Django Unchained Review

Now, what I am about to say can be taken with a grain of salt, as I have not yet seen Quentin Tarantino’s sizable collection of motion pictures. However, if one sees the dual Kill Bill films at or near the top of the directors’s efforts, then it is safe to say at the very least that Django Unchained is on par with his best work. If you are not a fan of the Uma Thurman revenge flicks, though, it is still good, nonetheless.

The tale starts in the shoes of Dr. King Schultz (Christoph Waltz), a former dentist turned bounty hunter, tracking three brothers, the Brittle brothers. His conundrum is that he has no idea what the three men look like, but he knows who may. Enter Django (Jamie Foxx), a slave recently traded with the aid of the brothers. After this and many other bounties are met, the two having become partners over “a very long and very profitable winter,” set off to buy Django’s wife Broomhilda’s (Kerry Washington) freedom.

A long 2 hours 45 minutes, because it is so interesting, the movie does not begin to feel too long. There is a lot of story told within that span, but it never feels rushed, not even when it moves into montages, nor does it get stagnant, staying too long on one scene.

From the way Christoph Waltz speaks from line-to-line, to the many characters reactions to Django as a free man, to a cameo by Jonah Hill, all the way to Samuel L. Jackson’s role as the proverbial “yes man,” Quentin Tarantino’s humorous side shines brightly through the many events of the script. The funniest scene, in my opinion, comes when a 19th century KKK-like group ride to capture and kill Django and Dr. King Schultz, all the while complaining how they cannot see through their hoods. 

The protagonist Django differs from the typical slave. He has a very basic education, able to read at a very low level. His naive way of seeing the world through newly free eyes adds humor, especially when he gets this very interested “what you talking about, Willis?” look in his eyes. Will Smith was originally eyed for the lead role, however, the second choice Foxx delivers on a level that will surely become a signature role for his lengthy career.

Dr. King Schultz is a character, who, early on, makes it clear his disdain for slavery. An intelligent man, however, he uses the bondage of Django to his advantage, with the promise that he will free the bondsman once the two have accomplished his mission. He is easily my favorite character by far. The combination of his gentlemanly etiquette, contrasted by the violent life of the bounty hunter, forms a unique character, and the most interesting the movie sees.

Some actors are good at playing the good guy, others the bad guy, then there are the few who can do both equally well. Leonardo DiCaprio is that actor for Django Unchained. As Calvin Candie, owner of Candie Land, the fourth largest plantation in the United States of America, he is hospitable to those he wishes to do business with, friendly, if not firm, even with his own slaves, but his bad side is as evil as they come. I am unsure as to whether his performance will warrant an award nomination, much less an award, but given the possibility that it does, no fan or critic will rightly argue against it.

Samuel L. Jackson’s role as Stephen, a slave loyal to the death to Calvin Candie, is another that must be acknowledged. There is not much to say past the first line above, but the way he so convincingly plays this “yes boss” type, is that of an actor who has come close to mastering his craft over his long career. Unlikeable, he provides a number of memorable moments, both in the lines themselves and the delivery.

As an R rated film, mostly rated that way for its violence, though the language is a a close runner-up, there is a ton of blood. From my perspective, the bloodshed hardly becomes unbearable, save one scene I did not have too much fun watching.The scene involves two slaves fighting to the death, as sort of prizefight, in what is referred to as Mandingo fighting, which Django and Dr. Schultz see as a means of getting close to Calvin Candie. Without going into detail of the brutality, it is probably safe to say most will find it disturbing.

After watching Django Unchained, like I heard a few men say, you get the feeling it will become a picture loved for many years to come.