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7.6 out of 10

Generally favorable reviews- based on 833 Ratings

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  1. Sep 21, 2011
    5
    Quentin Tarantino's "Inglourious Basterds" is a messy movie, a movie that needs precise trimming. The characters are unstable and undeveloped while the whole dialogue is extremely measured towards the Jews. I know Hitler killed a lot of them, but this is just too unfair to the Nazis. At least Tarantino had to show a little bit of respect to them, not just spitting at them and killing them with baseball bats. Chrisopher Waltz's performance was powerful and charismatic, but unfortunately he acted in the wrong movie. Expand
  2. Nov 7, 2012
    10
    Bastards is Tarantino's best movie since Pulp Fiction, and its an adrenaline fueled epic and an audacious war film that manages to sizzle with both familiarity and complete originality. He's taken World War II and made it his own.
  3. j30
    Oct 7, 2011
    9
    You know what you're getting into when you go to a Tarantino movie. Lot's of action, sharp dialogue, and a entertaining story line. With all the remakes and comic book movies, it's nice to know someone original, like Tarantino, is writing and directing today.
  4. Nov 28, 2012
    8
    An uncommonly brutal, yet relentlessly gripping ride. Tarantino doesn't disappoint.
  5. Mar 26, 2012
    6
    Inglourious Basterds is a classic Tarantino film with its long dialogue and strong violence but this movie was way overdone and a little boring at times. Not bad but not his best.
  6. May 26, 2012
    10
    When all the story lines finally come together you realize this movie is a masterpiece. With all the cast giving breathtakingly solid performances especially Waltz and Laurent. You will be offered amazing action and wonderful cinematography to spare. I give the movie 98%.
  7. Jan 24, 2012
    6
    I liked the film but I am not 100% sure that I would recommend it. I think Tarantino tries too hard to re-create the magic he had with Pulp Fiction and Reservoir Dogs but he fails to do so. The cast was good but the entire idea of the film was just too stupid.
  8. Apr 3, 2012
    6
    The movie would be really good if I started watching it half way though. The beginning(while important) is just slow and mindless. I could not focus on it, but the ending and the acting were top notch.
  9. Mar 31, 2013
    8
    Quentin Tarantino is one of those people you either love or hate. It's his unique stories and methodical attention to detail that have always stood out to me. For all you haters out there, the one thing you can't deny is Tarantino's unique ability to bring out the best in everyone he works with, and that is why many times, the cast members of his films earn Oscar nominations. Inglourious Basterds is another uniquely strange story that just works, because of Tarantino. As has become his signature, the story is broken up into seemingly unrelated stories that all come together in a terrific ending. The story centers around a group of Jewish-American soldiers in World War II, whose assignment was to go into France, undercover, and track down and slaughter Nazis. It's a terrific cast led by Brad Pitt, but to me he wasn't so much the star of this film, that honor belongs to Christopher Waltz, who in his first major role, did win the Oscar for best supporting actor. It's a strong story and a great film, but something bothered me about it. Inglourious Basterds is of course a fictional story, so the attention to detail, such as having everyone speaking in their native languages, seemed someone unnecessary to me. That combined with subtitles that moved at the speed of light, made the story somewhat hard for me to follow. That's why I watched it a few times before reviewing it. There is no denying that this is one hell of a story with another tremendous cast, that deserved every award that it's won, however Tarantino's attention to detail, usually a strength, did take away from the film, as a whole, and did make some parts difficult to follow. Expand
  10. Feb 24, 2013
    10
    A brilliant film that's one of Tarantino's absolute best. Some of the scenes run a bit long, but the sharp screenplay moves the plot along nicely. Solid performances. One of the best of 2009!
  11. Sep 2, 2010
    7
    Nazi officer assigned to France to kill Jews, group of Jewish American soldiers hunt Nazis, paths cross, Nazi war hero has film made about him, wants premiere in small French town, twists, turns & turmoil.
    An amazing cast executing their roles spectacularly & some very good dialogue (in four languages!) which you'd expect from Tarantino.
    Despite all this it just felt a bit lacking despite
    one or two very good scenes (The scene in the bar with German officers the standout).
    Also, Christoph Walz reminded me of a Nazi Rob Brydon which took off his edge a little bit.
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  12. Jan 16, 2012
    7
    I liked it but it doesnt really hold up well compared to other movies by Tarantino. Took a bit too much to get into. The acting was solid. The plot was interest. A lot of over the top action. Its enjoyable but far from perfect.
  13. Jan 19, 2013
    10
    Inglourious Basterds is my favorite Tarantino movie. It's funny, brutal, unpredictable, inappropriate, beautifully shot and has an amazing soundtrack. There are so many memorable moments in this film! Inglourious Basterds is a wholly satisfying experience that I couldn't ask more of.
  14. Nov 22, 2011
    8
    I really liked it but I felt that the long run time resulted in some boring parts and it brought down the value of the film a bit. Also it relied far too much on violence instead of building on the fantastic cast that was hired for the film. Still, Its a great war film.
  15. Aug 27, 2010
    9
    Quentin Tarantino has once again taken the reins of pop-art cinema and delivers a delicious slice of mayhem a la Nazi-occupied France, Spaghetti Western style (though some viewers may be disappointed if they were looking for a nonstop action fest - it's a talking movie in which the most prevalent languages are French and German). Christopher Waltz is stunning in his role as the "Jew Hunter" and Brad Pitt is pure entertainment for the small amount of time he is on screen. It's all well done, but I hesitate to rate it any higher because it all felt so familiar coming from Tarantino... Expand
  16. Mar 22, 2011
    8
    While I felt the movie was too awkward in some scenes, I still enjoyed it a lot. Great hilarious take on World War II, and Christoph Waltz made a fantastic debut for Western audiences in this movie.
