By: Shannon Tesser
Quentin Tarantino’s Django Unchained can be summed up in two words: brilliant and bloody. But, in case you need more to convince you that you should run out and see this movie right away, keep reading.
Django Unchained is the triumphant tale of slave turned bounty hunter, Django (Jamie Foxx). In the opening sequence, Django and four other unfortunate souls are being transported by the slave trading Speck brothers. Enter Dr. King Schultz (Christoph Waltz) rolling up in a wagon with a comically large molar attached to a spring on top. Dr. Schultz wants to acquire Django from the reluctant Speck brothers. Turns out Dr. Schultz is not just a dentist, but a top notch bounty hunter. Through his superior skills (we’ll let you be surprised), Django goes with him to help catch the Brittle Brothers. Through their journey together, it is discovered that Django has a knack for the bounty hunting business and also has a wife whom he loves and wishes to rescue. Dr. Schultz is touched by their love story and wishes to help Django. Their adventure leads them to Candyland, a plantation owned Calvin Candie (Leonardo DiCaprio), an immature, cruel man who prefers to be called Monsieur Candie, even though he doesn’t speak a word of French. At Candlyand, Django and Dr. Schultz encounter a variety of southern characters, including Samuel L. Jackson’s Stephen, the head of the house slaves and right hand man to Monsieur Candie.
Being a Quentin Tarantino film, you know what to expect. Blood. Lots of blood. Django Unchained does not disappoint. It is a fun, witty, original story that hasn’t been done before. Christoph Waltz does what he does best, acts humorous in tense and serious situations. Like Inglorious Basterds, Waltz manages to be weirdly funny and charming, but unlike Inglorious Basterds, where you can’t wait for his character’s downfall, in Django you root for him from start to finish. Jamie Foxx’s Django has the most range as far as a total transformation goes. At the start he is soft spoken and observant, watching Dr. Schultz and learning from him. By the end he is a full-fledged cowboy complete with confidence and a swagger that is unmatched. Lastly, Leonardo DiCaprio and Samuel L. Jackson (as well as several minor characters) bring the cast full circle with their sheer evilness. DiCaprio’s southern plantation owner is wicked and terrifying (while maintaining a southern “gentleman” vibe), and Jackson is almost unrecognizable as the conniving head house slave that is prepared to spoil Django’s plans.
Nearly every aspect of Django Unchained makes it the must see movie of the season; good characters to root for, evil characters to hate, original storyline, and a fantastic soundtrack that is fun and will make you leave the theatre singing Django’s theme song. The only problem with the film is if you have a weak stomach for gruesome images. There are a few scenes that even I had to shut my eyes during… for instance a runaway slave being ripped apart by dogs.
If you haven’t seen it yet, go now. And if you already saw it, go again. Definitely my number one movie of the year!
Rated R
In theatres December 25th
