Review: Django Unchained

Review: Django Unchained

The Urban Dictionary definition of a 'fanboy' is as follows: 

An extreme fan or follower of a particular medium or concept, whether it be sports, television, film, directors, videogames etc

Known for a complete lack of objectivity in relation to their preferred focus. Usually argue with circular logic that they refuse to acknowledge. Arguments or debates with such are usually futile. Every flaw is spun into semi-virtues and everything else blown to comedic, complimentary proportions.

Sounds about right. So, taking into account that Quentin Tarantino is widely regarded as one of the most challenging, exciting and amusing directors of our time, it is difficult to view Django Unchained without a prior sense of expectation and apprehension, given his previous success.

It's even more difficult to argue with the 'fanboys' that this particular entry in the Tarantino timeline is nowhere near as good as it should have been. No doubt anyone committed to the "genius" of the man will jump at the chance to defend his, er, "genius."

That's because unfortunately Django Unchained is the least noteworthy of all of Tarantino's movies thus far. It's bold, yes; it explores themes which some would consider to be rather risky - black slavery and torture - and it has some very well-timed humour. So why does Django Unchained feel like more of an indulgence project than the powerful movie it strives to be?

Perhaps it's the ridiculous running time. Clocking in at just under three hours and stuffing in more than enough would-be endings, the movie definitely outstays its welcome despite its frequent displays of wit and its sending up of the western genre.

For the wild west is a place of violence and prejudice in Django Unchained. Freed slave Django (Jamie Foxx), befriends Dr. Schultz (Christoph Waltz), a kindly yet determined bounty hunter and the two traverse the wild in search of Django's wife (Kerry Washington) who has been taken in by the horrific Calvin Candie (Leonardo DiCaprio), the proprietor of a large plantation. 

The story is decent enough, but too much deviation from the main plot - which is essentially a man striving to reclaim his wife from a horrific life of slavery and abuse - means that Django Unchained amounts to an anti-climax which feels rushed and distant at best. This is because Django's characterization is simply defined by his life as a former slave. Does he have a sense of humour? Was he friends with his fellow slaves? How has his slavery changed him? We're never made to feel emotionally connected to him, other than the occasional moment where he is in peril. 

Unfortunately, Jamie Foxx doesn't particularly help proceedings by offering no sense of enthusiasm to Django at all. The Oscar winning actor, whose presence in any movie is usually a welcome source of life, simply underwhelms in the titular role. 

Instead, we route for a superb turn by Christoph Waltz, whose current Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actor is well deserved. As Dr Schultz, Waltz manages to keep the film bouncing along, providing most of the comic relief with his charm. Somehow the endless stream of the bad guy's blood is more bearable when the man behind it is so innocently pleased about doing the right thing. 

Yet, as a slow movie stretches into a marathon and we finally meet Leonardo DiCaprio's slimy land owner Calvin Candie, we find ourselves far more interested in the psychological battle between him and Schultz. As DiCaprio fills up the screen with his fantastic performance it quickly becomes clear that Django is a background character in his own story, which leads to a lack of focus  - focus which we as the audience require if we're to sit through the agonisingly long proceedings.

Still, in it's favour, Django Unchained boasts a wealth of exciting action scenes to alleviate the boredom. What Django lacks in speech he makes up for with gun-toting fun, and Tarantino holds nothing back as the typically western shootouts are gloriously bloody in the most amusing way possible. Tarantino's direction is also interesting, as it emulates a vast number of old fashioned western techniques; from the grainy texture to the occasional zoom in on a character's face during a particularly shocking moment, the camera always keeps us grounded into the authentically old fashioned environment.

Add to this the incredibly effective use of humour - the scene with Jonah Hill leading the Ku Klux Klan punctuates the straight-faced narrative to great effect - and Django Unchained at least occasionally feels as though entertaining its audience is its primary objective rather than a self-indulgent slap on the back for Tarantino.

Summary

Django Unchained is a loud, bold and exciting prospect for fans of Quentin Tarantino's earlier work. In many ways, all of his key features are there - everything except a complex plot. The film feels too simple to be a 'modern classic' as some have preached, yet there's no doubt that those who adore the director's previous movies will enjoy Django Unchained. Superb performances from the lively supporting cast, exciting action sequences and some genuinely funny moments save the film from being a complete bore. Those who aren't quite in the 'fanboy' region of life however will find their patience tested by the ridiculously long running time, the overstuffed endings and the lack of focus regarding the titular protagonist. It's not a bad flick, but Pulp Fiction this ain't - sorry fanboys.

6/10 - Not Bad

See it if you liked: No Country For Old Men (2007), Wanted (2008), True Grit (2010)