Django Unchained Review

An edited version of this article originally appeared on  the 12th of January 2013 in Saturday Nation under the title 'Fast-moving Django comes calling'.

It’s a good start to the year for Kenyan film lovers and theatre goers as this coming week marks the opening of the much anticipated film “Django Unchained” in several theatres across Nairobi and the country. The movie, termed a spaghetti country film by reviewers, is directed by the controversial and blatant Quentin Tarantino famous for Pulp fiction, Kill Bill and Inglorious Bastards. The movie has star studded cast consisting of among others Jamie Foxx, Samuel L. Jackson, Christopher Waltz, Kerry Washington and Leonardo Dicaprio .

Spaghetti western is a term used to refer to a genre that emerged in the 60’s of western themed cowboy movies but directed by Italian film makers hence the name spaghetti. The genre was popularized by directors of the time such as Sergio Leone and Sergio Cobucci. Quentin, known to bring back old genres and recreate them in his odd, off the book style, borrows heavily from this genre and pieces together recreational scenes from his favorite spaghetti westerns.

Django unchained, set in Texas in the 1800’s two years before the American civil war, is not short of performers with the big name appearances introduced gradually as the movie progresses making the audience feel like you are watching different parts of a sequel. This does magic for the plot which is carved cleverly in the usual Quentin Tarantino way to result in over two and a half hours of an emotional involving, action packed journey.

Django and Dr.Schultz

The film is the story of Django a slave who is freed by Dr. King Schultz played by Christopher Waltz, a dentist turned bounty hunter. Dr.Schultz needs Django to identify the Brittle brothers, criminals he intends to kill for a reward. After freeing Django from the Speck brothers, slave merchants who had purchased him, the two agree on a deal. Django would assist the witty, smart talking German doctor catch the Brittle brothers and in return the doctor would give him his freedom, a horse and seventy five dollars.

They set on the journey and soon find the Brittle brothers and kill them. On their journey, Django and the doctor get to talking and Django reveals that he has wife Broomhilda, played by the enchanting Kerry Washington, who was sold separately and that he intends to go save her. Dr. Schultz moved by the story which he relates to a German fairy tale and feeling responsible for his freed being, agrees to help only if Django would in turn help him catch more bounties through the winter.

Another deal is struck and the duo spends the winter killing all sorts of criminals. Dr. Schultz teaches Django how to target shoot, read and mannerisms of a gentleman. After a long, cold and profitable winter, the duo sets out to Mississippi to rescue Broomhilda. 

This, however, is where the story gets interesting. BroomHilda is owned by Mr. Calvin Candie a seasoned slaver and farmer who owns Candie land; the 4^th biggest cotton plantation in the region and every salves nightmare. Mr. Candie, played by Leonardo DiCaprio, is a spoilt, charming and brutal man who fancies watching his slaves fight each other to the death. Django and Dr. Schultz have to outplay the cunning Mr.Candie who is supported by his over-enthusiastic, over-suspicious and over indulgent head slave Steven played by Samuel L. Jackson.

Leonardo DiCaprio as Calvin Candie

Over all the movie is a classic but it does not come short of the usual Quentin Tarantino over the top signatures. There is over use of obscenities and some scenes are a bit gory and distasteful. The bloody scenes just like in Kill Bill and Inglorious Bustards are a little over bloody and even those are marred with more obscenities.

 In one scene, a slave is brutally torn apart by a pack of dogs and the racial comments and slurs are sometimes pushed to the limit. Leonardo Dicaprio in a recent interview admitted "This was one of the most narcissistic, self-indulgent, racist, most despicable characters I've ever read in my entire life." 

However, the long dialogue scenes are laden with wit and clever talk and when they are not sharing their intelligent and sometimes not so intelligent ideas, action is well catered for. The action is bound to keep you at the edge of your sit. Explosions, guns and human eating dogs included. The characters give the movie their all and you can see them enjoying their roles. Slavery and racism, a sensitive topic, is given a light and humorous approach and one ku klax clan scene will especially get your ribs cracking.

Quentin Tarantino

Like all other Quentin Tarantio movies, Django Unchained, barely a month after its release has not escaped controversy.  Slavery-era action figures of the movies main characters, on sale online are raising questions about whether they're appropriate. Outraged Los Angeles black community leaders called them “A slap in the face of our ancestors”. The leaders feel that it trivializes the era of slavery.

Nonetheless, the movie, which had an estimated budget of 100 million dollars has already raised over 106 million dollars in theaters alone so far and has been nominated for five golden globe awards. There is talk of the three main characters getting Oscar nominations for their roles. 

January is a somber, long and slow month for many but Django Unchained is a movie to take your mind off things albeit for just a few hours. And it being an economical month, the over two and a half hours that the movie runs is definitely a good bargain and one that is worth you money. Go watch this movie.