  17. May 2, 2012
    10
    A bold war movie unlike no other. The film is as funny as it is thrilling. With Inglorious Basterds Tarantino has shown once again that he can make fun thrilling stylised films while adding intricusies and good writting. Not quite Pulp Fiction but it is still very good. What a relief after the Kill Bill series to see Inglorious Basterds.
  18. Dec 1, 2011
    9
    Another superb Tarantino film! The performances are all top-notch and yes, Waltz is as pitch-perfect as ever in his role. The dialogue in this film is so interesting and I found myself listening intently to what every character had to say, which is present in every Tarantino film. The cinematography is spectacular. At several points this movie gets crazy and then it scales back into it's lighter finesse, but all the while it remains engrossing. I did feel it got a tad bogged down here and there, but overall this is a very very fine picture! Expand
  19. May 19, 2013
    8
    The movie is pretty good. It's pretty much 3 big scenes that play out. Brad Pitt is the biggest downer of the movie as his bad southern accent just feels so corny. Though the highlight of this film and has to be the best discovery is Christoph Waltz Who is just Amazing as the Nazi jew hunter. His performance is just captivating and what great acting is made of. I also thought Michael Fassbender did a good job as well in this. Its a good movie to see if you want to see some fine acting a interesting story as long as you can get past Brad Pitt. Expand
  20. Aug 13, 2010
    9
    One of the biggest surprises of the year, 'Inglourious Basterds' is definitely a great film, and one of Tarantino's best.
    With one of the best best acting ensembles of recent memory and a (traditionally Tarantino) excellent and interesting story line, it provides for two very important elements of any good film.
    Technically, the film is flawless and everything just works. It is also highly
    entertaining and very funny. My favourite thing were the Italian accents of Brad Pitt and his boys. Amazing. Excellent film! Expand
  21. Feb 27, 2013
    10
    Quentin Tarantino has created a monster, as the marketing suggests, Brad Pitt is a Basterd, Eli Roth is a Basterd and so on, this is a film that aims so high and mighty, and hits all the marks without fail, a true masterpiece from Tarantino as he continues to exceed himself.
    Set during the first year of the German occupation of France, the film tells a variety of stories, one being the ta
    le of runaway Jew Shosanna Dreyfus (Mélanie Laurent) who escapes from the Lt. Hans Landa played by the brilliant Christophe Waltz, who is a chilling but calm character in his delivery, but it is ultimately the pacing and the shear unorthodox film-making skills of Tarantino that truly set this film off on a frantic run that just doesn't stop.
    Brad Pitt puts a typically stellar performance as Lt. Aldo Raine, the leader of the Basterds, who tasks his men with killing and scalping Nazi soldiers, Shosanna, meanwhile, has now changed her name and owns a cinema in Paris, and the opportunity arises for her to exact revenge on the Nazis thanks to her owning said cinema.
    This is quite an ensemble cast including Diane Kruger, Eli Roth, B.J. Novak, the multi-talented Michael Fassbender and even Mike Myers. Also look out for voiceovers by Samuel L. Jackson and Harvey Kietel The truly remarkable feat achieved by this film is that no one actor or actress entirely populates the movie, the film consistently cuts to different situations in an effort to tell a story for each character, and to truly introduce each persona as having an important role to play in the film.
    The Tarantino style is told from the get-go, as just like Kill Bill, the film is told in chapters, with small snippets of his work throughout, the gore, the bizarre dialogue, but most of all, the engaging and tense long scenes which really set the tone of a thrilling film, with the viewer not being quite sure just what is going to happen next in many of the scenes, a particular one being that involving a small French tavern where Fassbenders character is meeting a double agent, this is simply the highlight of the film, it has drama, different cuts and nail-biting dialogue to suggest throughout it that something just isn't right.
    The cinematography is simply excellent and thought-provokingly unique, offering various incarnations of an environment that just add to the gleaming picture.
    It has all the makings to be a classic, with particularly mind-blowing performances, especially from Christophe Waltz, who is just an absolute treat to admire in his capabilities throughout the entire film.
    To quote Lt. Aldo Raine, which Tarantino should now use for himself..."This just might be my masterpiece"
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  22. Aug 25, 2012
    7
    Cristoph Waltz is beyond outstanding in this film, one of the best performances that I have ever seen in a war film even though it is a very light-hearted war film. Inglorious Basterds really shines through as a film which lives up to stereotypes yet still works almost because of them rather than in spite of them. I wasn't sure about certain parts of the film and whether they really fit into the rest of the picture but I almost always enjoyed scenes with Waltz or Pitt. Expand
  23. Jan 11, 2011
    8
    It is very surprising to me, Quentin Tarantino (QT) picks warfare genre for his next project, although according to many sources, thiz script already bury very long time on Tarantino desk. QT is authentically inspirational and eccentric Director in the same time. His previous best works were: PULP FICTION (1994) and KILL BILL (2007). Seem to me, he always finds something new to put on every film of his. The story is about a group of soldiers led by Lt. Aldo Raine (Brad Pitt), who known as The Basterds. They had mission to terminate every Nazi with their fiercely-sadistic way. It is also about a jewish girl (Melanie Laurent), unfortunately was the only survivor when Col. Hans Landa (Christoph Waltz) killed her entire family. Afterwards, she ran a cinema that incidentally rented by Nazi for their important occasion. She has a revenge-plan to demolish whole cinema with all Gestapo and Nazi superior inside. Simply, QT never focuses on one-man-show. With his unique directing, QT takes us to his world where anything could be different. From first chapter, we already serve by thoughtful and memorable dialogue. I think the power of QT movie is on the dialogue, unpredicted plots, sometimes comical, and fills with memorable characters in each of his movie. If you free-minded enough then you can enjoy QT movies. Like Col. Hans Landa said (when he was on the farmer house on early scene), I ask your permission to switch to English for the remainder of the conversation.. Well, lets enjoy QT language.


