It has been a long wait for Tarantino fans across the world. Question is, was it worth it? The short answer is yes.

Rating: 9/10 (30 September 2009)

When writing a review there are normally a handful of things that stand out (either good or bad) that I know I must write about. Unfortunately Basterds doesn't have a few, there are a multitude of elements worthy of discussion. The next problem is where do I start? Tarantino's famous ear for classic dialogue? Waltz's Cannes award-winning performance? The mesmerizing music and score heard throughout? The abundance of movie references and parodies used with affection? The list is almost endless. Well, hell, let's just begin with the man calling the shots.
Tarantino has been working on this script for well over a decade. Just when we thought he was ready to make it, he decided to take time out to make his kung fu epic Kill Bill. Then he put Basterds on hiatus once again to work with long-time pal Robert Rodriguez in making the double feature Grindhouse. It has been a long wait for Tarantino fans across the world. Question is, was it worth it? The short answer is yes. It may not reach the heights of Pulp Fiction or Kill Bill Vol 1, but it is an entirely different beast altogether and succeeds on its own terms. His lengthy talkative scenes are sometimes dragged out slightly but make no mistake, this is a master of his craft at work. No word is accidental or incidental, each conversation from the mood-setting opening scene to the tense talk-off between opposing officers and onwards to the closing scene featuring two fan favourites is pieced together with intricate care and a clear love for his work. In fact, Tarantino obviously doesn't care if the audience don't get the plethora of references to German cinema or old-school war movies, he expects you to go away and see these films then revisit his cinematic opus with an even greater adoration for what you hear on screen. But fear not, he's not stupid either. He realises 99.99% of viewers won't understand these bite-sized references so never do these moments hinge on your film knowledge, just your appreciation that there is more importance to the chatter then you may know.
A picture is worth a thousand words and QT ensures that your eyes are in for a feast as well. The action as it unravels in front of you may not be quite as captivating as the dialogue however there is still one iconic visual after another, evoking all sorts of emotions. Your heart will sink when you see poor Shosanna running from the fate of her family; great delight will wash over you when you see the sanguinary Nazi-turned-Nazi-hunter Sgt. Stiglitz (Schweiger) on top of a mound cackling away; the graphic violence will have you cheering then instantly feeling guilty afterwards; and the penultimate scene (to give any more info would to give too much info) will sear itself into your brain for better or worse. In one particular breathtaking scene with French actress Melanie Laurent, Tarantino combines striking visuals with a truly exceptional song to brilliant effect.
Then there is relatively unknown German actor Christoph Waltz. Many don't realise that if Tarantino didn't find Waltz this movie may have never been made. Tarantino was adamant that this role required both an astonishing actor and someone who could speak German, English and French with equal fluency. He famously said that he would not even begin making this picture unless he had the perfect person for the job, such is the importance of the Col. Landa role. He picked the right person. Waltz makes his vivacious 'Jew Hunter' both charming and nefarious, you want to hate him but at the same time you can't help but smile when he is on screen. He won Best Supporting Actor at Cannes this year and you would hope to see him feature come Oscar time. Don't forget about the headlining Pitt either. His Lee Marvin-alike Lt. Rain is tongue-in-cheek at its best. Clearly having a blast working with Tarantino, the more talented half of Brangelina oozes charisma as he hams it up as the half-apache leader of the Basterds. His flawless comic timing has never been so apparent before. Fassbender, Bruhl, Laurent and Schweiger all offer up top shelf performances but Kruger can't quite keep up with them and Martin Wuttke's Hitler is a touch over the top.
Basterds is a self-aware romp that exists in the same world as Kill Bill's martial arts assassins, Death Proof's heroic chicks and Pulp Fiction's gangsters. Never does Tarantino try to convince us that this story belongs in our reality and nor is he ever apologetic at warping history to suit himself. Like usual he has created this following his own rules – which is to say no rules – and we thank him all the more for it.
4.5 out of 5 (1 - Rubbish, 2 - Average, 3 - Good, 4 - Excellent, 5 - Classic)