Inglorious Basterds (2009) is hailed by many as perhaps Quentin Tarantino’s best film, with several interwoven story threads all of which overlap for a jaw dropping climax in a crescendo of classic Tarantino violence.

The titular group, the Basterds, are an undercover squad of Jewish-American soldiers operating behind enemy lines in Nazi-occupied France, with the sole purpose of causing mayhem by ambushing and killing Nazi soldiers. The leader of the group Aldo Raine is played by Brad Pitt who delivers a stellar performance which is equal parts comedic and chillingly demented, as is the case for many of the other men in the group.

The primary antagonist of the film, colonel Hans Lander is played by Christoph Waltz who fits the role perfectly, carrying himself in an incredibly imposing manner and establishing himself as such in perhaps one of the most tense scenes in cinema, the very opening scene of the film, which also introduces us to another of the films protagonists, Shosanna, played by Mélanie Laurent.

Shosanna, a jewish woman in hiding in France and owner of a small cinema is on the run from Lander but unfortunately finds herself wound up in the Nazis’ activities more than she would like. Unfortunately, that’s about as much as I can say without spoiling major events of the film.

The unique cinematic style of Tarantino’s other films is also present here, this of course due to his long-time director of photography Robert Richardson. The pair have worked together on almost all of Tarantino’s films, bringing a uninformed style in terms of shot composition and framing to each and every entry in Tarantino’s filmography.

Needless to say that Tarantino’s signature filmmaking flare is not lost here, as the rapid pace only slows to create tension which is always payed off satisfyingly and never bogs down the flow of the narrative. No characters feel wasted, like they do not have a place or a purpose. I cannot recommend this film highly enough, definitely my personal favourite of Tarantino’s films.

Waltz as Lander, an imposing colonel of the SS