INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS

If most of you do not know already, which I think the majority of my readers do, is that I am a huge Quentin Tarantino fan. PULP FICTION was the film that was a breath of fresh air to me and most if not all of America. It was not until his KILL BILL movies that I became the Tarantino fan that I am today.

INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS is the Tarantino WWII film I have been waiting for almost over 5 years. He has had this movie in his head for 10 years. It has taken so long because he had just kept writing and writing to where eventually it became almost like a novel.

With me being a huge fan of Quentin's work it would come off as sounding very elitist of me when I say that INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS is the masterpiece of Quentin Tarantino. In my honest opinion this new movie is his masterpiece; however, this is not the Tarantino WWII I expected or wanted to see. I was expecting to witness a balls to the wall World War II Men on a Mission DIRTY DOZEN film done Tarantino style. This movie is not that. Quentin definitely threw his hat into the ring of the WWII sub genre, but INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS turned out be oh such more. What most people misunderstand is that Quentin's filmmaking is more reinventing than paying homage. INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS is the re-imagining of how World War II did indeed end.

Once upon a time in Nazi occupied France... a young Jewish refugee Shosanna witnesses the slaughter of her family by the "Jew Hunter" Colonel Hans Landa. Narrowly escaping with her life, she plots her revenge several years later when German war hero takes an interest in her and arranges a movie premiere at the theater she now runs. With the promise of every major Nazi officer in attendance, the event catches the attention of the "Basterds", a group of Jewish-American guerrilla soldiers led by the ruthless Lt. Aldo Raine. As the plans are set in motion, their paths will cross for a fateful evening that will shake the very annals of history. I really want to tell you how Shosanna, Aldo and the rest of the "Bastards" end WWII but you really must see for yourself. How they stop the war? So are you telling us that this is a fantasy? No, it's more like if these men, these "Bastards" were really in the big one, then this is how WWII would have ended.

While not being the Men on a Mission movie that I was hoping, I still love this film LOVE it. After seeing it twice I like everything about it every shot, every scene, every performance, and every bit of music. I love it. Tarantino has created a WWII universe that we only get to see glimpses of. A sequel or something like the BAND OF BROTHERS mini-series would be awesome. I am satisfied but also longing for more. Please Mr. Tarantino let this be not the end to your wonderfully crafted WWII universe, please?

INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS gets an A-

~Caleb