Day 142: Inglourious Basterds (2009)

Movie #91 – Inglourious Basterds (2009) - 153 min, cert 18.

During WWII, a small unit of Jewish soldiers operating behind enemy lines uses a combination of guerrilla tactics and extreme violence to instil fear into the hearts of the Germans. When they learn that much of the German High Command will be being attending the premiere of a propaganda film, the opportunity is too good to pass up. Meanwhile, the owner of the cinema that has been selected for the event has her own reasons to want revenge on the Third Reich.

I wasn’t sure that I’d over-hyped this movie in my own mind to the point where it was almost bound to be a disappointment. But I found it hugely enjoyable. I particularly liked the ending which was hugely unexpected. It’s very rare and quite refreshing to find a movie that is set in the historical past with such a scant disregard for historical accuracy. This is a work of fiction, after all, and Tarantino takes that as carte blanche to rewrite history as he sees fit, and why not?

Score – 9/10. Very entertaining with a wonderful ending.

Next up is The Apartment, a black & white comedy from 1960 which I’ve never heard of. But the cast looks strong.