Tarantino Unchained

Rating: 8/10 (3 January 2013)

Well, its here. What every QT fan in the universe has been waiting for (myself included.) But beware, the fans are out in full force claiming "Masterpiece."
Before I say much, I want to say this. This movie was great.
Moving on, there was quite a bit to be desired. I will start with the content. I love blood and gore as much as the next 30 something QT fan, but you cannot mix fact-based, obscene and disturbing violence against a certain race with humorous, gunshots scenes in the same movie. Pick a theme.
Secondly, the acting. Thank you for casting Leo DiCaprio. This saved the movie. Here is why. Christoph Walz played essentially the same character as he did in inglorious bastards. Which was an academy award winning performance so I won't complain. Don Johnson was... well... Don Johnson. Don't expect a career reinventing performance a la Bruce WIllis. Sam Jackson is quite possibly the worst actor in Hollywood. Every time he spoke, I cringed. It was horrible. He played to every stereotype and then some. Jamie Foxx was great. He is usually pretty good in everything he does, but I would say he was exceptional here. The guy has an Oscar for imitating Ray Charles, but he created his own character here and I loved it. Lastly, why in hell was Tarantino is this film!?!?! If you see QT as a good actor, please refrain from ever discussing any film or anything else for that matter with me.
Third and most puzzling to me, the pace. The movie seemed to move in and out of scenes with no pace whatsoever. It felt like I was having a discussion with a coke head who could not stay focused. He would just go off on tangents and barely made it back to continue the story. Now I know this is not new for QT, but this was not Pulp fiction. This was not Kill Bill. This was supposed to be a linear story. When you are telling a linear story, your timing and pace needs to be on point. His was not. This was most likely due to Sally Menke's unfortunate passing, leaving his filmed to be edited by anyone other than her for the first time.
Overall, I had a great time seeing this movie, as I do all Tarantino flicks. But that is what I am beginning to see them as. Just flicks. They are not cinematic masterpieces, he is not a genius and he is definitely not the greatest director of our generation. He is awesome, but he needed a little more direction here. Had there been more oversight to avoid previously mentioned mishaps (Sam Jackson/QT in an Aussie accent/Timing,) this could have been one of his best. But it wasn't. Harvey Needs to find a great editor, Not one whose most coveted work was Fast Five!! C'mon....