Somehow action-packed, comical, and emotional

Rating: 7/10 (9 June 2015)

I'm not usually a fan of dark humour; but this movie had me genuinely entertained throughout. The protagonists were both lovable and dangerous, and the plot was both action-packed and heartwarming.
The exceptional cast all do a terrific job of bringing truly multidimensional characters to life in a way that is incredibly bad-ass, yet also engagingly emotional.
It's truly impressive to have such strong, emotional characters in such an exciting action-packed movie, but Quentin Tarantino really nailed it, even if the run time is closer to three hours than it is to two.
It has all the stereotypes of both a Tarantino film and a classic Western, and not in a tacky way; but in a self-aware way. Everything is deliberate: the lines, the camera work, and the action.
All this is maintained while tackling one of the most dark and sober topics filmmakers have tackled thus far. And yet; it's still enjoyable to watch.
The movie could've easily been a depressing look at slavery in the United States, but Jamie Foxx, and Christoph Waltz especially, bring a welcome surprise of comedy.
The blood and gore was without a doubt over the top, and while the run time didn't detract from the enjoyable experience; it is a long movie.
But I am nonetheless impressed at the way Tarantino has made a movie about an incredibly dark subject matter while somehow maintaining epic action scenes, cleverly-written comedy, and an emotional quest that could inspire fairy tales.