Warning: this review contains a spoiler.
Definitely one of the most talked-about movies in recent years, Django Unchained made its way into theaters this past Christmas and has been causing a ruckus ever since. Quentin Tarantino’s latest historical piece follows the story of former slave Django Freeman and his liberator, Dr. King Schultz, on their journey around the southern parts of the U.S. while they collect bounties and ultimately set out to free Django’s wife, Broomhilda.
Since its release, Django Unchained has received what can best be described as a plethora of mixed reviews, but this film is magnificent. Quentin Tarantino’s done it again. Admittedly, this movie is not for everyone. Due to its graphic nature and gritty content, I do not recommend you see this movie if you’re sensitive or squeamish. That being said, Quentin Tarantino’s fearless style of directing takes you into the very belly of cruelty in the South when slavery was at its peak. He delivers a very raw and realistic depiction of what a black man might go through if he had aspirations of freeing his wife from slavery. Tarantino also stays true to what some may call his ultra-violent cinematic style, so there’s plenty of bloodshed, but also a good mix of humor to help balance things out.
The cast couldn’t have been better. Each character was portrayed in just the right way, and I think Mr. Tarantino should be pretty pleased with the emotions each character makes the audience feel. Whether you’re rooting for Jamie Foxx as Django, admiring Christoph Waltz as Dr. King Schultz, pitying and fearing for Kerry Washington as Broomhilda, or hating Leonardo DiCaprio and Samuel L. Jackson as Calvin Candie and Stephen, this film will have you on a roller-coaster of emotions. To single out any one cast member would be unfair because of the incredible performance each of these amazing actors put on, but Leonardo DiCaprio and Samuel L. Jackson really made the audience loathe them. Leonardo definitely showed you just how much of a despicable and disgusting human being Calvin Candie was, and by the time the credit s rolled, you were happy he was dead.
As far as the actual production and development of the movie, Quentin Tarantino showed us all that he is still indeed “the man.” His use of cinematography was flawless, the special effects and makeup were top notch, the costumes were all well-made, and the music was excellent. You can tell that Tarantino thought out every last detail in this movie. From location to set design, he crafted a cinematic gem.
Overall, I’d call Django Unchained a strong competitor for best movie of 2012 because of how brilliantly wonderful it was. Quentin Tarantino has shown time and time again that he is a cinematic genius and, though he’s thought to be highly controversial, I’m sure he’ll go down in history as one of the best to ever do it. Django Unchained has earned a 5 out of 5 as far as this Tarantino fan’s ranking system is concerned. Well done, Mr. Brown (for all of you Tarantino fans out there.)