Where Did That Come From?

Rating: 10/10 (21 July 2013)

I was really excited to see this film in theaters in the winter, and I was disappointed I didn't get that opportunity. When my family and I saw it in DVD for the first time, I was completely amazed!!! CAN YOU SPELL AWESOME!!! This movie is incredible! I've never seen an entire Quintin Tarintino film before, and this was a great introduction to his style of filmmaking for me! It's funny, it's dramatic, it's suspenseful - it's got everything you'd want in a good movie!
The main two reasons I really love this movie has to do with the two most important things I think every dramatic production should have: a great characters and good stories. The story has a lot of twists and turns that I didn't see coming. The scene where Dr. Schultz kills Candie, that totally took me by surprise!! While the film has a lot of action and suspense, it doesn't take away from the story of the film. At the heart of it, a man wants to get back with his wife. We're never steered away from that during this film. Also, these characters are just fantastic! Django is a great hero, Dr. Schultz is a hilarious witty bounty hunter, Candie is an enjoyable slaveholder (kind of a contradiction of terms...), and Stephen is a great villain for this movie! Did you ever think a slave would be such a dynamic villain in a slave movie? But, then again, what do you expect when that character is played by Samuel L. Jackson?!
There are some things I find weird about this movie, however. It all centers around the idea that this movie takes place during slavery in the U.S.A. For example, there's a rap song in one of the scenes in this movie. For me personally, it took me out of the magic. I thought to myself, "Wait, what? Rap in the 1800s? That's not right." It doesn't distract too many people, but it did distract me. Another weird moment for me is the Ku Klux Klan scene. Don't get me wrong, it is funny, but is that really what you think of when the KKK comes to your mind? Everyone says this is a movie about slavery, when really it's a movie that just takes place during slavery. I feel like it's 2012 tells the story of 1861, but not exactly 1861. I feel like this a few times during this movie. Again, I really like this movie; but if you want a movie that stays truer to slavery itself and not just its time period, you should probably look at "Roots."
One thing I don't understand, however, is the controversy surrounding this movie. A lot of the talk is simply mind boggling to me! Many people have said that this movie is racist...Uh, what? Where did that come from? I can understand some people not liking the movie, but how in the world is it racist? Is it because it takes place during slavery? So, then, is "Roots" racist, too? Is it because a number of White people are killed in this movie? What about the movies that have 1 Black person, and he/she is killed before the end of the film? What about the movies that have no Black people? Are those racist? Is it because it showed mean and cruel White men and women as vicious slaveholders and racists? What about the movies with negative stereotypes of Blacks, Hispanics, Asians, Native Americans, etc.? Are those racist as well? I'm sorry, but I cannot sit by so calmly while people protest movies like this racist while other films that gave America minorities no justice are considered beloved classics! This movie is simply trying to tell a story and show excellent, strong characters. What's wrong with that?
Again, I love this movie. It is a fantastic, brilliant film that I think you'll really love. The moments I mentioned earlier that expels me from being fully in 1861 can be distracting, but I'm still captured by the magnificent story and characters. For me, that's where the greatness of this movie lies! The effects are great, the suspense is awesome, but the story and characters are the elements that make this movie great! You'll enjoy it! BOOYIKA!