A thrill of violent vengeance

Rating: 8/10 (1 March 2013)

Django Unchained is not very politically correct but means well. It shows the brutality and absurdity of racists, and while the film is set in 1858, its message applies to modern society. Leonardo DiCaprio beautifully illustrates the pseudo-intellectual who regards himself as a member of a master race, only he happens to live in a world where such notions are widely accepted.
True to Quentin Tarantino's style, the film contains a lot of empty space with beautiful shots and casual dialog. These are interspersed with gory, explicit scenes of extreme violence. Like in Kill Bill, the violence is of the comic book variety -- unrealistic and fun even when it's obvious that the victims are in pain. There are also a couple of scenes that contain truly horrifying cruelty, but mostly Tarantino's intention is to make his audience laugh. Look for the scene where Lara the Southern Belle is pulled back from the doorway with an invisible string!
The scenes are not as drawn-out as in Inglorious Basterds, and the strongest tension is rather early in the film. The dialog is a little more to the point, which some Tarantino fans dislike. Christoph Waltz acts with professional skill. Jamie Foxx's Django is a traditional quiet Western hero. As usual, DiCaprio steals the show in the scenes where he is present. The soundtrack shines bright, including obscure 70's songs, Ennio Morricone and even rap music, which is somewhat thematically appropriate.