Surely Tarrantino can't surpass this masterpiece

Rating: 10/10 (1 February 2013)

As I waited for this film to come out I wasn't really sure what to expect, but then again it is difficult to actually know what to expect when it comes to a Tarrantino film (with the exception of gratuitous violence that has the effect of making you burst out in laughter, well not really in all his films, but in some of them at least). This is probably what I like about Tarrantino is that you really do not know what to expect, except for a film that has been crafted by an artistic master. Okay, not all of his films are like that, but then he is also one that loves to experiment as well.
Ignoring the plot (and yes, there is a plot) this film is about slavery, though it is not one that says that slavery is bad, but one that tries to explore the culture of slavery in the Southern States and to give us an idea of what it was like not just to be a slave, but to also be a Negro, during that period. For instance, there was a law that a Negro was not allowed to ride a horse, and this is emphasised a number of times where Django appears on horseback and his traveling companion is rebuked by others for allowing such a thing to occur.
We also see how the culture was divided into the house slaves, namely those that worked inside and tended to have a less harsh life, and the field slaves, namely those that worked out in the field. It was more complicated than that as well, because the rebellious slaves, when they weren't killed, were sent to work in the mines, which was a literal death sentence. Further (and we see this because Django has the mark clearly on his cheek) if a slave attempted to run away then he would be marked with an 'r' on his cheek, which indicated that he was a runner.
As is expected with most Tarrantino films, it is not non-stop action, and it is never meant to be. The film is all about developing the character, and we see this especially with Django, who goes from being a subdued slave, almost scared to even raise his dead, to the master of his own destiny. Even though you could say that the film ends 'happily ever after' we do know that this is not the case. Django, even though he has been reunited with his wife (negros were not allowed to marry) is still trapped in the middle of the South with no protector to look after him.