Django Unchained is about as well-rounded and deep as they come in the world of cinema. It goes from emotionally heavy to disturbing to badass to hilarious at the drop of a hat. Tarantino brilliantly paces this near three-hour film so there is never a dull moment. It's crazy that Django Unchained is 165-minutes long yet feels far shorter and never outstays it's welcome. The premise is a simple one: A slave named Django (Jamie Foxx) is granted his freedom by German dentist turned bounty hunter Dr King. Schultz (Christoph Waltz) in order to track down his former owners the Brittle Brothers ( M.C Gainey, Cooper Huckabee, and Doc Duhame.) After finding and killing the Brittle Brothers, Schultz agrees to accompany Django to Mississippi save his wife Broomhilda (Kerry Washingtion) from the clutches of her twisted owner Calvin Candie (Leonardo DeCaprio). Tarantino's storytelling is nothing short of masterful. The story isn't overly complex, but it's beyond effective. It's a revenge movie with a bit of love story behind a serious backdrop that exposes in detail the atrocities of slavery. Tarantino is exploring a serious topic in an engaging and often darkly humorous way (This is honestly the funniest movie he's ever done.) It may be loaded with blood, a quest for vengeance, and a lot of humor, but he never loses sight of the importance this film has. The topic of slavery is really overlooked and kind of sugarcoated in this country. Clearly this isn't a true story, but this film does a great job of showing how ugly slavery really was. It's really hard to watch to sometimes, but I'm glad that Tarantino went for authenticity and didn't gloss over how brutal the torment slaves went under was. Slavery wasn't a glamorous time for the United States and this film gives viewers an idea of just how awful it really it was.
Besides writing an excellent script and his distinct tight direction, Tarantino did a fantastic job casting and got top-notch performances from all of his actors. Jamie Foxx captures the rough and quiet nature of Django. He's not an in-your-face character and Foxx understands that with a subtle and gritty performance. I'm glad Foxx got the role over Tarantino's first choice Will Smith. Don't get wrong I really like Will Smith as an actor, I just can't see him in this role. Leonardo DeCaprio makes a great nemesis to Django as the charming, but demented plantation owner Calvin Candie. DeCaprio completely immerses himself in the role. This marks the first time he's played the villain in a film and I would like to see him play off-type more often, he nails it here. Samuel L.Jackson also does a great job as Calvin Candie's right hand Stephen, who is the only black man that Candie trusts and despite being black, fully believes in slavery. Jackson delivers a lot of amazing lines with his signature pissed-off tone and it's just plain awesome. He is easily the funniest character in the movie and this is hands-down his best performance since Pulp Fiction. However, I found that Christoph Waltz steals the show as Django's mentor, liberator, and friend Dr. King Schultz. Waltz gives Schultz an impeccable energy and his character is loaded with charisma and sharp dialogue. His performance might even better here than it was in his breakout and Oscar-winning role as Nazi general Hands Lunda in Inglorious Basterds. In just a few short years appearing in American films, Waltz has emerged as one of the best actors in Hollywood. As he continues to mightily impress, I can see more and more high-profile roles coming his way.
Django Unchained is a truly flawless film that is the epitome of the term masterpiece. Quentin Tarantino creates a thoroughly entertaining, unexpectedly hilarious, and just plain riveting film that captivates while also exposing the horrors of slavery to modern audiences. From the first frame to the incredibly satisfying ending, This film had the special quality of giving me chills throughout. As I mentioned earlier in the review, I haven't felt that way seeing a film since The Departed in 2006. I can't wait to see it again. It's nothing short of a perfect film and has already become one of my all-time favorites. Bravo Mr. Tarantino, You've shown once again why you are the best director in the game right now.
5/5 Stars
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