The Nazis Weren't the only "Basterds"

Riveting, engrossing, and dripping with delicious, dark humor, is not a common description of a World War II film. Yet, I feel I can make an exception, as director, Quentin Tarantino’s newest film, “Inglourious Basterds” is no more about World War II than “Brazil” was about a soccer-loving South American nation.
The plot calls for a suspension of all knowledge in regards to World War II, and instead takes us deep into that strange and fantastic world that is Tarantino’s imagination.
Brad Pitt plays the hero, Lt. Aldo ‘the Apache’ Raine, a hard-talking Tennessee born leader of a Nazi-extermination group known as “The Basterds.” The character is meticulously drawn out, as all Tarantino characters are. I have a feeling that, if asked about him, Tarantino could tell you exactly how he acquired that ominous scar on his neck.
However, Pitt’s performance is hopelessly overshadowed by the talents of the little-known foreign actors who co-star in this brilliant ensemble cast.
Christoph Waltz gives a performance with Academy Award stamped all over it. He is deliciously evil as the sardonically cruel SS officer known as ‘The Jew Hunter,’ sliding effortlessly between the four languages his character is required to speak without losing his ironic touch.
The visual style of the movie is very rich and deep. Everything from the evocative soundtrack to the profound, flavorful colors makes watching the movie feel a bit like drinking espresso- intense, complex, and satisfying.
I have always admired Quentin Tarantino’s ability to put himself into his movies in a way that most other directors cannot. In “Inglourious Basterds” he combines his love of cinema with characters that have obviously been crafted with immense care so that they appear larger than life.
Tarantino films have a very distinct flavor. Some will like it, and some will not, but the point is, he does. Like any artist, he crafts his movies as an expression of himself, rather than for any lucrative or croud-pleasing ends. He is a writer and a director, but when you get right down to it, he is a movie watcher with an imagination. Give a person like that a camera, and you never know what you will get.