by The Great White Gypsy

PART ONE

ONCE UPON A TIME…IN TARANTINO-OCCUPIED AMERICA

Expectations are a funny thing. When The Departed first came out, my friend saw it before me, and gave it an “A+”, which he never does. He really wanted to see it again, and wanted me to go along. I had been looking forward to it for months, and I trusted his judgment and taste. I hated The Departed.

I do realize that there are only three people IN THE WORLD who didn’t like that movie (I only know because I met the other two, we have a support group on Wednesdays). I’ve seen it at least four times now, and I still don’t like it. I will still defend that, and I have good points. But I do suspect that my high expectations going into it played a part in how much I disliked it.

I did not hate Inglourious Basterds.

However, the nine years Tarantino spent writing it, and the four years I was looking forward to it may be to blame for the fact that I didn’t really care for it. My expectations were high, but were they higher than those I had of every other Tarantino masterpiece? I think not. I went in expecting a typical QT film. I went in expecting a spaghetti western set in WWII. I went in expecting a no-holes-barred, violent, ain’t-your-daddy’s-World War II-movie with great music and amazing dialogue.

That is not what I got.

I have numerous problems with several parts of this film. Stylistically, it is scizophrenic and self-aggrandizing. The story is less than cohesive. And the “Basterds”? Not even a main part of the film. Some of the dialogue was cumbersome, some of the scenes completely unnecessary. The ending, while I thoroughly enjoyed it, was lacking something, and by the time it was over I realized that I didn’t really care about any of the characters.

The reason I am doing this review in two parts, though, is that my ambivalence towards the film immediately after watching it grew to a strong dislike after hearing what the rest of the audience thought, and after reading numerous reviews (both good and bad), and after talking to other people about it for an hour at two in the morning because they’re just being argumentative (yeah you, Jermain). In short, I cannot in good conscience (and out of love for everything Tarantino) put out a bad review just because the reaction to the film made me like it less. I owe it to myself, to you dear readers, and to the big QT to be fair and objective. Therefore, part two’s full review will be up next weekend after I’ve had a chance to see the film again. I can’t promise I’ll love it, but at least you’ll respect my opinion more…

…or not, whatever. I don’t have to fucking impress you.

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