Inglourious Basterds (18)

Quentin Tarantino’s new picture Inglourious Basterds (18) is a rib-tickling, blood-spilling, two-and-a-half hour manhunt, which presents an artistic slant on the events of the Second World War.

While the film fully demonstrates the director’s creative and narrative talents, there are, as previously, moments when we are reminded of his irritating propensity for self-indulgence.

This foray into the genre of period comedy is, however, far superior to a number of Tarantino’s recent efforts.

As is customary with Tarantino films, the narrative is presented in a series of vignettes. This begins with a beautifully shot, ‘Allo ‘Allo!-esque depiction of a rural community in Nazi-occupied France. Here, a family of Jewish refugees is discovered in hiding by Colonel Hans Landa (Christian Waltz), a Nazi known as ‘The Jew Hunter’.

A massacre ensues, although one fortunate young girl, Shosanna, manages to escape.

We are then introduced to Lieutenant Aldo Raine (Brad Pitt), who briefs a group of 12 Jewish-American soldiers on their impending mission, which is to infiltrate behind enemy lines and kill as many Nazis as possible.

Brad Pitt is hilarious as the tough, plain-talking hillybilly leader from Tennessee, who motivates the ‘Basterds’ as they rampage through Nazi-held territories, scalping victims and torturing those who withhold vital information.

Several new faces appear, most notably a parody version of Adolf Hitler (Martin Wuttke), who becomes unnerved by the exploits of the now notorious Basterds.

The plot thickens when we are reintroduced to Shosanna, who, having adopted a false identity, is now masquerading as a gentile.

She arranges for a blockbuster German propaganda war film, which will be attended by hundreds of influential Nazis, to be premiered at her theatre.

Shosanna hatches a plot to murder all the theatre’s guests, including Landa, during the premiere. When the Basterds get wind of the screening, they formulate their own plan to kill the unsuspecting Nazis.

This finale provides the setting for an orgy of violence, and, with Adolf Hitler arriving in unexpected attendance, Tarantino unleashes his alternative ending to the Second World War.

If you can cope with the film’s length, you will find Inglourious Basterds to be highly entertaining and surprisingly charming. Tarantino has an exceptional talent for delivering tense, dialogue-rich scenes, which enables his cast, notably Pitt and Waltz, to provide first class performances.

The film is by no means perfect and some may criticise Tarantino’s inability to restrain his outlandish imagination, with the finale in particular appearing fatuous and far-fetched.

However this merely serves to confirm the film’s somewhat inglo(u)rious status as an irony-drenched, if somewhat overindulgent black comedy.

What will Tarantino come up with next?