What a refreshing change of pace for the genre!

Rating: 10/10 (5 September 2009)

Quentin Tarantino has been widely criticized for his countless references to other movies. One user on this very site suggested that he doesn't try anything new, simply because his films are tributes to other genres, whether it be kung-fu or 60s grindhouse fare. But that's what makes him so freaking brilliant! He knows how to make those kinds of movies just as well, if not better than the original material. Tarantino has routinely tried to extract a good movie out of what people traditionally call bad movies, with mostly successful results.
But the film I am talking about right now, "Inglourious Basterds," is more in line with his earliest and best films-"Pulp Fiction," "Reservoir Dogs," and "Jackie Brown"-than his most recent two. It also has strengths above those classics, including the strongest emotional core, the most iconic characters, and perhaps one of the finest climaxes in the history of the movies, which just so happens to be set in a movie theater.
Another real draw is the acting, most notably from Christoph Waltz as Nazi Colonel Hans Landa of the SS, and Melanie Laurent as Shosanna Dreyfus, a French Jew whose family was killed by the aforementioned character. Some of the greatest points in their performances are their details of behaviour. When Hans Landa laughs, his face hysterically turns sharp red, and the laugh itself brings back memories of Heath Ledger as the Joker in "The Dark Knight." And in one scene, Shosanna has just had a conversation with Hans Landa in a restaurant, and has maintained her composure throughout the conversation. And just a few moments after he leaves, she exasperates and bursts into tears demonstrating the terror she was keeping inside. It's those details that really accentuate the personalities of Tarantino's brilliantly written reality, and makes his characters feel believable and theatrical all the same.
There are many things to love in this movie-the dialogue, the cinematography, the art design, the reused soundtrack from other movies, the action, and the sheer audacity of the project-, but the main draw for me is the acting. I know I haven't mentioned Brad Pitt during this review. I just don't want to go too deep into him being that Lt. Aldo Raine is more of an over-the-top caricature, but he does do a terrific job.
The reason for the wording of my summary is quite simple: It's the first WWII film I've seen in a while that concentrates on working on its own as a story, as opposed to being sentimental to its audience. If you're only into very conventional, sentimental films in this genre, you will HATE this movie. If you love film in general though, "Inglourious Basterds" is a movie to celebrate. The best time I've had in a movie theater since the LOTR trilogy; it's that good!