Django Unchained Reviews

Quentin Tarantino's first attempt at a Western will be the surprise hit of the year....Reason? Tarantino got this from a unreliable source ranging from Italian Westerns to the blaxploitation era of movies(namely the films of 1970's black action stars like Fred Williamson and Jim Brown),and it will be a must see that features Oscar winning actor Jamie Foxx, Oscar winning actor Samuel L. Jackson along with Oscar winning actor Christoph Waltz and Oscar nominated actors Leonardo DiCapio and Kerry Washington. "Django Unchained" upon it's general release on December 25,2012 went on to grossing over $220 million at the boxoffice making one of the top ten highest grossing films of 2012. It was Nominated for Five Oscars including Best Picture, Best Director(Quentin Tarantino),Best Actor(Jamie Foxx),Best Supporting Actor Nominations for Christoph Waltz, Leonardo Di Caprio, and Samuel L. Jackson. It won two Oscars for Best Original Screenplay and won Christoph Waltz the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor.

While not the best film Tarantino has ever done, Django Unchained has plenty of pleasures for fans of his work who just want a bloody good time (literally). Django has all the ingredients of his best work even though his penchant for witty dialogue between characters is a little muted in this one compared to others. That's not to say that there aren't some incredibly funny lines and completely unexpected moments, but there's not as much of them. This one is a little blunter in its storytelling and ideas, but not so much as to get in the way or be bothersome. Some people will undoubtedly be turned off by the excessive use of language throughout the film as well as the typical over the top violence (when someone is shot, they don't bleed, they make it rain), but Tarantino fans expect nothing less. Tarantino delivers some truly memorable characters once again played with utmost skill by the cast. Christoph Waltz's best comes out when in a Tarantino movie, proven by his two Oscars. Jamie Foxx gets the less demanding role among everyone, but we still have to have rooting interest in him, which we do. Leonard DiCaprio gives my favorite performance in the film, showing just how vile of a character he can portray to get away from that pretty boy image people still for some reason associate him with. I honestly don't know why he didn't get more awards attention. The only negative I can come up with is that the film is a little long and loses a little steam in the middle, but it picks itself right back up again towards the end. If you love Taratino films, you'll love this, but if you don't, then stay far away. I'm sure most people already know that by now, though.

Django Unchained gives out some of the best performances from Foxx, Waltz, Jackson, and DiCaprio. Yes I said DiCaprio. I know I have stated many times that I'm not a huge fan of his and I think he's over-rated, but he impressed me in this movie. But my favorite in the film was Waltz as Dr. King Schultz. He was so, so good in this role. He was quirky, funny, smart, and one hell of shot. The movie has a large variety of different actors. Some I haven't seen act in a while and it was nice to see all the different actors in their small roles. They all did a good job making the film that more enjoyable.
The film is extremely bloody and violent. I think I seen more blood in this film then I have in any slasher movie I've ever seen.
I'm not a fan of westerns, but this a Tarantino film, I had to watch it. I am so glad I did. It is one of his best films he has yet to make and one of my favorites from him.

Tarantino's bloody and blunt style shines in this movie. The screenplay is fantastic and there are Oscar worthy performances from Waltz and DiCaprio. That being said, my faults with this movie lie in its story. It starts out great but by the time that the battle scene at Candieland happens, it becomes a bloody mes. The movie follows this moment up with far too many points which could be considered climaxes, and it confuses dark comedy with disgusting immaturity. This movie had a lot of promise but I think it is far from Best Picture material.

Another smashing success from arguably the best director of our times in Quentin Tarantino, concerning the slave Django (Jamie Foxx) who is freed from his shackles by a German bounty hunter (Christoph Waltz), who detests slavery, and comes up with a plan for he and Django to team up to take out his targets, and in return he will help the liberated slave rescue his wife (Kerry Washington) from her brutal owner (Leonardo DiCaprio). Like "Inglourious Basterds", this is a revenge-scenario film played out to nearly utter perfection. The supporting cast is splendid (especially Waltz and DiCaprio, either should win "Best Supporting Actor"), the action and dialogue is ridiculously entertaining and arresting for a film that possesses a near three-hour time frame, and Foxx is a perfect fit for the role of a quiet, dangerous character. Tarantino always finds ways to dish in nice little surprises throughout his work, and this one is no exception. One of the best films of 2012, and one definitely deserving of repeated viewings.

