Django Unchained - A Spoiler-Free Review

Django Unchained

A Spoiler-Free Review

Django. The 'D' is silent.

First, all I can say is wow. Second, don't waste ANY time in going to see this film. Django Unchained is the movie that I've been waiting so long for, I get real excited about it - and for good reason. This film is crazy good - it's a classic Quentin Tarantino movie, meaning over the top blood, awesome soundtrack, and enough balance between dialogue and all-out action (and you get a load of both!)

Django Unchained is set around the US Civil War era, where Django (Jamie Foxx) is a slave and King Schultz, often introducing himself as "Doctor King Schultz" (Christoph Waltz) is a bounty hunter under the guise of a dentist. Together, they team up to free Django's wife Broomhilda (Kerry Washington) from the ownership of Calvin Candie (Leonardo Di Caprio). 

I like the way you die, boy.

The cast's performance in spectacular - I say "the cast" because literally every character on screen does their part convincingly and humorously, where needed.

Christoph Waltz was perfect for his role as Schultz, and I believe the role was actually written for him by Tarantino. Waltz brings his classic charm to the character, blends it with a little European politeness, adds a bit of crazy where it's called for, and BAM: Schultz. This guy would make the perfect host to a dinner party, just don't cheat him. I kept falling into the trap thinking that this is Schultz's movie. However, the ending of the film reminds us that this is indeed Django's movie..

Jamie Foxx brings the badass to the movie. He plays gun-slingin', revenge-driven former slave Django. He also has some softer moments, and plays the role of "the knight in shining armour" brilliantly.

Kerry Washington, beautiful as always, plays Django's wife Broomhilda, the "damsel in distress". Her and Foxx's chemistry on screen is simply magic and y'all need to see more of it.

Leonardo Di Caprio plays the villain Calvin Candie, owner of "Candieland" and a load of black slaves. When actors do a completely different role on screen than they've previously done can be a massive risk, but this one definitely pays off. I love Leo in this role as he plays this just-over-the-top character, just riding on the line of an exaggerated southern gentleman. 

Samuel L. Jackson, a regular in Tarantino's films, plays Stephen, an old, white-haired and shaky Uncle Tom that works under Candie. Sassy yet witty, he plays a crucial role in this film and does so in spectacular fashion.

DJANGOOOOOO...!

What else was great..? THE SOUNDTRACK! Omg, best soundtrack out at the moment. Tarantino loves putting together an interesting soundtrack, and Django Unchained's one includes a whole song dedicated to King Schultz's back story, a song called "La Corsa" that sounds like it was recorded fifty years ago and has a massive crescendo coinciding with an awesome "justice-scene", modern rap music over Django shooting up a house, plus my favourite (and most catchy) the original "Django" song. DJANGOOOOOOOOO...!

I sat through the entire picture with a grin on my face. Everything Tarantino has done with this film just pleases me. Being a satire on the spaghetti western genre, he has used the classic techniques used for the older films for Django Unchained. The camera zooms onto a character's face when they say something scandalous or shocking, or to set up a particular scene. Also the use of close ups and far shots are exaggerated, extreme close ups of an intimidating character's eyes when he is spitting out threats, and far shots to capture a horse and its rider galloping off into the hills. Also, the dialogue is great and again rings back to the traditional westerns. Every word feels orchestrated, and gives every character a moment to shine. My favourite quote (imagine this in your most exaggerated southern-cowboy voice as you can), "WHO'S that stumblin' out there in the dark? State y'ur business, or prepare to get winged..!" - totally doesn't do it justice.

Django Unchained wouldn't be complete without the director cameo (of course). Quentin Tarantino shows up at the very end of the film - he sports one of the worst Australian accents I've ever heard, and has a very "explosive" exit, shall we say...

Auf wiedersehen. Bullseye.

It wouldn't be Tarantino if Django Unchained didn't include a good dose of gore, violence and cussing - Django Unchained packs all of this, and delivers it heavily. I'm going to speak to all the simple people out there, DON'T bring your child to see this film! It should go without saying, but you'd be surprised..

Go see it you lily livered greenhorn!

Django Unchained: 4.5 out of 5 cussin' Staches