A few words on Quentin Tarantino's new film 'Django Unchained'.
I have several friends on facebook who are ranting and raving about this film and clamoring to go see it immediately a second time because to them it was just that good. I wish I shared in their unbridled enthusiasm and full acceptance of the film. I love Quentin Tarantino. I don't like everything he's done equally but I am always glad when a new Tarantino movie comes out because no one makes 'em like he does and he is, in my opinion, one of the top three or four most influential directors of the last 50 years no matter what. He is able to distill our collective love for movies in general and lay it out for our enjoyment in clever ways. I like all the self referential humor, the pop violence, the centrality of the music, the way he has his characters put on an act so it becomes and act within an act and of course, just the way his films look.(Credit to some wonderful Cinematographers)
The first half of this movie is borderline great. The Dr Shultze character played brilliantly again by Christophe Waltz in some ways steals the show and for me in some ways overshadows Jaime Foxx's Django. The early scene where Dr Shultze comes upon the slave traders in the night is Tarantino at his best from beginning to end. The whole bounty hunting section with Django gaining confidence and wearing new fashionable clothes was funny, violent and entertaining and we're flowing along with bursting colors and natural locations from cinematographer Bob Richardson, and the pacing is good and then we bumble into the Leonardo DeCaprio section with Django trying to find his wife and rescue her. For me, this is where things become very unfortunately flawed. Here's just a few: Why concoct the ruse that Django and Dr. Shultz are in the business to buy a Mandingo fighter if Django's wife can simply be purchased? I could understand it if Leo's Mr. Candy's character was in love with her--then an elaborate ploy would make more sense. But apparently Mr. Candy didn't really mind giving her up as long as it was for enough money.The scenes back at Candyland just didn't work well. If it was a place renown for its Mandingo fighting, we saw no visual evidence of it--And really, for me, as soon as Dr. Shultze's character is removed, the movie loses a big part of its magic.
In conclusion, something still bugs me about Jamie Foxx in the role as Django. I wonder if Will Smith or somebody would have made a better fit. Still, its the most realistic western I have ever seen and probably one of my favorites within the genre though to be honest I haven't even seen most of the classic westerns. The source of much controversy, the constant use of the N word, in my opinion, keeps the reality of the piece in its authentic skin and vibe. While I didn't go as berserk for the film as some of my friends, there is still alot to like and admire and soak in with this picture. It may not be my favorite Tarantino film but its certainly not my least favorite either. What if, because of how beautiful she was and how she spoke fluent German, Dr. Shultze falls in love with Django's wife and conflict ensues? Or even if Mr. Candy... Oh, I don't know. Maybe I'll go see again myself. What the heck.
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