Before you read any further, know I'm a sucker for Quentin Tarantino flicks. "Django Unchained" is a fun, action-packed, revenge filim, and keeps viewers on the edge of their seat for the entire 166 minutes. Jamie Foxx is perfectly cast as Django, and Samuel L. Jackson/Christoph Waltz/Leonardo DiCaprio each give Oscar-worthy performances. "Django Unchained" is one of the most original movies of the past few years, and is a must watch for Tarantino fans. Grade: B+

Django Unchained, is literally Tarantino Unleashed. It's Director, Quentin Tarantino's craziest, bloodiest, wildest and truly the best movie he has ever made. It's two and a half hours of brutal, gun-slinging and explosive great fun that you cant get enough of. Even at his most serious, Tarantino cant help but have fun with his material. A wickedly hilarious, utterly stylish and action-packed good-time from start to finish. It's a blast with Tarantino's sharp taste in dialogue, bloody action, dark humor and brilliant and fun performances all around from its extraordinary all-star cast. It is a tremendous homage to the classic western, a great piece of work that is truly an outrageously entertaining epic, that is also vicious, gory and utterly enjoyable. It's smart, riveting, endlessly funny and always a thrill to watch. An unforgettable masterpiece. Jamie Foxx delivers a strong and outstanding performance, he has never been better or tougher. Christoph Waltz is absolutely wonderful, he gives a commanding and stand-out performance that is worth watching. Waltz and Foxx have excellent chemistry together. Leonardo DiCaprio is sensational, he gives a brutally fun and energetic performance. Samuel L. Jackson is absolutely brilliant. One of the top best pictures of 2012.

Tarantino strikes again. Sharp, smart, funny and in true Tarantino style, Django delivers...big time, and much like its main protagonist, leaves no boundary uncrossed.

Spaghetti western style movie with the backdrop of slavery in America. Christoph Waltz steals the show. Jamie Foxx is cool. Leonardo DiCaprio is the villain. Jonah Hill has one of the funniest scenes. Django is a free slave turned bounty hunter in search of his wife on various plantations. Great cast. Very violent.

Another truimphant film from one of the best Directors in the Industry! A great cast, with Christoph Waltz outshining everyone!
Dicaprio was surprisingly convincing as the bady and thoroughly enjjoy his performance.
A very entertaining storyline that even those who arent fans of westerns will enjoy this.
If your a fan of Tarantino then this is one not to be missed!

Django Unchained is an entertaining faux spaghetti Western, and a hot mess, like all of QT's memorable flicks. It has a cracking great cast, hilarious quips, crazy action scenes, and most of the three hours of its excessive length fly by. That said, if you are looking for any deep mediations about slavery or racism or any historical lessons about antebellum America, look elsewhere. This film has fairly deep characters, but its take on history and philosophy is razor thin.

Let's start with what almost seems like a movie version of Quentin Tarantino's greatest hits: The cast: spectacular, to a fault, from a intense and underplayed lead performance from Christoph Waltz as a witty and cultured German bounty hunter with a hidden sense of moral outrage about slavery, Jamie Foxx as a freed slave trying to find his wife, who is owned by the terrific Leo DeCaprio as a pretentious southern gentleman slave owner (he must play more villains, he's awesome), Samuel L. Jackson as the house slave Stephen, an evil and wily enabler of slavery (a very fresh and scary character) and Don Johnson as a plantation owner who's a KKK devotee, as well as Kerry Washington as Django's wife, the German speaking beauty Broomhilda. QT's only casting misstep is casting himself as an Australian dynamite expert, that he blows with both a horrific accent and atrocious acting. WHY? At least Hitchock appeared for a few seconds and never spoke.

The story is a revenge fantasy simliar to Inglorious Basterds (the holocaust action flick) and has a similar structure. I think it might even be slightly better. It's too long and the TNT mayhem and bloody ending, where a free Django comes back and kills all the evil plantation people in the last half hour seems like a bloody anticlimax.

