Quentin Tarantino’s ability to craft films with extreme violence is quite well known. He’s a master of bloody choreography, matched only perhaps by his skill with dialogue and wordplay. While I’ve appreciated Tarantino’s abilities as a filmmaker in the past, Basterds has made me a full-on fan. He’s crafted a movie that’s equal parts spaghetti western and World War II tribute, with tension that you could cut with a knife. The cast is absolutely fantastic and the storytelling is top-notch.

I was actually surprised at how toned down (by Tarantino standards) the violence is in Basterds. If anything, the action sequences seemed to be more like punctuation to the dialogue, popping up at the end of scenes loaded with suspense and conflict. The film is broken up in the chapters that eventually bring multiple threads and characters onto a collision course in a French theatre featuring the latest work of German director Joseph Goebbels. The final resolution is anyone’s guess, but I’ll say that it’s a pretty satisfying payoff in the end.

QUALITY:
Absolutely fantastic. Special effects look terrific, the set and costume details are sharp and the color palate throughout is bold and strong. Great sound work as well.

BONUS FEATURES:
Extras include Nation’s Pride, the German propaganda film featured within Basterds, the making of Nation’s Pride, extended and alternate scenes, a roundtable discussion with Tarantino, Pitt and Elvis Mitchell, a film historian and critic, and lots more.