Django Unchained - Written Review

Quentin Tarantino throws his name on a lot of movies to help promote them.  I'll be the first to say that most of those movies are pretty lame.  Dare I mention that pile of random horse crap - The Man with the Iron Fists.  Quentin does, of course, have his own movies which always have a star-studded cast.  He's well known for his uniqueness in his films and has garner quite a fanbase.  Most of his movies are considered cult classics.  And it looks like that may be what lies in store for his most recent film - Django Unchained.

The D is silent

What is Django Unchained?  It's the story about how a black slave in 1858 is given his freedom and becomes a bounty hunter.  He quests to find and rescue his wife who was sold to a separate owner than him.  Not a bad premise really.  I'll be honest: I'm not a huge Tarantino fan.  That's not to say I don't like Quentin's work.  I'm really neither here nor there.  I find his movies are very gratuitous when it comes to violence and gore.  But in some cases it makes sense and is appropriate to the situation.  Sometimes.  As for Django, it takes place in the 1850's old west and deep south.  Guns and violence were a way of life.  So in this particular movie Quentin's signature violence wasn't remotely out of place.  Although the violence is so over the top violence to the point it's like watching a Looney Tunes cartoon. 

Apparently humans are filled with jelly under high pressure and pop easily

Aside from that, this movie was actually quite enjoyable as a comedy/drama/satire period piece.  The funny parts were funny, the dramatic parts were dramatic.  Very well directed by Quentin.  The directing, the editing, the timing, the pacing, the acting...overall this movie was very good.  I've heard some complaints that this movie uses the N word far too much.  I respect that Quentin didn't puss out on that actually.  Why?  Because if you're going to make an actual period piece you have to be true to that period.  People referred to African-Americans as the N word back then.  Everyone did.  It was the socially accepted norm.  So props to Quentin for being authentic.

Do you know...what time it is?

In conclusion, this movie was very a good movie.  It's well directed, the story is interesting, the characters are fun, and it was well written.  The casting for this movie was perfect as well.  Leonardo DiCaprio is incredible.  Christoph Waltz is awesome.  It's hard to tell who is the best actor in this movie.  As a dramatic comedy set in the Antebellum era of the deep south it's good fun.  The most important part of this movie is that it doesn't take itself too seriously.  It knows it's a satire and plays itself as such.  In my opinion it's Quentin's best movie so far.  And that's coming from a guy who's a big anime fan who's seen Kill Bill 1 and 2 (I was an even bigger anime fan when those movies came out).

Film Crazy Adam approves and recommends this movie.