The music choices are delightful, fresh and always surprising from the fresh rap tracks, to the Morricone spaghetti western music, to Jim Croce's 'I Got a Name', matched to a montage where Django is taught to kill by his mentor King Kaiser (Waltz).

Anyway, if you like Tarnantio, you'll be in heaven. If not, this will NOT convert you. I saw all the big Christmas releases and this was by far the most satisfying and fun. However, it has some morally questionable choices (Mandingo fighting, a slave on slave fight to the death that never happened??) and obvious messages that have nothing interesting to say about slavery that most sane people in the 21st century would not agree with. It's wrong to own people, is about the only takeaway from this film, and that I just had three hours of fun. (well, the last 30 minutes was overkill), but there's enough good stuff here to make this well worth your time.

What Quentin Tarantino did (gloriously) for Jews with his last film, "Inglourious Basterds," he now does for blacks with the brilliant, innovative, and explosively entertaining "Django Unchained," one of the best films of 2012. Its Oscar nomination for Best Picture was well deserved -- ditto for its Screenwriting, Cinematography, and Acting nominations.

Whereas "Inglourious" was a Jewish revenge fantasy that ended with a massacre of Nazis, "Django" depicts a slave turning the tables on one of the sickest and most violent plantation owners in 1858 Mississippi. Let's just say that a lot of bad people are killed in the end, and it's done magnificently. No one does a kill scene with more gusto and meaning than Tarantino.

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Jamie Foxx stars as a slave, Django, who is purchased and then freed by a German bounty hunter named King Schultz. Christoph Waltz plays Schultz with delicious panache. (Waltz, an Austrian character actor, won an Oscar for his eerie, remarkable performance in "Inglourious" and is now nominated for his work in "Django.")

Schultz needs Django's help to locate a group of criminals with a bounty on their head. They do that job and then decide to stay together as partners. Schultz is profoundly moved by Django's quest to find his wife (played by Kerry Washington).

Schultz just about falls off his chair when he hears that Django's wife is named Broomhilda, a bastardized version of the name Brunnhilde, the goddess of Germanic mythology (who, incidentally, is a major character in Wagner's mammoth "Ring" opera cycle).

In the legend, Brunnhilde is set atop a mountain and encircled with fire. A hero named Siegfried eventually frees her. To quote Schultz (paraphrasing): It's my obligation as a German to help you on your quest, Django. It's not every day that a German gets to meet a real-life Siegfried.

Schultz explains the Siegfried/Brunnhilde myth beautifully. I don't think I've ever heard traditional German culture spoken of so warmly in an American movie. It's a wonderful way for Tarantino to demonstrate that his bloodthirsty hatred of Nazis is in no way an indictment of all German culture. Tarantino in fact seems to be saying that certain aspects of old-time German culture could enrich all of our lives today.

After several adventures, one that involves a hilarious parody of the KKK (reminiscent of Mel Brooks's parodies of the Nazis), Django and Schultz finally find Broomhilda. This brings them to Candy Land, the most notorious plantation in Mississippi, headed by the deeply twisted Calvin Candie (played with scary magnetism by Leonardo DiCaprio).

Schultz and Django develop a ruse where they pretend to be in the market for a "mandingo fighter." This brings us to mandingo fighting, something I had never heard of before seeing "Django." In the film, it is depicted as human cock fights. Two black men must fight until one of them is dead. This is where the film gets most dark and gruesome.

But was there really mandingo fighting in 19th-century America, or was this something Tarantino dreamed up? Based on the little research I've done, it is not historical. It was probably dreamed up by Kyle Onstott, a California dog breeder turned novelist, who wrote the best-selling novel "Mandingo" in 1957, which was turned into an infamous B picture in 1975 directed by Richard Fleischer, who also directed "Soylent Green". Tarantino has praised "Mandingo" as one of his favorite American exploitation movies. (I've never seen it, but I would love to.)

The word comes from the Mandingo people of West Africa, who are also referred to as Mandinka.