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  24. Mar 9, 2013
    10
    People say Tarantino's best is Pulp Fiction. I will have to say that Basterds was more pleasing on several levels. This WWII half spoof half seriousness pleases audiences everywhere making it a truly memorable film.
  25. Aug 28, 2011
    6
    In spite of excellent performances and carefully crafted dialogue, Tarantino can't hide the fact that Inglourious Basterds is smug and glacially paced, feeling more like Quentin Tarantino's celebration of himself as opposed to the violent, frenzied fantasies that made his early work so brilliant. That said, a good chunk of Tarantino celebrating himself is a celebration of other movies, so that does help to ease down and enjoy what's here. Expand
  26. Jan 11, 2012
    1
    Odd movie.The Germans, who are supposed to be the bad guys, are made to look like the good guys. It is almost impossible to feel sympathy for the basterds after they smash in the head of a POW in the most disgusting way possible. A POW, for Christ's sake. And one with honor as well, since he refuses to betray his comrades. Cinematography is great, acting is as well, with the exception of Brad Pitt. The weirdest thing is that they use a David Bowie song that has already been used in 'Cat People'. That is really the killer. Expand
  27. May 27, 2012
    9
    A war movie only Tarantino can pull off. I knew it was special when I saw it in theaters, and with every watch my respect only grows. Brad Pitt as Lt. Aldo Raine is one of my favorite performances ever. "I think this might just be my masterpiece." Yes, Quentin Tarantino, it's one of many from you but it is, indeed, a masterpiece.
  28. Nov 16, 2012
    9
    For me this is by far Tarantino's second best movie. The first scene in this movie is one of the best and most intense that I have seen in any movie...ever. The way that Tarantino can put together such a lengthy scene like this, packing a punch with the dialogue, the intensity, and developing his characters. In one scene we can see what kind of character Waltz will be through the entire film. Absolutely brilliant. The opening scene and the scene in the bar, which lasts probably half an hour by itself, are enough to make this one of my favorite movies. There are a couple points at which this movie drags just a bit, and this is what keeps it from being a perfect 10 in my opinion. In my estimation Tarantino has three movies: Pulp Fiction, Reservoir Dogs, and Basterds, that show that he is a brilliant story teller, writer, and casts his movies flawlessly. It is a shame he cannot show these capabilities every time he makes a film. Expand
  29. Oct 17, 2010
    8
    Brad Pitt doing that accent trying to speak Italian is one of the best scenes I've scene in a long time. Tarantino does a great job as usual, and gives another movie that's worth watching over and over. I'm glad Hitler died this time around as well.
  30. Nov 15, 2011
    9
    Another brilliant movie in Tarantino's style. Showing us another point of view to the 2 World War, we get on a trip inside the Inglorious Bastards crew, jew's trained to blow up the Nazi head, and in the mind of the full-of-revenge jew Shosanna Dreyfus, that wants to revenge her family, killed by the crazy SS coronel Hans Landa. With great cast (special applauses for Christoph Waltz, Daine Kruger and Melánie Laurent) and a bloody story, we get again, the best from Tarantino. Expand
  31. Sep 18, 2012
    8
    Inglourious Basterds is an exciting film and that is not a surprise because is a Tarantino creation, so we can notice all the things that are repeated in his filmography. First we have the desire for revenge, represented by Shosanna; here we notice the famous persistent and meticulous job of Beatrix Kiddo, and the sarcastic and dedicated work of Jules Winnfield with Vincent Vega; the shocking thing is that it all occurs at one time in one place, rather than the search that we saw on Kill Bill and Pulp Fiction.
    Second, is visible the minimalism characteristic of Tarantino, because he shows too much with little things and express a few with big things. For example: in the dialogue between Coronel Landa and Mr. LaPadite about the rats, what we actually see is a way of changing a whole ideology about what people think of Nazis and Jews; in contrast, when all the important Nazis are gadder in the cinema, and Shosanna with Marcel execute their plan, we see an enormous disaster, but is nothing more than vengeance.
    Finally, the classic fragmented reality is very well developed. Tarantino put us on his labyrinth and force us to solve his puzzle. The only failure of this film is that all the fragments (chapters) are order by time, nothing is timeless, and the development is one direction; in the other Tarantino pictures we move forward, then travel to the past and then finish in the present, preparing to jump to another time again; and that could enrich a lot Inglourious Basterds.
    The direction, music and script are just perfect and Christoph Waltz is astonishing.
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  32. Nov 10, 2012
    9
    Pure entertainment.
