Brad Pitt’sInglourious Basterdsismaking its way to Netflix on September 1, and that means one of the greatest war movies of the century is about to reach an even bigger audience. The film was released in 2009, and it tellsaWorld War IIrevenge story through a series of loosely connected vignettes. The main plot follows a group of Jewish-American soldiers led by Pitt’s Aldo Raine, who are on a mission to kill as many Nazis as they can. At the same time, a young French cinema owner is quietly plotting her own years-long revenge after Nazis murdered her family when she was just a little girl. These stories eventually collide in an explosive climax that rewrites history in trueQuentin Tarantinofashion.
Unlike other war films,Inglourious Basterdsbrings a very fun and chaotic energy to the genrethat feels way ahead of its time. Tonally, it feels closer to the more modernThe Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfarethan the grim realism ofSaving Private Ryan. But when Tarantino turns up the tension, he goes far beyond most war films. The filmbuilds its intensity through clever conversations that stretch for minutesand feel like a ticking time bomb ready to go off. And they almost always end with shocking, brutal violence.
The movie also comes witha star-studded castthat makes every scene memorable. Along with Pitt, it featuresMélanie Laurent,Diane Kruger,Michael Fassbender,Eli Roth, andDaniel Brühl, to name a few. Plus, the film is equally loved by fans and critics alike as it evidently holdsa strong 89% critic ratingon Rotten Tomatoes and an equally impressive 88% audience score.
‘Inglourious Basterds’ Also Features One of Cinema’s Greatest Villains
At the center of this film’s brilliance is the Nazi Colonel Hans Landa, played byChristoph Waltz. From the very first scene, where he calmly pressures a French farmer into giving up the Jewish family hiding beneath his floorboards, Landa is terrifying. Heeffortlessly plays charm with menace, and every time he appears on screen, the tension is unbearable. This role earned Waltz anOscar for Best Supporting Actor, and it cemented Landa as one ofcinema’s greatest villainsright alongsideHeath Ledger’s Joker,Javier Bardem’s Anton Chigurh, andAnthony Hopkins’ Hannibal Lecter.
Inglourious Basterdswill be available to stream on Netflix from September 1.
Inglourious Basterds
