Django Unchained | Arts & Entertainment Journalism

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Rated: 18

Running time: 2hrs 46mins

Released: 18/01/13

Written and directed by: Quentin Tarantino

Now, most people (and by people, I mean those aware of Tarantino?s movie making history) may expect this will be far from the director?s best effort to date. After all, how can you beat classics like Pulp Fiction, Kill Bill and, most recently, Inglorious Basterds? However, it?s not far off.

Set in the Southern US, ten years before the Civil War, Tarantino?s latest offering explores the world of slave trading in the Deep South and Old West. It comes across as a western but really it?s a love story about one freed slave on a journey across the country to rescue his wife from a cruel plantation owner with the help of an unlikely friend, a German bounty hunter.

The star-studded cast are, by far, what really bring the film to life. Scarred by his past with a strong focus on nothing but saving his wife, Jamie Foxx portrays the dark, mysterious but wholly amicable title character. Leonardo DiCaprio gives arguably one of the most powerful and challenging performances of his career as slave owner Calvin Candie whilst Samuel L. Jackson plays his grouchy yet incredibly loyal head servant Stephen.

But it is Christophe Waltz? Golden Globe winning performance as dentist-turned-bounty hunter Dr King Shultz that gives the movie its true value. A dangerous yet loveable character, Shultz is not dissimilar to Waltz? Hans Landa of Inglorious Basterds. However, Tarantino?s self-indulgent appearance as mining company employee with an abominable Australian accent is pretty unforgivable.

There still remains the typical Tarantino style overblown fight and shoot out scenes which use enough buckets of blood to redecorate the entire set. He also pushes the boundaries of his own cinematic style. He is a little overzealous with use of text and the cinematography, through being experimental, can be quite messy and distracting when there?s so much going on.

Despite the overblown elements (and what would a Tarantino film be without those overblown elements) what the director is clever to avoid is overplaying the western theme. It?s hard to make a movie set in those times without falling into the trap of cheesy spaghetti western but he just teeters on the edge and brings himself back, dignity intact.

Amongst the relentless violence, there are elements of Tarantino?s quirky humour, both goofy and witty throughout the film. Such moments include the KKK arguing over badly designed bags obstructing their vision and when old Django meets new Django. Franco Nero, who originally played the role in 1966, stars as a slaver who discusses the spelling of the name with Foxx?s character. Very clever.

The soundtrack is an effective mix of Ennio Morricone?s signature spaghetti western sound and modern hip hop and urban tracks provided by the likes of Rick Ross, RZA and Anthony Hamilton, giving the film a more contemporary feel along with much of the language used in the script.

For a film of its length (it?s almost a whopping three hours) Django Unchained won?t quite bore you to death, but it won?t quite leave you wanting more either. If anything, it should leave you thinking, ?Hmm, that wasn?t half bad actually. Tarantino?s still got it.?

Nina Glencross

Source: http://caledonianblogs.net/aej/2013/01/24/django-unchained/

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