  33. Dec 20, 2012
    7
    It is extremely violent, grostesque, and offensive. However, beyond that, it is an achievement in cinema. It's not the only offensive thing out there. (Bruno..?) That is a different story. I can understand why people hate this movie. It's not enertaining in the slightest. It is not supposed to be. It is supposed to be a story. A story set up so that we feel all the repulsiveness. Some people can't get it. It's a dark movie. And I still love it for what it is. Great job! Great movie, but it's not for the squeamish. Expand
  34. May 17, 2012
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. every man can dream it, but only one man can do it: kill adolf hitler. i most certainly wasn't expecting Basterds to become an alternate history movie, and i know not to expect anything from quentin tarantino. i was sort of going into this movie for just the violence, but i found the dialogues to be the more interesting part. the action on tarantino's behalf is always more of the 'person A shoots person B' type, in a wa that it's not really that visually interesting, but i think that makes it more realistic. i only give tens to movies that i thought didn't have a single mistake, and i carefully consider giving any movie one of them. this time, i was a bit doubtful, thinking if the movie could have been any more perfect, but by heart went out for the golden medal, so here we are. Expand
  35. May 31, 2011
    7
    This is overall great filmmaking in the tradition of the great Italo-Western genre. It reminds of movies by Sergio Leone with the music of Ennio Morricone. "Inglourious Basterds" is a bit long - at 2.5 hours not unlike its role models - but there are some truly amazing acting performances (deriving from an awesome script) that are worth sitting through in this epic. A recurring aspect of the movie is about how far you would go to either save your life or die for your values. The scenes dealing with decisions like these are not judge-able morally, for both options are morally bad (being partly responsible for someone's murder or being killed yourself). The question only is, what the lesser evil is for yourself. What is problematic about watching this movie (more often) is that it does desensitize one to genuine depictions of murder and cruelty.  Expand
  36. Apr 5, 2013
    10
    Wow, this movie is awesome. Tarantino never disappoints me by so far. The actors are very good and the story better. This is the movie I search for over a year, with this kind of action and war. Very good film.
  37. Aug 14, 2012
    7
    If lengthy conversations at tables are not your thing, then Inglourious Basterds probably won't be up your alley. It definitely has that Tarantino style to it, so don't go into it expecting a lot of shootouts or explosions, although the film does have some of those. It is a very talky movie, so talky that it can become cringe inducing. However, I think it's a fine movie. While the talking scenes didn't really thrill movie, there are some good performances to be found here. Brad Pitt is good here but it's Christoph Waltz who really shines here. There are also a few surprising moments that some may not see coming, with a bit of tension that helps build up to those surprises. I may have to give the movie another viewing to see if I like it better, but for now, my opinion is that it's a well made and decent movie, but it's certainly not one of Tarantino's best. Expand
  38. Aug 16, 2010
    10
    Delirious fun from ringmaster Tarantino. Unlike any World War II film ever made. Beautiful cinematography to go along with wicked dialogue and some great performances by Waltz and Kruger. The ending has a goofy twist and adds to the continuous fun, though I will say the film is very violent, maybe his most since "Kill Bill".
  39. Oct 4, 2010
    8
    Exceptionally gory, even for a Quentin Tarantino film, it is not for the faint hearted. 'Inglourious Basterds' is a feast of humour, suspense, and blood, and is thoroughly entertaining. The acting, especially from Christoph Waltz and Diane Kruger, is superb. The witty, clever dialogue, a trademark of Tarantino films, makes up a wonderful screenplay. You are almost kept on the edge of your seat throughout this film because it is so unpredictable, featuring numerous plot twists and unexpected outcomes. I must admit, I was expecting a little bit more than what I got because there is no denying, it is quite slow, but I was nonetheless impressed by the film overall. Expand
  40. Mar 6, 2011
    7
    Another thrilling Tarantino style film with over the top violence, quotable and conversational dialog and non-linear narrative, it does fall short from amazing. The character introductions felt rushed and unimportant and furthermore, most of the characters introduced have little to no development, feeling like extras but one thing that saves this from becoming a bore to watch is Christoph Waltz as Lans Handa. By God this is one of the best written characters in Tarantino's violent catalog next to Julius Winnfield in Pulp Fiction and the most threatening villains I've seen thanks to Christoph's brilliant acting. Is it a good movie? Yes. Many things you love about Tarantino are here but also many things that you expects from Tarantino are not. Expand
  41. Dec 13, 2011
    8
    I'll admit, this movie scared me. Quentin Tarantino never disappoints. At the start of the movie I was on the Basterd's side. Wait, did anyone noticed that bastards is spelled wrong? Doesn't matter, this is a movie not a book. I was a semi-fan of all the violence and the blood. The scalping of the Nazi's head did disturb me at first but after the first one I was okay. Critics always say that adding action and special effects is like a gimmick to lure in audiences. But the action and blood in this movie isn't the case. If this movie was less tamed and not as graphic it still would be an awesome movie. But what I am not a fan of is adding two different story lines. They meet up at the end but there still two seprate story lines. I also found it interesting that as the plot was building up we where introduced to the morals and values that the Basterds had. I found myself routing for the Nazis. But that's how Quentin Tarantino does his movies, with a plot that doesn't introduce a villain. My favorite part was the bar scene. It was trilling because I had no idea if someone was going to fire. Overall, this film is very well written and directed. Expand
  42. Dec 24, 2011
    10
    An action-packed, edge-of-your-seat, stunningly acted wow-fest, this movie delivers. Quentin Tarantino proves again why he's the best in the business and Christoph Waltz proves why foreign actors are better than American. Although it is certainly not the feel good movie of the year, you will find your jaw dropping multiple times as you discover how brilliant this film truly is.
