Django Unchained

ATTN:  MOVIE SPOILERS INCLUDED

Django Unchained

January 2, 2013

3.5 out of 5 bags of popcorn for the overall movie

4.5 out of 5 boxes of milk duds for my own personal entertainment

My Suggestion:  Theater

The Gist:  Quentin Tarantino wrote and directed this western film about revenge, vengeance and the lengths a person will go to get it.  When a bounty hunter frees a slave to assist him in capturing a gang of brothers wanted for reward they form a partnership of sorts.  Once the task is complete, the bounty hunter makes a deal with the slave to help him free his enslaved wife from the hands of a plantation owner. 

My take:

Wow…wow…wow!  I loved this movie.  The acting and story were both captivating and fascinating.  I am a huge Quentin Tarantino film lover and it definitely met my expectations and then some.  I will start off by talking a little about the movie itself and then get into the actors performances. 

This is a Tarantino film so going into it you need to expect to hear language (the n-word was used to the point of oblivion), see graphic detailed squirting blood kill scenes (brains, blood, bowels, nothing is off limits to this guy) and some very gut wrenching, cringe worthy moments.  If you are a Tarantino fan you will get it, if not, than prepare to be shocked.  The film was long, a bit too long in my opinion.  I had heard that they were considering making the movie a 2 part film which it easily could have been, but I believe they made the right decision to keep it all intact as one.   It is still too long which didn’t bother me that much, but it could be overkill for some.  There were several scenes that could have been eliminated without taking away from the film itself.  Such as, the KKK scene with Jonah Hill.  I didn’t mind it, but thought it was a waste of the movies time.  On a positive note, I was captivated by the story of a slave trying to free his beloved wife and his sheer bravery to do whatever it took to free her.  This movie has everything, a love story, an evil villain, a hero to cheer for, a loveable and smart sidekick, a disgusting but amusing band of bad guys and good guys all with interesting personalities and characteristics.  Sometimes it is hard to tell the good guys from the bad.  Very few writers can tell a story like Tarantino.  He can take a simple concept and expand it by adding his vision and details and it comes out as a work of genius.  This is one of his best films since Kill Bill Vol. 1 & 2.  It is no Pulp Fiction, but it’s not far behind. 

The acting was spectacular.  Jamie Foxx who plays Django, the freed slave doesn’t miss a mark.  You are instantly in his corner and routing for him.  He is the most humble, bad-ass ever!  You could feel his pain and need to rescue his wife and seek revenge on those who had wronged him.  Christoph Waltz plays Dr. King Shultz, an ex-dentist turned bounty hunter who frees Django and partners up with him.  He is such an amazing actor and he adds a smart, wit to the film that is extremely enjoyable.  Samuel L. Jackson (love seeing him in another Tarantino film BTW) was great.  So good!  He plays the head house slave to Calvin Candie.  His character is quickly loved and hated up until the end.  No one is better at delivering powerful lines them him.  Leonardo DiCaprio gives one of the best performances of his career.  He plays an evil plantation owner who deals in slave fighting.  I loved seeing him in this bad guy role.  He was easy to hate after the first few scenes and he never let up.  He portrayed enough arrogance in him to fill his entire plantation in Mississippi.  Bravo to the cast for an excellent job.  It will be interesting to see what Oscar thinks of this film and cast.