A stunning return to form

Rating: 10/10 (26 January 2013)

It's fair to say that unlike his main character, Quentin Tarantino was never really a director who was chained to begin with; i.e. he is characteristically a filmmaker who has always played by his own rules. This trademark is something that hasn't worked in his favour every time; his inherent fanboyism, passion for exploitation cinema and auteur style was something that came to bear (and not for the better) in his half of 2007's 'Grindhouse', 'Death Proof', an exercise in self-indulgence that is easily the worst film he's directed. But we cannot forget that he has delivered three slices of brilliance – 'Reservoir Dogs', 'Pulp Fiction' and the often-overlooked 'Jackie Brown'; a trio of movies that exemplify the talent he possesses. However, talented director doesn't always equal great film and Mr. Tarantino is now exception to this, as following the rather good 'Kill Bill Vol One', he made the decidedly 'meh' follow-up, the frankly bad 'Death Proof' and the just alright 'Inglourious Basterds', which may have been poor as its predecessor had it not been for Christoph Waltz and those two scenes. Which then brings us swiftly along to his eighth film, 'Django Unchained'.
In the opening titles sequence we are introduced to a number of black slaves being dragged across expansive landscapes, in the antebellum year of 1858. In their company is Django (Jamie Foxx), who is freed by Dr. Schultz, a bounty hunter under the guise of travelling dentist (Christoph Waltz). Django's main concern is to be reunited with his wife, Broomhilda (Kerry Washington), who was taken from him and sold to a plantation. Schultz then agrees that if the newly-free slave helps him to locate the nefarious Brittle Brothers, he'll aid him in his search for his wife.
I'm certain there's a good chance you've heard of the controversy this movie is generating, primarily due to its frequent use of the N-word, with numerous people accusing it of racism. I can't say this was a problem for me; it never once felt as if that certain word was being over-used, but conversely felt natural, like an integral part of the era the film was portraying, i.e. there is cause for it. Even though 'Django' possesses a comedic spirit and an effectively brutal Mandingo fight, there is no question how seriously it takes slavery. In terms of its depiction of slavery, it is neither too nice nor 'Addio Zio Tom', in that it doesn't schmaltz things up but at the same time retains a level of maturity in approaching the subject. It's a tricky subject to get right on screen, but thankfully, Tarantino doesn't approach it with the same attitude he did the Nazis in 'Basterds' and instead offers an occasionally powerful look at the topic that never borders into overly- gratuitous territory.
At the heart of the movie lies something that Tarantino hasn't really explored before: a love story. One of the most brilliant things about this film is that Django isn't a man trying to bring an end to slavery; he simply wants to find his wife and live happily with her. His love for Broomhilda is his only driving force over the course the relatively lengthy runtime. It's a surprisingly touching love story that helps the viewer engage in the story and root for Django as he embarks on his journey to rescue her from "the dragon".
Much of the reason this works is due to a strong Jamie Foxx; he inhabits the screen with a great sense of presence and easily manages to make his character a likable and charismatic force on the screen. With the eventual casting of Hans Landa (coincidentally, the role was originally scheduled for Leonardo DiCaprio), Tarantino spotted a brilliant acting talent in the form of Christoph Waltz. His performance in that film was the best thing about it and here, he's just as good. In contrast to the villainous Landa, Schultz is a delight to watch and induces the movie with a real sense of warmth and humanity, forming a great double-act with Foxx. Then there's DiCaprio; after an absence from cinema screens since Christopher Nolan's 'Inception', he has returned to the movies with an absolutely fantastic performance as Calvin Candie, the owner of the plantation where Django's wife resides. Similar to Waltz, it feels like he's having the time of his life. He is electrifying as the slave owner with his awful teeth (one of the film's many inspired touches), particularly in the dinner-table sequence – a scene every bit as good (and tense) as those two lengthy scenes of dialogue in Tarantino's previous film.
But the most impressive performance is possibly Samuel L. Jackson as Candie's slave and servant, Stephen; a character who is essentially the ultimate Uncle Tom. A truly nasty creation, he's encumbered with severe loyalty to his master and is disgusted by Django and how he's allowed "into the big house", frequently dropping the N-bomb when referring to him. Jackson is a deeply chilling and equally magnetic presence on screen, in the first role I've ever witnessed him lose himself entirely in.
'Django Unchained' could be considered a long film, clocking in at 165 minutes, yet it never feels boring and zips along at a rollicking pace, hopping from one great scene to another in captivating motion. It's also aided by Robert Richardson's consistently beautiful cinematography, a great soundtrack and a number of touches of pure directorial genius, such as the blood drops splashing on the flowers. It's not perfect, Kerry Washington is competent in her performance but is somewhat wasted and Tarantino's cameo as an Australian plantation owner is terrible. But these slip-ups do little to damage this wonderful movie overall. This is an audacious and brutal piece of filmmaking that may well be Tarantino's best film since 'Pulp Fiction', let alone 'Jackie Brown'. He probably thinks it's a masterpiece and in this instance, I'm tempted to agree. In other words, I loved it.