  43. Sep 23, 2010
    8
    Tarantino uses a really great and superb revenge trilogy from World War II, and his violent but entertaining stylistic writing makes this movie fantastic.
  44. Feb 17, 2013
    8
    Historia entretenida, grandes actuaciones y un impecable apartado técnico, elementos fundamentales para cualquier película. Buena combinación de comedia y drama con temática bélica.
  45. Nov 1, 2011
    3
    From this movie comes no conclusion, no morale. At the end, the only thing I felt was emptiness. The plot (if it can be called so) is simply terrible or non-existent despite the great visuals and spectacular acting (except Hitler's character, which was not realistic enough, too caricatural). It's just bundle of moments (often too long) patched up together and the two separate story lines have no interactions other than the final location of the story. It also holds no historic value whatsoever. The violence and gore are not justified for it does not add up any values of interest to the movie. All in all, the movie has nothing beneath it, nothing to tell, and just comes short of interest in its lengthy 2.5 h, a great disappointment. 0/10 for the plot 9.5/10 for the acting 8/10 for the visuals and 0/10 for all else. Expand
  46. Jan 17, 2012
    2
    ''This just might be my masterpiece'' being the last line of the film. No Tarantino no. Rather than writing for the love of writing, Tarantino has gone off the rails I believe because he's trying to be good. But he doesn't have to try, he is good in his own way. This is one of the most masturbatory films I've ever seen. It's like a best man speech at a wedding; it thinks it's being clever and funny and entertaining, but in reality it's just boring you. This is coming from a big adventure war movie fan too. Only reason it gets 2 is because of Til Schweiger and Christoph Waltz's performances. And for the fact for the first 20 minutes you think you might be watching a good film. My advice is go watch Kelly's Heros. Expand
  47. Oct 15, 2011
    10
    Loved the film, mainly because of the characters. They are lovable and adorable (if it's not weird to say this while talking about a war movie). The director (Tarantino) did a great job.
  48. Dec 30, 2011
    5
    I think this is the goodbye of Quentin Tarantino as a writer or a director. Anyway, I think he could have done much better with the story.

    This story has a few good elements but it gets totally screwed when it comes to the climax. Rewriting history, we must say it is original - but I'm not into it. In general, this isn't a good film but I must say: Christoph Waltz is BRILLIANT, by far t
    he best actor in this picture, even though Brad Pitt did he great job as well, Waltz' acting is Oscar deserving in my opinion. The cinematography was amazing, especially in the scene where colonel Hans Lada lights up his pipe. Also a great choice of music. Expand
  49. Feb 20, 2012
    8
    The french touch make me smile when I saw Melanie Laurent who is a great actress . It's was very disapointing to see that she wasn't nominee for the great work she did on that movie. By the way, this is funny and brilliant one. May be Tarantino's best.
  50. Jan 4, 2013
    8
    Brilliant film. Probably not a "must-see" but certainly worth your money. The combination of humor and more serious elements in the film is great, I loved it. Certain parts, particularly towards the end are a little crazy, but they won't take away from how good this film is
  51. Jun 8, 2012
    1
    There is nothing in this movie that makes for a good movie save for an interesting opening sequence. The premise is terrible and ignores the historical context of WWII. An all Jewish unit sent to infiltrate Germany. Nevermind that it's glossed over how they get into the country. Let's ignore the fact that none of the infiltration team speaks German or any other European language fluently. I'll even let it pass that the guerrilla team hangs out at the site of an ambush to torture their prisoners which is tactically absurd. What I cannot forgive is demeaning and dishonoring ourselves and our veterans by lowering ourselves to the level of Nazi's. For instance, in the ambush seen, Brad Pitt's character gives the Nazi a choice of betraying his comrades or being beaten to death. In this scene, the Nazi is the more honorable figure, selflessly going to a painful death rather than betraying fellow soldiers. Carving swastikas into the foreheads of the dead? Where is the morality or honor in that? If we have become so jaded that we cheer for the mutilation of human beings; for grizzly unjustified torture, I'm saddened for our future. It boggles the mind that we glorify this by nominating it for best picture. Not just because of vacuum of morality. It's bad writing. Taking 15 minutes to introduce multiple characters at length only to have them eliminated five minutes later is obnoxious. Especially, when no one replaces those characters. The dialogue is long winded, pedantic, and campy. The art direction seems more like it's trying to mock Saving Private Ryan than establish it's own style. I get the premise and the concept, no one likes Hitler. He was recent history's most prominent monster. But this movie cheapens the memory of those who apposed him. This should've been a straight to DVD release. Expand
  52. Mar 13, 2013
    7
    Inglorious Basterds is a film for those who love great cinema. But when the story drags and violence becomes a bit old it is hard to keep from becoming bored. Until Hans Landa (Christoph Waltz) delivers a superb performance and jolts you right back into the story of a movie owner, group of Jewish solders, and one plan to kill the whole third reich.
  53. POV
    Apr 3, 2011
    9
    A dream alternative scenario to the terrors of WWII. The signature Tarantino witty dialogue you've been salivating for since Death Proof? Check. The sharp, enjoyable and cunning characters spreading over the whole spectrum of human psychology? Check.
    I enjoyed the music, the historical allusions, the Master Christoph Waltz, the plot. Maybe not all of the 2 and a half hours, but definitely
    the most part. YES!! Expand
  54. Jan 29, 2012
    8
    spellbound
    great narration
    intelligent photography
    typical tarantino film
    overall performance good
    as for hans landa aka christoph waltz is just too good man too good
  55. Sep 10, 2010
    10
    Fantastic Christoph Waltz ! Brilliant Tarantino! Standing Ovation for Christoph Waltz A.K.A."Hans Landa" in this movie. Best Actor for the "Oscar" in my opinion.
