I have always had a crush for war movies. In my opinion, this genre became much better through time. From the anabolyzed protagonists and stereotype villans of 80´s to our current movies, more focused in realism, as a consequence of multilateral markets, than propaganda about the American way of life, leaving that one to action or disaster movie genres. Therefore I was clearly curious about the last work of Tarantino, “once upon a time, in a nazi occupied France” as he says, called “Inglorious Basterds.” Probably, a “reservoir dogs” approach to Second World War.
Tarantino has a personal style, almost a signature. So a movie crowed by violence and good dialogues is not a surprise at all. So as so the focus on revenge, but the idea of imagine these most cruel of jews not just trying to survive but seeking revenge against their executioners for the most cruel ways is creative. The movie has a subtle way to be provocative, a band of soldiers formed by Austrian jews, Italian jews, Navajo-American, Germans, forming multilateral, multicultural and almost criminal group of soldiers. That group would be seen as ours terrorists today. And a couple formed by a blonde French girl and a an African-French to finish our cast.
The other interesting aspect is the question of language. I think it is the movie with less English dialogues I have ever watched. Although some creative solutions to make the cast talk in English most part of the movie is spoken in German and French. Most of all the question of language becomes decisive to turn the story. One of the most tense scene of the movie was speak in german, and it is not happen in other way. (just to note: I liked the scene, but I think the director cut reduced it a little).
The focus of this movie it is not in the combat or gunfights, less than I expected indeed. But it no reduce its merits as a provocative and good example of a society violent but much more complex and multilateral than before.
