Uncompromising Tarantino

Rating: 9/10 (27 January 2013)

While the majority of Hollywood seem content to "play it safe" through sequels, adaptations, remakes etc, Quentin Tarantino is one guy prepared to take risks, which usually pay off. Say what you want about Tarantino, but he knows how to craft a compelling movie, and 'Django Unchained' is a fine example.
An homage to old-school Westerns and the slavery trade of 19th century America, Django (Jamie Foxx) is bought by Dr. King Schultz (Christoph Waltz, the breakout star of Tarantino's last film 'Inglourious Basterds') to train him into a deputy bounty hunter. Django and Schultz bond as Django reveals his desire to rescue his wife Broomhilda (Kerry Washington) from the diabolical plantation owner Calvin Candie (Leonardo Di Caprio).
While the plot may sound like the usual "heroes on a quest" storyline, the devil's in the details. The near three-hour movie is filled with loving homages to old Westerns, exposing the brutality of slavery (at times quite graphically), bloody over-the-top violence, plenty of coarse language (including frequent use of the N word) and the usual lengthy dialogue scenes Tarantino does so well, slowly building tension before a satisfying conclusion.
One of the biggest strengths of the film is its cast: Waltz is brilliant as Schultz, who takes Django under his wing and doesn't judge him on the colour of his skin. DiCaprio, so accustomed to playing the baby-faced hero, is diabolical and at times downright scary as Candie. The big surprise is a nearly unrecognizable Samuel L. Jackson as Candie's corrupted butler/servant Stephen. Jackson is hilarious in a role which lets him swear liberally, something missing from his recent mainstream roles. No-one does motor-mouth angry black guy better than Jackson. There's also cameos by Australian John Jarrat (best known for 'Wolf Creek') and even Tarantino himself - with a laughably bad South African accent.
Be warned, Django may be a bit confronting for some viewers, as Tarantino doesn't hold back on depicting the violence towards African- American slaves, which is contrasted by the spaghetti Western shoot-outs that are just plain fun to watch!
Tarantino fans will flock to 'Django Unchained' and no doubt spend hours dissecting it. For the more casual viewer, it's well worth watch, though make sure you have a strong stomach.