DJANGO UNCHAINED
**** out of ****
Like all of his prior films, Quentin Tarantino's DJANGO UNCHAINED is a surprisingly deep and insightful work masquerading as a magnificently violent but cartoonist cinematic frolic. The extreme seriousness of most other attempts to understand slavery through cinema, such as Spielberg's disappointing AMISTAD, is not apparent in this work, but I believe it is present and all the more powerful. I'm hesitant to say the film about slavery is this, directed by a white man, but it's unlikely that a film like this could get through the system with a black director, because some brush it off as racial rage. While I abhor that speculation, I believe it. But I suppose slavery affected everyone, including white people, as it was that wretched institution that rotted the soul of the south and where much of the racism of today holds its roots like a shroud of shame, and Tarantino does a hell of a job. It's a tribute to the "spaghetti western", and as such, the story structure is mythic in nature. A hero, in this case, Django, is cast in the raging fire, formed by his wicked enemies. A mysterious and usually eccentric figure, either being a hermit or a nomad (in this case nomadic), arrives on the scene in time to begin a tutelage with the hero, this mentor being Dr. King Schultz. From there, the raw hero is refined and polished into what he must be to fulfil his mission, which here openly takes a cue from the German myth of Sigfried as Django's quest is to find and free his wife Broomhilda Jamie Foxx exudes the necessary coolness to play Django, but is so well served in the writing and production that most of his work is already done for him. The two titans of the distinguished cast, who both compete to chew up the most Tarantinoan scenery, are Christopher Waltz as Dr. Schultz and Leonardo DiCaprio as the superbly and sickeningly wicked plantation aristocrat, Calvin Candie. There's obviously very open condemnation of the south's history of slavery, but Tarantino also subtly and wittily mocks/condemns the culture of hypocritical ignorance through Candie, a man who decorates his mansion with Parisian flair and request to be addressed as "Monsieur" but Schultz is told not to speak French to him because Candie does not speak the language, or Candie's fondness of author Alexandre Dumas, naming one of his Mandingo fighting slaves D'artangan, but is unaware that Dumas had African ancestors and was considered black. A spectacular slow motion shot shows blood from a slave master spilling on the white tufts of cotton out in the field, suggesting the stain of blood upon the Old South, one of their one doing and deserving. Like in INGLORIOUS BASTERDS, Tarantino shows little respect for period accuracy and aesthetics, rather only maintaining strong loyalty to the ideas, feelings and issues of history, but it works. The production design takes huge advantage of this, such as Django's badass sunglasses when he masquerades as a Mandingo expert or Schultz's whimsical dentistry wagon with a great big molar that rocks on a spring. The often contemporary soundtrack is surprising, but also unbelievably appropriate. It's a film bound to rile, in fact, it is designed to do so, and whether you love it or hate it, it's great that it allows these issues to bubble up back to the surface of our society, because these are things that need to be discussed, not forgotten. It's great that it's so bold in its assertions too and dares to embrace the cinematic taboos that usually result in whitewashing in their absence. It is stomach churning, about 3 hours long and deals with very heady topics, but it rushes by as a thrilling and thought-provoking entertainment.
IF YOU LIKED DJANGO UNCHAINED, YOU MAY LIKE:
INGLORIOUS BASTERDS (2009), KILL BILL: VOL. 1 (2003), DJANGO (1966)
DIRECTED BY: Quentin Tarantino
STARRING: Jamie Foxx, Christopher Waltz, Leonardo DiCaprio, Kerry Washington
Rated R for strong graphic violence throughout, a vicious fight, language and some nudity.
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