucking whooping in a French cinema for god sake, this is over blown carnage with slick romance and chaos served side by side. The characters are thrown around like dolls and more than likely, QT kills them off without a thought as to what will come next.
Overall, Inglorious Basterds is abit of fun rather than a serious depiction of history, hence the ''Once upon a time in Nazi-occupied France...'' slogan. This QT doing a Kill Bill flavoured 1940s Nazi congregation of sick comedic proportions. Hell he even rips the piss out of us English, with our accents and stiff upper lip stereotypicalised supposed mannerisms. Inglorious Basterds will finish you off with an exploding cinema, a carved Nazi swastika symbol upon your synapses, and will blow you away with those crazy ass tunes on the credits. Enjoy!
''...The Germans will be sicken by us, the Germans will talk about us and the Germans will fear us. Nazis ain't got no humanity! They need to be destroyed. Each and every man under my command owns me one hundred Nazi scalps... and I want my scalps!''
10/10
