The Jewish Scalphunters of Quentin Tarantino

Rating: 7/10 (5 October 2009)

Once again, revenge is at the center of a Quentin Tarantino movie. This time a Jewish dirty dozen takes things on their own hands. Tarantino re-writes history and shortens WWII with a comic stroke that is as entertaining as it is vacuous. A fantasy that re-arranges some controversial historical points. Okay, it's a movie and as such it works for most of its two and a half hours. Christoph Waltz opens things up in the most promising way. The opening sequence is filled with a subtle but unbearable tension. Weltz amalgamates all the Nazi villains we have loved and hated in the movies into one glorious creation. (I will advise my countrymen to see it in its original multi-language version - the Italian version is another movie altogether. Some of the extra pleasures are in the dialog that, naturally, are not to be found in the Italian version) Brad Pitt, rapidly becoming one of the best character actors in the world, with a leading man's face and billing, is truly fantastic. Diane Kruger makes a credible Barbara Bouchet (one of Tarantino's muses from trash action Italian movies from the 70's) and the rest of the cast has some exquisite touches like Rod Taylor as Winston Churchill. Highly recommended for a Sunday afternoon.