Thursday, October 10, 2013

Inglourious Basterds

Let's talk about the Inglourious Basterds.
It is a movie directed by Quentin Tarantino, released in 2009.
I am not a fan of Tarantino, and this movie just doesn't help.
Even though I admit Tarantino is a good director, I have issues about the morality of his movies.

I fail to see any message or even point in the film.
What is it about, after all?
Just like Pulp Fiction, there doesn't seem to be a main plot. The film is a collection of scenes loosely connected. Each scene seems to have its own plot independent from the rest of the movie. It reminds of films like The Big Lebowski.
The film doesn't have a main plot. What is it about? It seems to revolve around a movie theater and its owner who plans to kill all main Nazi leaders during the projection of a movie in her theater.
Who is the main character? At first I thought Brad Pitt, but his character doesn't seem to have much importance in the movie.
The film seems to revolve around Christoph Waltz's character, even though he seems to be the villain.
What is the message of the film? Does it have a message? What is the point of the film?
Yes, there are some very suspenseful scenes, the initial one in the Frenchman's farm, the scene in the basement tavern, the scene where Christoph Waltz meets Brad Pitt and starts speaking Italian. Those were very suspenseful and well-made scenes that keep you at the edge of your seat.

Brad Pitt seems to be the hero, but his character can be even more cruel and vicious than the Nazis.
Christoph Waltz seems to be the villain, but his character is very intelligent, articulate and charming.

The film is not about the war. It is not about the Nazis. It is not a love story, it is not adventure, it is not horror. It seems to be more about suspense than anything else. Was there humor? I didn't laugh at any point, but the trailer seems to suggest it could be a comedy. But it is not a comedy. Like most Tarantino movies, it seems to defy any classificaton, except that it is a Tarantino movie. Some people seem to love Tarantino movies, others, like me maybe, don't understand them.
Tarantino is not a bad director, his films are not bad.
But in most of his films, the main characters seem to be assassins, killers, criminals, and in the case of this film, viciously cruel war soldiers.
And I have difficulties enjoying a movie whose characters I can't identify with.

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