  56. Nov 3, 2010
    3
    Terrible movie!! Brad Pit can't act!! His southern accent is so bad I wanted to have all my teeth pulled while watching this to get some relief! Tarantino is the sadistic, violent, perverted psycho he always is and the people love it I guess. What do you expect from the most violent country in the world. Movie is like a high school play, script is terrible also.
  57. Dec 4, 2010
    6
    I'm didn't care for this movie much. I really wanted to love it, Tarantino puts on a good show. Watching the first scene with Christoph Waltz in the Frenchman's farmhouse, I thought wow this is going to be good, but it just got progressively worse. There are some other gem scenes though. The last bit just seemed like he ran out of ideas and time. Overall it is worth seeing, but it could have been so much better. I was left disappointed. I was really surprised it was nominated for best picture, because I think there were better films. Expand
  58. Aug 20, 2010
    10
    brilliant. very funny and great acting. one of the best films to have been made in the last decade. i strongly recommend all readers to see this movie.
  59. Jun 3, 2011
    10
    Actually, Aldo Rayne is Quentin Tarantino for himself, saying "I think this just may be my masterpiece", being hilariously selfish and changing all the natural curse of History and WWII, in this very smart and covered of references cinematographic vengeance against the Nazism. With a big support of Christoph Waltz, maybe Tarantino was really right about the masterpiece thing.
  60. Jul 18, 2011
    10
    The Best movie of 2009! And the best film by Quentin Tarantino. It's fantastic, a film for the cinema! In my opinion Inglourious Basterds has a perfect cast, ana script almost perfect, the best cinematography ever, and a brillant work of editing and sound effects. Tarantino grewn up with this movie, that probably is going to be a cult, in some years. Christoph Waltz's Hans Landa is fantastic, and the Brad Pitt's Aldo Raine is hilarious! You must watch it! Expand
  61. Jan 4, 2012
    10
    Christoph Waltz indeed made this film the epic that it is. It however can drag just a little bit, if it was cut 20 minutes or so shorter that would be great, but despite that it was still a great film. The movie must be seen for Christoph Waltz's portrayal of Col. Hans Landa, he was perfect in his scenes in every way. He made the movie. Also Brad Pitt had his funny moments as well, he was pretty good at his role as well. Expand
  62. Dec 11, 2011
    2
    Incoherent, self-indulgent mis-match of a movie. Insulting to Jews, Germans & anyone with knowledge of history or any sort of moral compass. I have no idea what this movie was trying to achieve, satisfy Tarantino's ego?
  63. Apr 25, 2011
    3
    well it took me a while to finally watch this because i had my doubts and i was right, the movie is weak and seems to just nazi bash. there are pointless scenes that drag on that hold little use to the story. allot of the story is not even realistic to the story, for example all the leaders in one place with such little security, the jew hunter converting when he could be a hero, disregard for solders personal feeling vs doing their duty. quirks and acting was good but what can i say the movie was all over the place. Expand
  64. Oct 8, 2011
    10
    The Tarantino take on World War II is far more sensible and respectful than anyone would have imagined. The genius balance between the darkest of black comedy and heart wrenching tragedy is, in a word, sublime. Even in the first twenty minutes, I found myself on the verge of tears, and then five seconds later laughing my guts out. Or my scalp off.
    The tale follows an elaborate plot to kill
    Hitler and his cohorts, recruiting a German movie star, a delightfully murderous â Expand
  65. Feb 7, 2012
    10
    this movie is so great, its one of my favourite movies of all time it deserved more oscars Christopher Waltz deserved that oscar but a few more to this movie would of been better
  66. Mar 22, 2013
    3
    Another revenge bore-a-thon from Tarantino, possibly the world's most overrated director. Not even a decent soundtrack for this one either. Well shot, average casting, poor soundtrack, terrible wandering cliched plot with stupid '70s' moments. Don't waste 2.5 hours of your life watching this garbage. His last good film was Pulp Fiction, everything since has been abysmal.
  67. Apr 25, 2013
    9
    Best movie of Tarantino since Pulp Fiction Amazing film with a bunch of legendary scenes. Christoph Waltz he gives us one of the best performances of all time, no joke.
  68. NRiding
    Jan 10, 2010
    5
    If not for the brilliant performance of Christoph Waltz this movie would have been a total write off.
  69. eddyj.
    Jan 19, 2010
    10
    Hold up why does this movie have a 69 this is without a doubt one of the greatest films i have ever seein from the first scene to the amazing bar scene to the theater scenes i mean wow if u didnt like this film just go watch xxx state of the union since this film was too much for you.
  70. JarvisG
    Mar 30, 2010
    10
    Best Tarantino movie ever!Very enjoyably movie.
