I just watched the much anticipated (at least in the eyes of this writer) Quentin Tarantino’s Django Unchained. Most of the reviews have been favorable but I must admit I was a bit scared that I would be seeing Kill Bill instead of a Pulp Fiction/Inglorious Bastards.
What I saw was a film that was almost perfect. As I sit and reflect on the film I realized that Tarantino is a masterful director/screenwriter. This movie was about as perfectly cast as any film that I’ve seen in the last five or so years. Christoph Waltz was just as brilliant here as he was in his Oscar winning role in Inglorious Bastards. I read that Quentin wrote the part for Waltz and it shows. He showed off Waltz comedic timing and the off center intelligence that the actor is known for.
The other actor getting a lot of hype from this movie is Leonardo DiCaprio. From a girl that loves Leo as one of Titanic’s lovebirds I must admit I like a little of mean Leo. Calvin’s a complex character who is no stranger to getting his way and using cruel measures to keep everyone in line. Trust me you love to see him get what he deserves.
Kerry Washington gets little screen time as Django’s German speaking wife Hildy. The scenes with her and Foxx are heartfelt and she does so much with very little dialogue. As a viewer you know that this is a couple who would do anything for one another.
Jamie Foxx IS Django.This is a character that not only African Americans can admire but everyone can. Jamie’s Django is intelligent with a thirst for knowledge. He is a loyal friend and a loving husband. Plus the fastest gun in the south. He is truly one in 10,000.
To close, Django is not for the faint of heart. It is violent and downright gruesome in parts. The use of the N word I admit is jarring as well. But I think that Quentin wanted you to feel that way. With the characters that were using it weren’t the heroes of the story. In my opinion he showed that the word should never be used at all. But if you can handle that or belong to the Tarantino fanbase I highly suggest that you give it a try…if just for the KKK scene alone.
