Django Unchained marks Quentin Tarantino’s triumphant return to the big-screen. Chock-full with grotesque and bloody violence and riddled with dark humor, this R-rated western film certainly fits the bill of a Tarantino flick.
Jamie Foxx portrays Django, a pre-American Civil War slave living in the American south, who is freed by Dr. King Schultz (Christoph Waltz) in exchange that Django will help him in his hunt for a group of killers known as the Brittle brothers. After Django proves his mastery of weapons and kills all three of the brothers, Schultz decides to recruit him to bounty hunt through the winter. Django then confesses his marriage with another slave by the name of Broomhilda, played by Kerry Washinton, and that she was taken by a different group of owners and taught German. Schultz, intrigued by the German language, promises to help free her from her existing owners.
The two bond during their bounty hunting travels before finally arriving at the ironically named Candieland plantation, where the ruthless Calvin Candie, played by Leonardo DiCaprio, owns Broomhilda and many other slaves. Candie is supported by Samuel Jackson’s humorous yet terrifying portrayal of “house-slave” Stephen.
This film is just about as “Tarantino” as a film can get. From the savage beatings of slaves, to dim-witted Klu-Klux-Klan members, all the way to a Tupac, James Brown, and Jim Croce soundtrack, Django Unchained is just one big, wonderful paradox.
While bringing many different aspects of films into the west, Tarantino was also able to bring many societal problems from the pre-Civil War period to light. Numerous critics have argued that the over usage of racial slurs and gratuitous violence take away from the magic of the film. And yes, the movie does use a high amount of racial slurs and an almost over-the-top use of violence, but all this does is add historical insight on the mistreatment of slaves during this time period. This mistreatment also gives Foxx and Waltz’s characters to be seen as even greater heroes within the story.
What viewers have to keep in mind is that yes, this is a Quentin Tarantino movie. It obviously is not going to be for everyone and it certainly is not going to be for all ages. That being said, Django Unchained’s wonderful combination of action, dark humor, and history make it one of the best movies of the year and yet another notch on Tarantino’s belt of fantastic movies.
