Inglourious Basterds

Quentin Tarantino's long-awaited Inglourious Basterds is a fairy tale.

The movie even begins with the line "Once upon a time…" With that choice of opener, Tarantino calls attention to the fact that this is, in fact, fantasy. It's really about a boy's love for classic cinema—The Dirty Dozen, Sergio Leone, etc. From that love, Tarantino has pieced together his most epic and intimate work yet. Basterds is the first classic film of 2009, and it illuminates the legendary filmmaker at his best.

There are various narrative threads to Tarantino's WWII tapestry. Each one is equally important and, in true Tarantino fashion, they all weave together seamlessly at the end. There are the eponymous "Basterds" who occupy a sizable segment of the film. Led by Brad Pitt as Lt. Aldo Raine, his best performance thus far, the Basterds are behind enemy lines with one purpose—to kill and scalp Nazis. "The Germans will be sickened by us," says Pitt in his hilariously confident Southern drawl.

As with all Tarantino films, the violence is equally unsettling and funny—sickening in the best way possible. Eli Roth, Sgt. Donny Donowitz "The Bear Jew," grabs a Louisville Slugger and bashes in one Nazi official's brains, while screaming in a thick Boston accent, "Teddy Williams steps up to the plate and knocks it out of the park onto fuckin' Landsdowne street!"

Donny is the most brutal and badass Red Sox fan ever. Roth completely digs into the role and creates one of the most memorable heroes in the film. The look on his face while he fires a machine gun at the Nazis is malevolent, chilling and vibrant. He's a tough as nails Reservoir Dog, and Roth's work in front of the camera is just as bone-crushingly brilliant as it is behind.

The film's primary story is about Shosanna, a phenomenal Melanie Laurent. Stunning, calculated and very classy, Laurent is bound to become a star after this film. She also plays vengeful just as well as the boys do. Shosanna is a French Jew, who inherited a movie theater from her aunt and uncle. The theater is about to host the premiere of a Nazi propaganda film, and Hitler as well as various other Nazi high-brass will be in attendance. Shosanna plans on blowing them all to Hell though.

She narrowly escaped her family's murder and has been on the run ever since. Christoph Waltz, Nazi Col. Landa, "The Jew Hunter," was the one who massacred her parents and siblings. Keeping with tradition, he and Shosanna cross paths. However, it's in the subdued moments that Shosanna's rage bleeds the brightest. As Laurent smokes a cigarette in a diner while reading a book, her pain and passion for revenge become clear. The performance is subtle but raw at the same time. Laurent's a nuanced actress, and she's hellbent on the same goal as the Basterds—Nazi destruction.

The third big thread of Basterds involves Diane Kruger's actress turned double agent Bridget von Hammersmark. Kruger is gorgeous and gregarious as this European celebrity. In her introduction scene, she converses in German with various soldiers in what plays out like a 25-minute one act play. Tension begins to bubble over in the scene, but she maintains her cool. Kruger captures the character's magnanimity while preserving the iciness of a spy. In league with the Basterds as well, she gets them into Shosanna's premiere. Each puzzle piece fits perfectly.

Christoph Waltz is chilling and charismatic as Col. Landa. His gallows humor bludgeons like a hatchet, and he's one of Tarantino's most evil villains. He sips milk before ordering the death of Shosanna's entire family, and he sniffs out his victims like a Hellhound. Waltz can strike fear with merely a look, but it's his sharp tongue that makes the performance a real home run. As he and Shosanna begin to square off, everything comes together like a symphony. The two intense actors play chess from afar in one scene after another.

It all comes down to Tarantino though. His script expertly brings these three strands together, and the filmmaker has crafted a timeless WWII action epic. It's the legendary filmmaker's best work. Pitt and Roth are ruthless and hysterical, while Melanie Laurent's performance stands out as poignant and passionate. Christopher Waltz redefines "nefarious," creating an unforgettable screen villain. Pulling strands from classics and Tarantino's own modern lore, this is the definitive 21st century war movie—one hell of a fairy tale for the ages.

—Rick Florino
08.20.09