I'm not a fan of most 21st century action films, but I make an exception in the case of anything by Quentin Tarantino. Pulp Fiction is his masterpiece, but he has yet to make a bad film. I loved Inglorious Bastards and when I heard that Tarantino was taking on slavery and racism, I had a feeling it would be good. It was.
Django Unchained is a unique story. Set in the pre-civil war South, it begins with a mysterious man named Dr. King Schultz (Christopher Waltz), who drives a dentist cart, ambushing two vicious slave traders at night, who are returning home after purchasing a group of slaves. He wants to buy one named Django (Jamie Foxx), who steps forward, but when the brothers refuse to sell, King Schultz kills one and leaves the other for dead. The next day he reveals himself to be a bounty hunter and states that he wants Django's help in chasing down the south's most wanted criminals. Wanting to be free, Django agrees, though he also wants to rescue the wife he lost to the slave trade years before. A bargain is struck and their partnership is quite successful. The duo's final challenge comes, though, in rescuing Django's wife from her masters. As luck would have it, she is owned by Calvin Candie (Leonardo DiCaprio), the ruthless son of a late southern millionaire. Candie is what we in the 21st century would call a "trust fund baby." King Schultz and Django adapt new personas and charm their way into Candieland, Calvin's estate. Things go well at first, but, right when their about to make a deal, things get complicated when Calvin's trusted house slave Steven (Samuel L. Jackson) becomes suspicious. That's where it gets interesting.
Except all the typical, guns, violence, and death of Inglorious Bastards that is typical of Tarantino. Django and King Schultz are both very likable heroes and easy to root for and DiCaprio is his usual charming self as the villan. Action buffs won't be disappointed and anyone who liked Inglorious Bastards should definitely give Django Unchained a shot.
5 Stars.
