Django Unchained

Think a movie about slavery is impossible to have fun watching? Check your thinking. Django Unchained is bloody, talky, hillarious, bizzare, long as fuck and completely fun to watch. Quentin Tarantino took another blast from the past and made it his own masterpiece (see Inglourious Basterds for further proof). He's the shit.

Django Unchained stars Jamie Foxx as Django, an angry slave hellbent on getting revenge on those who abused and sold his wife Broomhilda (Kerry Washington). He soon gets an opportunity to get some bloody satisfaction when he meets Dr. King Schulz (Christopher Waltz), a doctor turned bounty hunter who is out for blood. Their journey leads them all over the United States, ending with the two venturing into Candyland to save Broomhilda from her master; Calvin Candie (Leonardo DiCaprio) and his loyal house slave; Stephen (Samuel L. Jackson).

If Django were a drink, it would be the lovechild of a Monster, Rockstar, and Full Throttle. There's so much energy on screen you would swear it could explode. Django Unchained is such a party you would swear you were watching a movie about a lighthearted subject as opposed to slaves getting beaten and sold across the country. Tarantino's trademark is taking dark, somber subjects and adding a spin on them that makes them fun for the audience. This is the history lesson you wish they would have had you learn about in school.

For being 165 minutes long, Django flies like a plane. With all the talking, repeating, and possible opportunities for endings that aren't taken, Django never overstays its' welcome. The movie could have been an hour longer and I wouldn't have cared.

It doesn't hurt that all of the actors are in on the fun. Even in the least humorous situations in the movie, you can tell everyone is having a blast. Foxx gives his role a badass, yet likeable quality that makes you root for him. Christopher Waltz displays why he won that Oscar fair and square, his character deserves a movie of his own; his performance and characterization are full of life. DiCaprio nails his part as well, going from charming, to menacing, to charming, to asshole all in one movie, delivering the goods with every part of Calvin Candie. Candie is easily one of my favorite villian's of 2012; he's one you love to hate to love. Samuel L. Jackson is hillarious also. Like DiCaprio, there's nothing likeable about his character but the actor behind him gives it so much heart and flavor you wanna like him.

Comedic lovers and gorehounds can all bond with Django; it brings both. Scenes with the bagheads and some of the later murders are gutbustingly funny. To speak about them would ruin the fun. Only in a Quentin Tarantino movie would someone stop the killing just to deliver some offcore, bizzare humor and nail it. Django is bloody as fuck also and I loved every minute of it. Even though the main characters are chained, nothing about Django Unchained feels restricted or confined. It's an outrageous blast.

4/4