Surely any horror movie that employs the use of Nazi zombies, two of the most evil things imaginable, is going to be a truly terrifying viewing experience. Not when the director – in this case Norwegian Tommy Wirkola, who co-wrote the screenplay but Stig Frode Henriksen – decides to go down the black comedy route, a narrative choice that may waste some of the nightmarish potential of its premise but results in a hugely entertaining, hugely bloody romp.
Taking its cue from the political and social furore surrounding the current War on Terror that’s limping on in the Middle East, Armando Iannucci satire In the Loop presents a deeply funny but frankly, rather terrifying look at the build up to the conflict, starting with an accidental comment from a British cabinet minister and ending with a vote to invade Iraq.
To proclaim that Tarantino’s done it again may seem like a rather glib statement, but that makes it no less true. With Inglourious Basterds, the film-maker has produced another breathless example of a style of cinema he has made firmly his own; a brash celebration of everything we have come to associate from the man who brought us generation-defining fare like Reservoir Dogs and Pulp Fiction. And it is so deeply Tarantino – from the beautifully crafted opening scene that proves to be a masterclass in quiet tension, to the no-holds-barred explosive climax – that it is yet another directorial double edged sword. Because, as with the entirety of his back catalogue, Tarantino has made no compromises in making a film on his own meticulous terms so that, although it may be his most wide-reaching to date, it will continue to alienate those who don’t buy into his unique style. But for those who do, Basterds is a blast.
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