Pleasantly Surprised

Rating: 8/10 (25 August 2009)

I had low expectations for this film, given how disappointed I've been by, well, everything Quentin Tarantino has directed since Pulp Fiction. Plus, it seemed pretty obvious that the marketing campaign was misrepresenting this movie by showing only a handful of scenes and lines that didn't give the slightest clue as to what the story was actually about.
Fortunately for us moviegoers, almost everything the studio decided not to show us in the trailers and commercials is excellent.
QT's style is here in full force. What makes his distinctly modern touches (including fast-paced and unexpected flashbacks, cringe-inducing ultra-violence, charismatic villains, cold-blooded heroes, and a lot of dialogue that serves little purpose other than drawing attention to itself) especially amusing is how sharply they clash with the WWII setting. As a result, they feel even more absurd, and are even more laugh-inducing. (Hopefully this won't be the last time he looks to the history books for inspiration.)
But there's a lot more to like about this film than its Tarantino-isms. There are subtle moments of character development, tense scenes of nearly unbearable suspense, and an intricate plot that's in no hurry to unfold. Even without all the quirks of QT's style, the central story is strong enough to stand on its own.
The film isn't without its flaws, though. There are a few points where the humor and the action take a break, the plot moves at a slow crawl, and you may find yourself getting impatient. There isn't nearly enough of Brad Pitt and his Basterds. The ending is a little abrupt, and left me craving a bit more resolution (call me old-fashioned).
Overall, Inglorious Basterds is better than I'd expected. I strongly recommend it to any fans of Quentin Tarantino and anyone who enjoys their humor dark, their violence over-the-top, their suspense slow-brewed, and their historical fiction unabashedly modernized.
After my confidence in him had been waning for years, this movie has made me a born-again believer in Tarantino's ability to deliver.