Django, unchained and ready to rock

I was sitting there, trying to hold back my expectations; but how can you not have them? It’s Quentin Tarantino we’re talking about. And what did I expect? –Blood, some action and incredibly witty dialogues. But also something else, it’s that something about Tarantino movies that makes a difference.  And Django’s full of that.

Technically an American western film, but it goes so much further. It has the romance, the comedy, the action and the history. As he did in his previous piece of work, Inglorious Bastards, Tarantino gathers the facts and then presents his version of History. Many Westerns take place during the slavery era but somehow, they get around it. Mr. Tarantino faced and embraced that, creating a brave- and sometimes harsh- feature film.

Texas, 1858- Dr. King Schultz (Waltz), a German dentist and bounty hunter frees a slave named Django (Foxx), a black hero whose aim is to find and free his wife Broomhilda (Washington). But on their way stand the mighty and ruthless Calvin Candie (DiCaprio) and his double-faced old servant Stephen (Jackson). Astonishing performances by a luxury cast that will not disappoint. Wonderfully twisted characters; Tarantino at its best.

Being a declared melomaniac, I find the soundtrack to be a gem. Not only the more southern tracks create the right atmosphere to the scenes, but the surprising change of rhythm gave me goosebumps more than once. The one able to balance spaghetti western tracks along with the most up-to-date hip hop deserves at least, a standing ovation- or why not, an Academy Award.

Tarantino goes for western illustrations in real life. Magnificent scenery along with situations and lines that will make you burst into laughter. Is the comedy aspect of some of the characters disrespectful to the history of slavery? That might offend and inconvenience some people, but it is just adding a modern touch to a classic genre. Let’s not forget that the first aim of this movie is to entertain.

There is an integral consistency to the way each character behaves, a motive that leads them; although the romantic guidance of events calls for a little too much predictability. We know how detailed Mr. Tarantino is when personifying characters. There is no pointlessness; nothing is up to fate or out of place. And if you don’t feel this way, I encourage you to watch it again.