  71. JackG.
    Aug 22, 2009
    10
    On a first impression... this is second only to Pulp Fiction. This is Tarantino making rules just to break them, and maybe make up new ones again. It's also one of the few films this year you'll be able to call true art. This doesn't mean it will please everybody. This is definitely not a *crowdpleaser*, though I'm sure a lot of crowds will be pleased. It's about taking apart the absurd but very real atrocities of war- both the Nazis and good ol' American barbarism- and putting it all together in a movie theater. Talk about microcosm! The final line may just be hubris, or it may just be about right: it's a masterpiece; how you feel about the master is up to you. Expand
  72. DougT
    Sep 6, 2009
    10
    Normally, I don't give movies a perfect score, but this is my favorite movie this year (so far). The plot is what really draws you in, and I'm into the dark comedy style, so that's probably why it gets such a high recommendation from me. The acting is great, the story flows pretty well, the chapter sections make it easy to follow, and give a more "epic tale" feel to the whole movie. Lot's of hilarious moments that really make it shine- basically, it's a Quentin Tarantino movie. If you liked pulp-fiction, and aren't too easily offended, my bet is this is going to be a good movie for you. Oh, and about Brad Pitt's accent, it's not supposed to be convincing. The point of his character is to show how outrageous this movie really is. Expand
  73. JakeK
    Sep 9, 2009
    10
    Besides Brad Pitt sounding like a constipated John Dwayne this movie is intense and spine tangling the actually kill Adolf Hitler its amazing!
  74. JohnK
    Jan 26, 2010
    10
    This film was a masterpiece. It was Quentin Tarantino's homage to the film's he loves. The dialogue was brilliant throughout. All the actor's were brilliant caricatures of larger than life characters from movies past. It was comedic and dramatic and wonderful. I loved the soundtrack too. The spaghetti western music was great. Who does that? The music was so out of place yet perfect at the same time. I loved this film. On a side note, I thought Brad Pitt's over-the-top portrayal as a gung ho red neck soldier was great. Sort of reminded me of Robert Duvall's character in Apocalypse Now. Expand
  75. BrianM.
    Jan 29, 2010
    6
    Inglourious Basterds is mostly entertaining during its 2 hour and 30 minute running time, but it seems to exist primarily so that Quentin Tarantio can remind audiences and critics of his talents. Here he reimagines the fate of Hitler, juggles separate but converging plotlines, uses German and French subtitles and creates a bloody revenge fantasy out of the Holocaust. In the end though, despite all of its virtuosity, it is a film that says nothing and means even less. An example of style over substance that, unlike Pulp Fiction, doesn't have any deeper meaning. It is best enjoyed for what it is: sheer entertainment with no real depth or substance. Expand
  76. PeterJ
    Feb 14, 2010
    3
    I loved pulp fiction , this movie is insensitive , ridiculous, insulting to jews and germans. Sorry quinten your time is up , this was your swan song , you have just lost a big fan.
  77. JimD.
    Feb 23, 2010
    3
    Only Christoph Watlz's excellent performance, good cinematography and a great soundtrack keep this from being a 0. It is one of the most repulsive, offensive movies I've ever seen, and the people that gave it a 10 obviously delight in seeing a theatre full of people being burned alive, mowed down by machine gun fire, and ultimately blown to bits by, get this, Jewish suicide bombers. That the victims are Nazis is beside the point. Expand
  78. RyanG.
    Feb 5, 2010
    9
    One of my favorite movies of the year. Nobody can write long scenes of dialogue and make it work better than Tarantino. It might have alot of subtitles but u won't even notice it after awhile. And Christoph Waltz gives the perfermance of the year. Definitely a must see.
  79. JamesH
    Mar 21, 2010
    8
    82/100. What a great story, I was very impressed by so many of the subtle touches, particularly with Christoph Waltz's character. What a well thought out and meticulous performance. He is brilliant. I was also impressed with Melanie Laurent, I am surprised more attention hasn't been given to her performance. She is excellent. Also Daniel Bruhl and Diane Kruger were perfectly cast. The period detail is remarkable, the cinematography, costume design and art direction were glorious. The score was at times very inappropriate and not up with the film's high quality. I was disappointed that Quentin Tarantino had to stoop to his trademark of completely overblown as well as completely unnecessarily brand of gore and violence. It hurt the film's effect a lot, but, I do think this is his best film to date. Expand
  80. FrankM
    Apr 7, 2010
    10
    What an imagination! Twists and turns and no one is assured survival. It is a Bizzaro World but one with its own rules thate you must discover on the way through its maze.
  81. RyanH.
    Aug 22, 2009
    10
    Quentin Tarantino outdoes himself and delivers his finest film to date.
  82. Jackson
    Aug 24, 2009
    1
    I really disliked this movie. If this movie had not had Quentin Tarantino's name attached to it I'm fairly sure most reviews would have said this was garbage. It's just a movie people watch to say "It's good because it's bad, and since I'm smart I can see what the movie was -really- trying to say". Unfortunately this movie was completely directionless, devoid of purpose, and did not say anything any other WWII hasn't said better. The violence also felt way too forced, which just made the experience pointlessly uncomfortable. Expand
  83. Alex
    Aug 24, 2009
    9
    Tarantino's best, sometimes it was long-winded, but it was hilarious suspenseful, satirical, A very enjoyable movie, going to see it once more next week.
  84. seajay
    Aug 25, 2009
    10
    I expected a dumb action film like "Kill Bill" and instead got a film as suspenseful as Hitchcock's best. And I confess I found the revisionist climax strangely satisfying.
