Mixed feelings

Rating: 4/10 (4 March 2010)

I have mixed feelings about this movie. It is interesting, violent, boring and silly in equal measures. I also found the music a bit odd and somewhat inappropriate. However, Christoph Waltz deserves the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor. The movie falls into the trap we see increasingly these days. It's a question of morality really. A good guy killing a bad guy is not murder apparently. Some of the action we see in this movie could be easily classified as war crimes. However, it's only a war crime when perpetrated by the losing side isn't it? I can see no funny side to killing someone but all too often it is dealt with as though there is. When we hear the 'Bear Jew' coming down the tunnel knocking his baseball bat against the bricks, we are aware that he is going to beat a man to death and we should be sickened. But were are not. We watch in fascination. We have become inured to death by violence and there are those that actually enjoy seeing it. So much for civilization. At the beginning of the movie Brad Pitt is telling a group of men that he is looking for Jewish/American soldiers for a special 'behind the lines' squad but late in the movie we discover that none of his remaining men seem to actually speak German. Surprising that Brad Pitt (as leader) cannot speak German either. My biggest problem lies with the genre which should have a special category of 'Holocaust Movies'. At the risk of being accused of being anti-semitic, may I say that I am sick of hearing about it. 65 years have passed since the end of WW2 and I can understand the Jewish people will never forget. But as a Gentile, why should I have to be reminded over and over again. There have been quite a number of movies and TV productions dedicated to and indirectly referencing the Holocaust over the years. The sight of a tattooed number on an old man's arm was commonplace in TV series back in the 70's & 80's. Yes, I understand that 6 million Jews died but I can't help thinking about the homosexuals, Jehovah's Witnesses and gypsies who also died in the concentration camps. Has anyone made a movie about them? What about the 50 plus million Russians who died under Stalin after WW2 and the 50 plus million Chinese who were massacred by Mao after WW2 ? - who speaks for them? I suppose it all boils down to who is producing movies these days - or better yet who is financing them.