MovieChat Forums > Inglourious Basterds (2009) Discussion > Curiously unsatisfying

Curiously unsatisfying

posted 2 years ago by huwdj (4562)
14 replies | jump to latest

Not quite sure why. Is it because just about everyone dies? Or perhaps Christoph Waltz is too good at being a monster? I like the music used and the cast and the twisted history is OK - just about anyway.
It's funny that this film has some similarities with Once Upon A Time Hollywood, which I really like, but here it doesn't work so well - well for me anyway.
If I could change one thing to make it more enjoyable it would be Shosanna and her lover walking away as the cinema burnt in the background - so at least someone likeable lived.

[–] Tommy (185) 2 years ago

Aldo wasn’t likable?!?!? Anyways, I loved this movie. Not just may absolute favorite Tarantino movie, but among my all-time favs in general.

[–] GreenGoblinsOck8 (7470) 2 years ago

Eh, scalping people and taking delight in a guy getting beaten to death with a baseball bat are rather unlikable traits.

[–] Heisenberg (6431) 2 years ago

Agreed.
Too many dead people on both sides.
And Shoshanna and her guy knew they were gonna die themselves, which in my opinion made their plan stupid unnecessarily. They did not even try to escape. Too bad.

[–] [deleted] 2 years ago

Once again, brad pitt almost ruins another film.

[–] stickman38 (3023) 2 years ago

Similarities to Once Upon ATIH.... hmmm... really?

Anyhow, I liked it.

A lot of people died in DownFall as well but it's still a great WWII film and so is IB.

Plenty of people died in The Captain as well, another great WWII film. The last WWII film I saw was JoJo Rabbit, I liked it a lot too and even though it has some violence, they didn't show a lot of deaths on screen but you knew people were dying. In fact, I'm tempted to say JoJo Rabbit is one of the best WWII films ever. I might have actually liked it more than Basterds.

If you haven't seen any Hitler satire films, it's worth watching. You would probably like it more than Basterds. Heck, you might like all the films I listed more than IB.

[–] huwdj (4562) 2 years ago

Similar in the sense that he rewrote history and the violence was over the top. I didn't particularly like JoJo Rabbit either - I believe it's a good film but didn't work for me and thinking about it I'm not enthusiastic about films satirising Hitler. Except perhaps Spring Time For Hitler in The Producers.

[–] stickman38 (3023) 2 years ago

I kind of view Tarantino's use of violence as satirical to some degree, it's so over the top that it becomes funny. But I do think he needs to come up with some new material. I see a pattern forming in his movies.

Nazi satire is a subject that not very many filmmakers want to touch now days because of how sensitive people are but I think JoJo Rabbit is a wonderful film. It's edginess is not for everyone though. Sensitive people need not apply.... lol

Have you seen Downfall or The Captain? They're similar in some ways. Both movies take place during the last days of WWII. Both are extremely violent too.

[–] huwdj (4562) 2 years ago

I wasn't aware of The Captain and I've never been interested in Downfall - it didn't look like something I'd enjoy. Regarding Nazi satire - I guess it's something I cannot see the humour in - the same goes for the fairly recent The Death of Stalin by Armando Iannucci, which is another good film that didn't work for me - but at least I'm consistent.

[–] stickman38 (3023) 2 years ago

That's fine. Everyone has different opinions on films.

I really like Nazi satire. It could be another reason why I like IB as well. Even though it's not meant as satire, it kind of comes across as such. It's borderline comedy....

The Captain is not a very well known film here in the states but I think it's an excellent movie. However, it does have a lot of senseless violence in it, it's definitely not for the faint of heart.

Are there any WWII films you like? And Downfall is terrific too. It features a great performance by the lead actor, Bruno Ganz, have you seen any of the skits on youtube that use Ganz's performance of Hitler? They're so funny...

Downfall is not a comedy though. it's quite the opposite.

The Captain features another outstanding performance by it's lead, Max Hubacher. But yeah, it would be hard to watch for those that don't want to see violence in films.

[–] TearofLys (2409) 2 years ago

To each their own I guess. I consider this one of Tarantino's finest works. Not only the main characters stand out (especially Waltz), but so do those with almost no screen time. I can't forget that german soldier that answered with "bravery" when Donowitz asked him what the medal was for and he kept that steely eyed gaze until the Bear Jew clubbed him to death. Nazis are evil, yeah, yeah, but that particular Nazi really was fucking brave.

[–] FilmBuff (6782) 2 years ago

I also consider it one of his best, and yes, that scene was powerful.

[–] Ace_Spade (9435) 2 years ago

I loved it. It's my favourite Tarantino film.

[–] [deleted] 2 years ago

Me too Ace.

[–] Ace_Spade (9435) 2 years ago

Right on.