A movie fan's movie.

Rating: 9/10 (26 August 2009)

I haven't seen every Tarantino movie yet, but this one is clearly the best one next to Pulp Fiction that I have seen, I can say that much. Quirky, blazing with the kind of wit that Tarantino is famous for and topped off with a dose of nasty, gritty and rogueish violence. This movie is pretty sprawling, featuring a host of characters and plot niches that span over a huge 2.5 hour timeline, and surprisingly it manages to entertain for most of it, despite some scenes that could have been trimmed down for the sake of the story. Throughout its duration, Basterds delivers memorable scenes, memorable and witty dialogue and outrageously precise directing that all comes together for a smash hit of a movie, right on the bullseye.
And I think what sets this apart from the other recent Tarantino films is that it actually stands on its own two feet and delivers its story mightily and without the somewhat doddering eccentricity of Kill Bill or Death Proof - both of which were good, but not this good, not quite this complete and breathtaking. This is a movie fan's movie and I am proud to have seen it. Highly Recommended.