Even though mandingo fighting is probably not historical, it serves a purpose in the movie. It allows Tarantino to explore the somewhat eroticized sadism of the master-slave dynamic. It is no surprise that the mandingo fights are shown to take place in a brothel. But Tarantino soft-pedals the eroticism. For the most part, the fights are depicted the way Nazi atrocities would be: pure evil.

At Candy Land, we also get the opportunity to meet a "head house Negro," played by Samuel L. Jackson. This character has a hatred of black folks that rivals his master's. This gives the film interesting complexity and much food for thought about the nuances of power. I've had some interesting discussions with black friends about this. They found the Jackson character true to life, a type of racist black that has almost never been shown in movies.

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Tarantino brilliantly uses music to punctuate the many adventures that Django and Schultz have. I honestly can't remember ever enjoying music in a non-musical movie as much as I did in "Django." Tarantino's taste in music is astonishing. He's known for his use of little-known 1960s soul songs, and he uses those here quite a bit. But he also uses rap and a few other genres to great effect.

The cinematography is also breathtaking. In the first half of the film, there are many scenes filmed outdoors (in Wyoming). It's not exactly innovative. It's fairly traditional Western photography, but the best example of it that I've seen since "Brokeback Mountain." It may be the first time an African-American character has been shown against a classic Western backdrop. I loved that. In so many ways, black history is being made by this film.

The overall art direction, including sets and costumes, is also top-notch. Tarantino has become an overall movie craftsman of the highest order. He's always been known as a snarky screenwriter, but he's become much more than this. His overall command of the cinematic medium is now rivalling that of Hitchcock.

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I won't say how it all turns out, of course. But there are several nail-biting twists and turns in the last hour, and several major characters are killed.

"Django Unchained" is a grand epic, nearly three hours, that goes by faster than most 90-minute movies. It contains so much content, presented in such an entertaining way, that it felt like three movies in one. You always get your money's worth at a Tarantino flick.

The overall message is a glorious celebration of black liberation. Django is the center of the movie. In the first half, it's Schultz with his black sidekick. In the last third, the roles reverse. It becomes Django (Siegfried) and his charming, lovable German sidekick.

The final shot involving a gigantic conflagration is a joy to behold, the perfect way to end the movie. It should be remembered that "Inglourious" also ended with a huge fire -- in a movie theater no less!

'Django Unchained'. Tarantino at his witty, bloody, cinematic best. Waltz, DiCaprio and Foxx all mesmerising! What a screenplay!

There's a lot right about this film. The dialogue and delivery of it sit at the very top. Christoph Waltz steals every scene he's in until DiCaprio comes along with a devilishly villainous turn. They're both only as good as what they say and do though, and this screenplay is filled with cracking dialogue!

It loses half a star from me for its lull after the initial bloodbath towards the end. There's 10-15 minutes before the conclusion that didn't work, and it was the first time throughout the film I wondered how long there was left.

I've always loved Tarantino's direction. It's more for the quirky way simple, mundane parts of a film are shot. A prime example here is the pouring of the beer early on in the film. Utterly captivating in how it's framed. His homage to the westerns is no doubt clear too.

The violence is gleefully unapologetic, it's hilarious from start to finish, and the entire cast shines. Tarantino, making the clichéd, cool

"Django Unchained", director Quentin Tarantino's latest film, is also his second attempt at "B" movie historical revisionism. As opposed to Inglourious Basterds however, this time it works.

Christoph Waltz, plays yet another German (he was the lead nazi in Inglourious Basterds) who this time takes the side of the oppressed, rather than the oppressor (this doesn't mean he's any less violent or murderous). He buys a slave by the name of Django (Jamie Foxx), in order to acquire some information about his former slave masters who are wanted for a bounty (he's a bounty hunter). If Django helps him, he will be given his freedom. Django decides he wants to learn the bounty hunter trade and proves he has a knack for it. Django's ultimate goal is to get the freedom of his wife (Kerry Washington), who is owned by Mr. Candie (Leonardo DiCaprio) of the "Candieland" plantation. Mr. Candie is a fan of Mandingo fighting (pitting two slaves against one another in a fight to the death), and the two bounty hunters use this as a subterfuge in order to gain his confidence. It's an elaborate con that may cost more than just money.

