Review: Django Unchained

BY BLUE KAUFMAN

Let me start off by saying that when it comes to Quentin Tarantino, it’s difficult to find a bigger fan than myself. I’m thoroughly and completely infatuated with Pulp Fiction, the ultimate advocate for Kill Bill, and I was completely rendered speechless after watching the brilliance that is Inglorious Basterds. The magnitude of my devotion is actually pretty embarrassing. Frankly, I’d even read his grocery lists.

That being said, when I heard Django Unchained was going to be his next film, I couldn’t help but be worried. There’s something that makes me feel awkward about watching a movie that has to do with a slave getting revenge on his former master, in a film written and directed by a white man from Tennessee. (Did I mention that Tarantino has been criticized for using the N-word too often in his movies?). To base the foundation of his latest flick on a sensitive subject just seemed like a recipe for disaster. Still, he had never disappointed me before, so on Christmas day I made haste to the movie theater to see it, both excited and skeptical.

Now, after seeing Django Unchained, I feel ashamed that I ever doubted him.

Like all of his films, every scene in Django Unchained is so legendary, so epic, it feels as if Tarantino himself has penetrated into our inner most subconscious and drawn out exactly what we wanted to see before we even knew it ourselves. His ability to harness suspense, drag out a scene with dialogue and then wheedle it into something more bears no analogy to anything I’ve ever witnessed before. His knack for finding unlikely protagonists is so unprecedented, so skilled, and so singularly Tarantino that you feel no choice but to submit yourself to his movies and be mesmerized.

Set in the south in the 1850’s Django Unchained begins when Dr King Schultz (Christoph Waltz) “purchases” a slave named Django (Jamie Fox) because he is the only one who is able to identify the Briddle Brothers; King’s latest bounty targets. The two team up and the story later develops into a mission to rescue Django’s enslaved wife Broomhilda (Kerry Washington).  While it may not feature flashy gangsters or whimsical satire like in his other movies, Django Unchained offers something entirely new and unexpected from Tarantino: a love story.

While obvious affection exists between Django and his wife, the chemistry between Django and Dr King is the one that really steals the show.  Despite the fact that they are an unlikely duo, their easy banter and potent personalities truly make Django Unchained unforgettable. Dr. King gives off a sharp charisma and despite his murky intentions you can’t help but admire his spirit.  Django on the other hand, undergoes some serious character development as he transcends from quiet and brave into a arrogant, gun-wielding, ruthless killing machine. Both characters complement each other flawlessly and it appears as if an actual friendship is developing between them despite the irony of the setting (two years before the civil war).

However, Waltz and Fox aren’t the only ones with Oscar-worthy performances. Leonardo DiCaprio also delivers an impressive performance as Calvin Candie; owner of the plantation Candyland. At first it was bizarre seeing Dicaprio playing a character so different from his typical “good boy” type. Nevertheless, from the moment his role was introduced, his wicked southern presence completely held dominance for the duration of the film. His disregard for humanity is chilling and his sadistic admiration for Mandingo fighting is utterly unnerving. Suffice to say, it was the cruelest character ever to be played by Dicaprio and possibly one of the most despicable to ever appear on the big screen.

Truth be told, with the subject of slavery on the table, there are times when Tarantino dances over the line of what is morally acceptable. Gushes of blood, guts, and human flesh are thrown around in a soulless mish mash of exaggerated gore that seems a tad bit unnecessary at times, even for Tarantino. But this notorious carnage-obsessed director is not one to shy away from controversy. Despite the fact that Django Unchained can be interpreted as mildly offensive, it is no doubt better than being sugarcoated. There are times when you will be squirming uncomfortably in your seat and shielding your eyes from the impossible horrors on the screen because the truth hurts. Unflinchingly, Tarantino delves into slavery and portrays it for what it was: unfiltered and brutal.

However to compensate for all the mindless bloodshed, Django Unchained is definitely not devoid of comedy. Seemingly impossible with all the themes going on, the film still blends in an ample amount of laugh out loud lines keeping the audience entertained and adding to the films overall brilliant finesse. The movie also has a great soundtrack that is extremely diverse yet perfectly fitted to their specific scenes.

From the blood splattered cotton to the abundant profanity, every second of the movie seems to be saturated with Tarantino flavor. If he decides to make his next film about the civil rights movement or Mexican colonization, let it be known that he has my full support. Lo and behold, this is not your typical John Wayne western, Django Unchained truly is “off the chain”.

PS. The D is Silent.