A demented, violent, sometimes-thought-provoking-but-always-entertaining film, "Django Unchained" is one of Tarantino's best...

Rating: 10/10 (8 January 2013)

The thing that surprised me about "Django Unchained", the newest film from cinematic madman and mastermind Quentin Tarantino, was the fact that underneath the dialog, the stylish direction, the incredible humor and the heart-stopping (but few and far between) action set-pieces was that it was an oddly thought provoking film, particularly when it comes to just who the villain is, and their motivations. While I will not spoil anything here, the truth is, the real adversary of the film may not be the white plantation owner that Django is struggling against, but a far different character.
Tarantino's new film is very deep in many ways, to be honest, whether it be within the context of the film itself, of the references Tarantino uses from his deep-seeded love and admiration of films and filmmaking. Like all of his other works, it's a labor of love. Starring Jamie Foxx, Christophe Waltz, Leonardo Di Caprio and Samuel L. Jackson, among others, it is a bizarre ode to the Western genre, blending different styles and genres in the process of telling it's 2+ hour tale.
Foxx stars as Django, a slave who is liberated by Dr. King Schultz (Waltz), a German-born former-dentist who now works as a bounty hunter in the US. Schultz hopes to use Django's knowledge of the Brittle Brothers, criminals working on a plantation (and Django's former owners), to catch them and collect their bounty. After assisting Schultz in dispatching the brothers, the two continue to work together as bounty hunters, as Schultz promises to help Django find his wife, whom was sold to another plantation owner.
Eventually, Django and Schultz track Django's wife Broomhilda to the plantation of a bizarre, violent but charming man named Calvin Candie (Di Caprio). Through a series of twists, turns and increasingly raised stakes, the stage is set for a final, brutal showdown between Django and Schultz, and Candie and his men. (Including a fiercely loyal and disturbing slave named Stephen, played in a scene-stealing performance by Samuel L. Jackson.)
The film is a marvel from everything on screen and behind the scenes. The acting is uniformly triumphant. Foxx plays the role of Django with a deep-seeded darkness yet also a style and even slight glee at times as he is given the opportunity to break free of his chains (both proverbial and literal) and do something to fight back against his life of oppression. Waltz shines once again after having broken through in Tarantino's previous film, and delivers another grandiose, memorable character, proving to be one of the finest actors working today. Di Caprio shines as the disturbing Calvin Candie, giving us a role unlike anything we have seen before. And Samuel L. Jackson gives the best performance of the picture, even though his role is comparatively smaller than the others, making Stephen a complex, unforgettable, hilarious yet still oddly disturbing and terrifying "villain of sorts." All supporting roles (including roles by Walton Goggins, Kerry Washinton, Don Jonhson and others) are played equally as marvelous as the main cast.
Tarantino's direction takes a quantum leap forward. While he had explored action before in features like "Kill Bill" and "Death Proof", here, he shows just how much of a visual artist he is, providing us with not only complexly thought-out scenes of dialog and development, but also some of the most intense sequences of action and gunfire I've ever seen. One standout sequence (which is so intense, the walls literally drip with spilled blood) is arguably in the running for the best on-screen shoot-out of the decade. His script work and writing is as strong as ever, and the dialog shines as always. This film is another example of just how much of a cinematic genius Tarantino truly is. All other facets of the film, from the costume design to the cinematography are also top-notch.
This film, to me, is among Tarantino's best. While it may not reach the demented genius of "Pulp Fiction", it's an outstanding revenge tale, filled with love and respect for cinema, and featuring memorable characters, outstanding performances, applause-worthy action and genuine, honest-to-god, butt-kicking "filmmaking."
I give "Django Unchained" a 10 out of 10. See it. Now.