INglourious Basterds=GLORIOUS film.

Rating: 9/10 (24 August 2009)

Okay, where do I start? This film was the epitamy of brilliance in every way. The acting, particularly that of stars Brad Pitt and Christoph Waltz, is above top-notch, and this was directed superbly by the man who I believe is the greatest director of the modern day and possibly the greatest of all time- Mr. Quentin Tarantino.
The opening sequence of the film is strikingly similar to that of spaghetti westerns, which is not surprising since Tarantino calls this as much of a spaghetti western as it is a war film. The sequence that takes place at the beginning of the film is rather long, suspenseful, and has a menacing sense to it. You have a dreadful feeling that you know exactly what's going to happen, it's just a matter of when it does.
Something else that Tarantino is reputed for doing so well is giving his characters the most unique of personalities. And although I'm sure I'm not the first to tell you this, he created a very funny and likable one in Brad Pitt's character- Lieutenant Aldo Raine, a hillbilly born and raised up in the mountains of Tennessee. Christoph Waltz's character, which happens to be the film's primary antagonist, known as Colonel Landa or "The Jew Hunter" does not deserve going unmentioned either.
This film is for the most part a War/Spaghetti Western/Drama, but there are a few shootouts, action scenes, and what not. When these come around, and there are a few of them, be prepared for tons of violence. As the trailer suggests, one of the main draws of this film is scalping. And when they say that, they mean it. What I'm saying is that there are a few scenes in this film that are rather disgusting, and forced me to turn away. Mind you, I'm not a squeamish person.
On the contrary, there are plenty of hilarious moments to balance out the equation that is this film. Lt. Aldo Raine has tons of memorable phrases used throughout the film, and he is a largely compelling character.
Inglourious Basterds is one of those films that manage to hold your attention with a vice grip for the entire two and a half hours that it runs, and it was truckloads of fun to watch. I think everyone should check this out, but be prepared to look away from the screen at a few scenes.
Before I finish, I must say that the only reason this film did not earn a full 10 out of 10 from me is for the reason that were LOTS of subtitles. This is completely understandable since most of the film's primary characters besides Aldo and his men are either French or German. Tarantino kept everything realistic, but that still doesn't change the fact that I spent more time reading subtitles that actually listening to the characters speaking in English.
But I must admit, being forced to read the subtitles made you give your undivided attention, and the film was all I was focused on for an entire two and a half hours.
Oh, and might I add, the ending is nothing short of brilliant. The whole movie was brilliant. But hey, Quentin worked on this script for TEN YEARS. What else can you expect? 9/10