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"Django Unchained" Tarantino's most accomplished work
By David McDonough
On February 20, 2013
There are three things that make a great movie: a compelling story, appropriate special effects and a
firm grasp of clarity. Quentin Tarantino has always been a master of these elements in his movies, and
Django Unchained was his most accomplished work yet.
Tarantino played on a very sensitive topic in American history - slavery - and showed the brutality and
ignorance of the time period while still keeping a sensible story, aside from violence and racism. As
with his other films he also keeps a strong comical backdrop with serious undertones.
"Django emphasized some of Tarantino's greatest directing potential," said Dakota Sims, a Buffalo
State student who saw the movie.
It was one of his most sensible movies because it had a direct purpose. Jamie Foxx played Django, a
slave being moved to a new plantation when he is "bought" by the wandering dentist bounty hunter,
Doctor Schultz. The movie emphasizes their relationship to one another first and foremost which made
the movie that much more beautiful.
Tarantino's focus on their emerging friendship - in a time where it was unheard of for two men of
different races to be friends - created a much more genuine story. He did not pull any punches in his
film - he wanted to show the realities of the time period while still playing on his own directing skills.
Leonardo DiCaprio played the very controversial role of Calvin Candie, a "sophisticated" slave owner
and mandingo manager. Initially his character comes off as charismatic and "worldly" by the way he
initially treats his subjects. It is only through the progression of the story that his true nature is revealed.
Some of the faults of the movie lay in the framework that Tarantino is accustomed to. The over-the-top
special effects made the action unbelievable and graphically unnecessary.
IMDB user reviews state that the story is more complex than it sounds. The film isn't just centered on
Django's retrubtion. It takes many different paths and different back-stories are fleshed out.
Tarantino's vision is realized through a sequence of beautiful acting and exaggerated action scenes. He
gave his creation purpose by exposing the horrors of history on the big screen which is something very
few have attempted in the history of film.
This movie was like a Blazing Saddles meets Pulp Fiction in its nature and delivery. The filming styles
for the movie were brilliant in how they could capture the emotions of each of the characters in the
setting Tarantino placed them in. Tarantino himself wanted the movie to be a collage of different tones
that made the movie what it is.
The suspense and humor were to go hand in hand to deliver the story of Django in a time that would
make it difficult for him to rise. The characterization of Django and his allies was also very cleverly
introduced. From the first moment Django was seen on screen, he was vengeance incarnate.
David McDonough can be reached by email at mcdonough.record@live.com.
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