Tarantino gets his mojo back, baby

Rating: 10/10 (31 August 2009)

After the self-indulgence of the Kill Bill films and the drivel that was Death Proof, my expectations were not high for Inglorious Basterds. Trailers and reviews did little to change my mind. Only on the recommendation of a friend did I go to see it, and I'm glad I did. This is an excellent film - tense, funny, compelling. There are some great set-pieces, such as the opening scene of Landa questioning the farmer and the scene in the bierkeller. The ensemble cast is almost uniformly good, with only Mike Myers awful 'Austin Powers at 60' cameo striking a false note, and even Brad Pitt effective in his role. Inglorious Basterds shows that Tarantino has, despite his own best efforts, not lost the talent that produced Pulp Fiction and that when he reigns in his ego he can be a great director.