Django Unchained feels like another attempt at the same themes Inglourious Basterds covered. There's the exploitative violence angle, the historical revisionism angle, the revenge as fun angle. But where Basterds came up short in those departments, Django succeeds. In my original review, I complained about Inglourious Basterd's lack of perspective. Instead of showing the nazis committing atrocities, it showed the heroes committing atrocities and told us to side with them. It's not enough to slap a swastika on a person and beat them to death with a baseball bat, you have to show us the reasons too, regardless if they're a historical fact or not. Django gives us the proper build up of outrage and catharsis, injustice and revenge, rage and release. Even if the stalemate feels a bit forced, it's still creating a genuine dynamic tension, something miles above what was found in the nazi revenge fantasy. Christoph Waltz, the best thing about that movie, delivers an equally compelling performance here in Django, and DiCaprio and Foxx eat up the scenary with equal flair. Samuel L. Jackson almost steals the movie as the bitter old Stephen, and Don Johnson is great as a Kentucky fried Colonel who bites off a little more than he can chew. It's probably a little more fun than a movie about slavery has a right to be, but it's the 21rst century, and this is Quentin Tarantino afterall. If you're still shocked by Tarantino's perpetual adolescence, then you haven't been watching him the last 20 years. The guy's still got it though. This is a great movie.

Basic QT revenge-ploitation flick. Lots of incongruous shooting and blood. Anymore traveling and this'd be Lord of the Rings. Not much of a female lead. Django calls his beloved Broomhilda "little troublemaker," so when's she gonna start making some trouble? Kerry Washington floats on air, but I was hoping she'd get to do something besides writhe and scream.

Leo D. just doesn't do it for me anymore ever since he started playing with accents. They're just not good. Jamie Foxx is fine. Christoph Waltz is fine. Samuel L. Jackson is quite good as the most hated and hateful of all characters: the head house slave who unctuously enjoys his master's confidence.

A freed slave apprentices as a bounty hunter, then goes undercover to rescue his wife from a cruel slave plantation. It's unfocused---the script can't decide whether it wants to be a classic Spaghetti western, a serious commentary on racism or a ridiculous revenge fantasy---and some of the mood-breaking music choices are indefensible, but Christoph Waltz is great as the cultured killer, and Tarantino can still craft tense and funny individual scenes that play out like perfect little mini-movies.

I loved Tarantino growing up, as his dialogue, pacing, and narrative structure was something new and exciting. Unfortunately his last two films were just mediocre in my eyes, but with Django Unchained, Tarantino has brought another genre to life with blistering violence, awkward but appreciated humour, and moments of heart and humanity that raise this high above his recent output. Django Unchained sees a slave recruited by a bounty hunter who then promises to help find the slave's wife. The film is filled with incredible and unforgettable characters, performed to a high caliber by the entire cast. DiCaprio as a villain is a joy to behold, with Foxx and Waltz sharing undeniable chemistry. It's a shame that so many people focus on teh violence and forget the comedy and heart. One scene sees a group of racist thugs arguing over eye holes in their masks. It reminds us that dispite their horrid actions they are still human, and that allows them to be stupid. We are also treated to an endearing moment where Waltz shows patience towards Foxx as he tries to read a wanted poster. The great relationships don't just stop there, as Jackson and DiCaprio have a bizarre rapport, where even though Jackson is a slave, in some respects he is on a higher level than DiCaprio. Jackson is also a tragic character that has become comfortable in his place and fears change. The violence and action is very impressive, and I dare anyone to watch it and not easily discern between moments when Tarantino uses violence as a shocking look as past wrongs, and when he uses it for good old fashioned entertainment, because there is a difference and Tarantino knows how to work it. Great music (as always) and perhaps Tarantino's most linnear narrative, make this an absolute must on so many levels.

Hands down the best movie of the year. Easily the best movie since 2008's The Dark Knight. Tarantino's best since Pulp Fiction, maybe his best ever. Sam Jackson's character had some of the funniest lines of the year. After a second viewing, Django has inched its way into my top five of all time. Impeccable acting and pacing. Someone hand Waltz an Oscar.