Nazis, Jews, and Americans all come together in a spectacular way in Quentin Tarantino's film Inglourious Basterds. Brad Pitt, a Tennessee-born Lieutenant, gathers together a group of rebels who's only desire is to kill a lot of Nazis. Unforgettable characters are created through Tarantino's excellent use of action, dialogue, and an all-star cast that really takes their roles to heart. A bat-wielding "Bear Jew" (Eli Roth) is one such unforgettable character as he beats down Nazi's with relentless vengeance. A crazy Sgt. Stiglitz (Til Schweiger) murders Nazi's for fun before he is recruited to the Inglourious Basterds' team.
The tension in the air of the first few minutes of the movie sets the scene for the rest of this World War II cinema event. Actors switch between French, German and English throughout the film which sets a more realistic mood to the film overall. Its easier to envision oneself in the room with the characters as they speak their native languages. For those who dislike reading subtitles to know the actions taking place onscreen: this film may not be for you. However, despite the almost constant subtitles, the film is an epic venture into the heart of World War II.
Quentin Tarantino has taken his sweet time to perfect a movie that has been his passion for ten years. His patience and creative efforts have paid off in a film that is far beyond the typical World War II movie bloodbath. The gore in the film is taken to a level that Tarantino is not unfamiliar with. Looking back at past project like Reservoir Dogs and Pulp Fiction, the level gore in Inglourious Basterds is on par. There are scenes that may shock many such as the scalping of Nazis and a bat bashing a general's head in. However, the gore is not the only thing going for this film.
Dialogue is plays a large part in this film. In the beginning scene, the level of tension that is reached is only attained by the use of dialogue between the Nazi colonel and the dairy farmer. Its a verbal game of cat and mouse that eventually leads to a dramatic finish. A tavern scene is another such scene where verbal exchanges lead to a dramatic finale. Tarantino takes special care with the dialogue in this scene where the suspense is created all due to an accent. With such care being given to the exchanges of words, its no wonder Tarantino creates a masterpiece of a film.
