The reputation of Quentin Tarantino is certainly glowing. After his 1994 hit Pulp Fiction, Tarantino has experimented with various genres, although sticking to his typical style. However, Tarantino's career has been slipping, and a statement which not many would agree. He followed Pulp Fiction with the genre caper Jackie Brown, and while it's certainly good, it's nowhere near Pulp Fiction's ambitious style and flair. However, it doesn't really even try to be, and Tarantino plays it somewhat traditional.
Tarantino followed with Kill Bill and Death Proof, which I lump together, but not many would. Personally, I prefer Death Proof to the Kill Bill films. Kill Bill is popcorn cinema in disguise. The popcorn aspect is not the problem- that's what make Death Proof so enjoyable. The disguise is where my concern lies, as it is essentially a pair of Groucho glasses. Tarantino ropes us along for three hours in a fake blood extravaganza, yet the film is so self aware, its essentially a parody. But then Tarantino layers it with lofty, lengthy conversations about seemingly nothing- a trademark of his style, but it's out of place and pointless here.
Tarantino followed with Inglourious Basterds, which is a return to form to Pulp Fiction quality. Yes, it's violent, over the top, and absurd, but now, there's a point to it. Tarantino mocks historical and war films, the winning sides treatment of history, and war and violence at a whole. It's a ton of fun, but it also packs a lot of meaning to it.
Django, frankly, is a two hour mess that has no idea what it is trying to do. While the cinematography is great, that's about the only thing it has going. Tarantino tops Kill Bill in regards to self parody and overall confusion of tone, while his Oscar-winning screenplay is just an overloaded mess. Additionally, the absence of the late Sally Menke is certainly felt in the editing room, robbing Tarantino of his style's fluidity The first hour of the film is downright meandering, which honestly isn't even a bad thing, but so much time is wasted by backstory details.
Tarantino's fixation with fake blood and over the top, just distracting violence continues as endless hordes of baddies are shot by Jamie Foxx's dully portrayed Django. Foxx just floats from scene to scene, adding very little depth to the character, showing one emotion: a flat, monotone anger. The screenplay, which bafflingly won an Academy Award, is just tired and uneven, and is the film's greatest flaw. The pace is completely uneven, and the film kills its momentum with about forty minutes to go. The conclusion is completely boring and utterly predictable. Django's plan for recapturing his love is completely over plotted and over-complicated, with tons of holes forming in his, and Schultz, Django's partner in bounty hunting, reasoning in logic. Holes and logic, if not explainable by character, are just a sign of poor writing, and their is no reason Django would find this plan acceptable. The editing is just the final nail in the coffin for Django Unchained. The film just feels choppy, and its assembly allows one to see the duct tape holding it together. So much just feels out of place, and the rapid fire of shots in one of the many action scenes just comes off as overdone and ineffective.
Leonardo DiCaprio an Christoph Waltz certainly are the film's greatest assets. Waltz, who won an Oscar for his gentleman bounty hunter, returns with as many dry and snarling quips as in Basterds but now applies them to a decent human being, with interesting results. We have a similar character, but only with mainly good intentions. DiCaprio is good, but far from great, in his over the top portrayal of a false gentleman slave owner. DiCaprio is just distracting at times, but still shines, yet occasionally doesn't fit in the world Tarantino creates, just another inconsistency in Django.
Django Unchained is perhaps Tarantino's weakest film, a title it almost shares with Kill Bill. The two (or three) film's share many similarities- neither know what they really want to do, and as a result, are rambling and totally inconsistant.
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