Django déchaîné

I just saw this film and I confess that I am completely satisfied. I am not an admirer of Tarantino but I have little to say about this film, inspired by a character from the sixties western-spaghetti films and mixing western with blacksploitation. Tarantino's style (exaggerated, showy, extravagant and excessive) is all there before us, but unlike other films I didn't feel that this was a problem or transformed the film into a kind of parody.

The plot is about the search that Django, a former slave who is unexpectedly released and becomes a bounty hunter, will do for his wife, a slave who was sold and disappeared. He has the help of a German, responsible for his release. Together they discover that she is at the home of a rude slave-owner called Cotton Candy who, among other businesses, profits from death fights between slaves. So they decide to disguise themselves as experts in the field to go to his plantation and try to buy her freedom without Candy realizing what they want.

The film is very good and, despite being almost three hours long, it has no dead moments and entertains wonderfully. However, although Tarantino's exaggerations and histrionic vision were not a problem this time, there are some points that were really uncomfortable, mainly concerning historical rigor, which, we already know, is not something that he really takes seriously (another reason why I don't like him as a director). To begin with, such Mandingo Fights never existed. We are not in Ancient Rome and the slave owners, however bad they were, did not like to throw money out the window and kill for pleasure their best pieces! Tarantino went to get that silly idea from another film he liked and pasted it here. Another problem is the use of dynamite, which would only be invented a few years after the period in which the film takes place. The clothes also do not match the time or place of the action. The outfit of the Club's black maid, with that miniskirt, is particularly bad in that it sexualizes the character and imports a 21st century scent into the middle of the 19th century. I will not go on much longer, I think I proved my point. Another thing I have to say is that this is a very violent film, Tarantino style, that is, with a ton of blood for each bullet, spectacular shootings, some nudity and high doses of brutality. The dialogues are also full of racist insults and profanity, but I think that was something the film asked for, in support of its own credibility. In short, this is not a movie for anyone. With Tarantino, this is often taken for granted.

The main role was given to Jamie Foxx, and he is superb and gives the character a strength and toughness that I liked, and which contrast nicely with the polite sensitivity of Dr. Schultz, brilliantly played by Christopher Waltz. This actor had already done an extraordinary job in "Inglorious Bastards" and now he was even better, with a character that seems tailor-made for him. I was particularly impressed with the work of Leonardo Di Caprio, who rarely manages to make villains. He is an actor with a rare talent and has managed to be worthy of our contempt in this film. Another actor who shines in this film is the veteran Samuel L. Jackson, in the role of a black butler so fond of the owner that he becomes more slavish than whites. I also liked the brief cameo of honor of Franco Nero, the actor who played Django in the original films. It was an elegant and honorable way for Tarantino to bow to the actor and the work that inspired him. Much less impressive was the performance of Kerry Washington, who has little time and material to show what is worth.

Technically, it is a film full of notable aspects that require our attention and that, to a large extent, are part of the director's brand image. It is the case of cinematography and the use of strong colors and slow motion footage in action scenes, features of a strong visual style that Tarantino loves. The sets are good, and also the costumes despite the anachronisms that I have mentioned. The film has a pleasant pace, but the first half was generally better yet more restrained: it seems that Tarantino gets lost in his own style as he approaches the most violent scenes. The soundtrack is great and takes advantage of several songs by various composers. Personally, I enjoyed listening to the original song from "Django" by Luis Bacalov, and the songs composed for this film by Ennio Morricone, a name that will always be associated, in collective memory, with the great western-spaghetti of the past. It was a careful, effective and honorable selection in the way it honors the genre.

Jango (D is silence) is just one of those movie you can watch every year and it never gets old.

It's also the origin of those Di Caprio memes you saw online, so you know is good.

Also Christoph Waltz stole the show here and made me discover all other his movies.

A German bounty hunter flees a Slave, Django, and the pair embark on a mission to find Django's wife.

As soon as I heard Luis Bacalov's Django, I was hooked.

This remains my favourite Tarantino film, and let's be fair there are many classics in that particular catalogue.

Django is equal parts shocking, entertaining, dramatic, bold, funny and original, to this day no other film exists that is remotely similar. It's a western, action packed love story, it really is a one off.

Three hours passed by effortlessly, it's one of those films where I wasn't aware of time passing by, I was engrossed and absorbed into it.

Some of the humour is hilarious, and in the context of the film works to perfection, the humour is as good, as the violence and misery of slavery are guy wrenching.

The music is absolutely wonderful, the perfect soundtrack accompanies this great film. Indeed the whole production is exemplary, it's a skilfully crafted film, the visuals are jaw dropping, it's very skillfully put together, with costumes, sets and lighting all on point, with the unbelievable staging as well.

Now I am sometimes quick to highlight who stands out in a film or TV series, but how can you do that here, every single performance is on point, Waltz, Foxx, DiCaprio, Jackson, I honestly don't think it gets better than this assembly of greats.

It's no wonder it gave us so many memes, who hasn't seen this masterpiece. If you haven't grab your remote, and improve your day.

10/10.

Dr. King Schultz (Christoph Waltz) is a bounty hunter. To identify his next catch, he tries to purchase Django (Jamie Foxx). Thing go all wrong Tarantino style. The two become friends and Dr Schultz decide on a plan to free Django's wife Broomhilda (Kerry Washington) from a notorious plantation owner Calvin Candie (Leonardo DiCaprio).

This is Quentin Tarantino all the way. His style has become as unique & original as they come. There is no mistaking it for another. It's the music, the violence, the visuals, the black humor, and the subject matter. This is all Tarantino. If there is one complain, it's the double climax. While I understand the need for a happy Hollywood ending, it would have been better to have 1 big gun fight and just finish with it. Not that big of a deal. Certainly it's still a great film.

Quentin Tarantino, one of the most iconic directors of the 21st (and late 20th) century, why? Simple. Because of masterpieces like this. Tarantino defies the laws of film, he shoots them in his own way, however he wants. Tarantino has always focused upon the action thriller genre from Reservoir Dogs up until Inglourious Basterds. However, Django Unchained is Tarantino's first look at the Western genre, his first attempt at it and he executed it beautifully. The scenes were shot perfectly alongside an amazing soundtrack as well as his own small cameo.

Django Unchained tells the story of Django (Jamie Foxx), a slave who is soon picked up by bounty hunter Dr King Shultz (Christoph Waltz). The story follows on as Shultz takes on Django as his "deputy" during their tasks of bounty hunting, in return Shultz says that after winter he will help find Django's lost wife, Broomhilda. This takes them to a huge plantation in Mississippi owned by Calvin Candie (Leonardo DiCaprio), from here they plan up a scheme on how to get away with Broombilda.

The cast boast out amazing performances, particularly Christoph Waltz (also famous for his previous collaboration with Tarantino on Inglourious Bastards as Colonel Landa). Both Foxx and DiCaprio's performance are both equally amazing. All three are able to add some light-hearted humour in the mix to make sure it doesn't stay too serious, as well as having comic actor Jonah Hill play a member of the KKK.

There's a reason the film has been nominated for 5 Oscars.