Django Unchained

Django Unchained (2012)

Directed by Quentin Tarantino

Starring: Jamie Foxx, Christoph Waltz, Leonardo DiCaprio, Samuel L. Jackson

Doctor King Schultz (Waltz) is a dentist by training and a bounty hunter at heart. When he comes across a slave named Django while collecting another bounty, King takes him on as a partner. Now the two of them are making money taking out wanted men, a skill that comes naturally to Django. For Django there’s more at stake than money. While they’re looking for their next bounty, they’re also looking for Django’s wife. To get to her they’ll need to contend with plantation owner Calvin Candie (DiCaprio).

Nothing says Tarantino like a good bloody action-packed movie. This one doesn’t deviate from the backbone of the films that have made Tarantino famous. From the action and blood, to the great dialogue and music, this movie does it all. Add in some great acting and you have a movie that could earn an Oscar of two. (Actually five, that’s how many nominations it received.) The film was nominated for Best Picture, Best Supporting Actor, Best Screenplay, Best Sound Editing, and Best Cinematography.

All of the actors in this movie were amazing. Some of the scenes were incredibly gritty and it took great actors to pull them off without making it feel cheap. Leonardo DiCaprio really did a great job playing a very ugly and sadistic character. Jamie Foxx was even better. His role as the bitter and vengeful former slave is powerful and amazing to watch. Finally, Christophe Waltz did an excellent job in his second Tarantino film. Waltz even earned his second Oscar nomination for this movie. His part in Tarantino’s Inglourious Basterds had earned him a win in 2010.

The acting wasn’t the only star of this movie. The cinematography and editing were also great. The camera work did a wonderful job of capturing the energy of the scenes. It might be the best work Tarantino has done with a camera. His other movies all have some incredible visuals, but this was something different. Having seen this movie, I wouldn’t be surprised to see it take home the Best Cinematography award at the Oscars. (This goes against my prediction made pre-Django.)

The music has to be mentioned. It wouldn’t be a Quentin Tarantino film without an eclectic soundtrack that spanned several decades and multiple genres. The music goes from original works by Ennio Morricone to Rick Ross and from Jim Croce to Richie Havens. Somehow this all worked out wonderfully in a spaghetti western. It’s a hallmark of the Tarantino films, and one of the reasons I love his work.

By now I’m sure you all know that I really loved this movie. It is just what the critics said it would be, offensive and violent. I’m sure that a lot of people won’t like this one, or won’t even take the time to see it. It is violent and touches on some very sensitive subjects, so be aware that it’s not for the weak stomachs out there. For Tarantino fans this is another great experience to be had. I give this one 5 out of 5 stars.

Rating: R

Running Time: 165 minutes