  85. ricos
    Aug 30, 2009
    2
    Well, let's all lean back, shall we.. Have a drink and smoke our pipes and talk, then talk some more.. And then, just when you think we've talked enough, let's continue the conversation in french, with a german translation.. Or vice versa. You choose. I don't care. When we've finished talking, someone else will take over. They too will smoke sigars, drink whiskey, maybe even milk. They'll eat cake and talk some more, some in french, then in german. This film had me leaving the theatre in pure boredom. I think I lasted about 90mins before I had worn out every imaginable sitting-position you can cram into a cinema seat. I did this for Tarantino; because I've thought he was a genius. Until now. Apparently this basterd of a movie lasts for 153mins, and something cool probably, eventually happens. But I don't care. QT has grown overconfident in his ability to produce lengthy dialogues. And here there are no "charming m*f* pigs" either.. You wait for them, of course: Those nuggets of clever conversation. But they never come.. At least not within the first 90mins. So, I didn't see the whole thing. I think if this weren't Tarantino, alot of people wouldn't. All the overrated reviews of this proves QT has reached a point where he gets a good rating by default.. I think he's developed a speech impediment. It's a damn shame. Expand
  86. Bill
    Sep 10, 2009
    0
    Unless you are a sadist who revels in blood, human butchery, and overly long preposterous stories with many tedious scenes in which case it would be a 10.
  87. TimothyC
    Sep 14, 2009
    9
    Loved the movie. Great charachter concepts, killer lines delivered by Brad. My only problem with this movie was it was edited. You wanted more character backgrounds, but didn't get it. It was edited for time, but I left wanting to sit through more. That's why it's a 9 instead of 10.
  88. hcarter
    Sep 7, 2009
    8
    Maybe b/c expectations were a little lower--but I was thoroughly impressed with Inglourious Basterds. I agree with others in that I think it's Tarantino's best since Pulp Fiction (and I really liked Kill BIll too). I was not bored by the length--or the intentional drawn out scenes--or even how much dialogue ( a lot) there is. I don't think it was perfect--could have been tightened up for sure. But I loved the fairy-tale satire/farce that IB was---totally smart, cathartic, gross, laugh-out-loud, dramatic, war movie. So far, many of my friends are all over the map on their opinion of IB, so it's hard to say whether you'll like it based on other people's reviews. Definitely see it though if you've liked anything Tarantino has done prior. Expand
  89. AlexY
    Jan 1, 2010
    9
    Tarantino has the power to polarize like no other director, and his bold style in pairing with the subject of Nazism will be too much for some. Before being a storyteller, Tarantino is a brilliant multimedia artist, and Basterds proves this once and for all. This movie pulls the viewer along like a string puppet, making him feel in turn disgusted, exhilarated, devastated, amused. The pacing is absolutely brilliant: Tarantino's best since Pulp Fiction. Emotion and violence are exaggerated to the point of parody: if you can appreciate this sensability, you may be a Tarantino fan. If not, there's always Schindler's List. Expand
  90. IgorE.
    Jan 24, 2010
    0
    Never liked Tarantino. This movie made me hate him! The most stupid movie I've ever watched.
  91. BrandonS
    Jan 2, 2010
    2
    Overlong and boring, punctuated by periodic scenes of incredibly uncomfortable violence. It's like Tarantino's other movies, only without the charm and wit. Very disappointing.
  92. JohnS
    Jan 31, 2010
    0
    You sit through the drudgery of prolonged and monoyomous dialogue only to be met by ridiculous shootouts. And it doesn't even have the decency to be short.
  93. AlexC.
    Jan 3, 2010
    10
    Quentin Tarantino's latest film, Inglourious Basterds, manages to outdo even Kill Bill in both entertainment value and thoughtfulness. The film soars due to Tarantino's exceptional ability to build suspense and excellent performances by Laurent, Waltz, and Krüger. The only thing that could make it more fun to watch is the inclusion of the 40 minutes of footage that was edited out before Cannes. Expand
  94. ShayneC
    Jan 4, 2010
    10
    Amazing movie, although Brad Pitt's accent is a little too much.
  95. RickG.
    Feb 18, 2010
    6
    This film is almost impossible to rate. A 6 will have to do, because in a sense it's far too wonderful -- thanks to many great scenes and performances -- to give a 5 or below. Yet, as a piece of storytelling it's so wretchedly constructed, so abhorrently paced and so dizzyingly uneven, it can't possibly deserve a "positive" grade. What a frustrating experience! There's a truly great movie buried somewhere in this mess, and Waltz deserves the Oscar hands down, but Tarantino is long overdue to revisit the discipline he showed in his 1990s-era films. Expand
  96. dmodmo
    Feb 3, 2010
    10
    I have seen all the AA nominated movies and performances...and I B was my favorite movie of 2009. Saw it 3x. Walz is fantastic and what can you say..when Tarantino gets it right (like Pulp Fiction), it's the BEST.
  97. AlistairV.
    Mar 4, 2010
    4
    This is a terrible movie, but then I'm not a fan of Terantino's work, so if you are, maybe you'll like it. However, as an objective reviewer, it's all style over substance. In a movie, the resounding question is "Is it entertaining?" The answer to that question is no, it is definitely not entertaining. There are interesting parts, but for the most part, dull, uninteresting, not worth the watch. Expand
  98. ChrisG.
    Nov 11, 2009
    10
    Well you either like QT or you don't. I happen to like the guy's work, and consequently cannot but recommend it heavily. Excellent movie for those who can appreciate these films, but not one of the majority. I think this is reflected in the type of votes given by the public. Either very high or very low.
  99. JoshL
    Nov 13, 2009
    10
    This is easily Tarantino's best since Pulp Fiction. Its fun, entralling and suprisingly resonant.
  100. CameronB
    Oct 1, 2009
    10
    I would say one of the best movies of 2009. It had an interesting plot, amazing actors and great scripting. I recommend this movie to all who haven't seen it yet.
Metascore

Generally favorable reviews - based on 36 Critics

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 26 out of 36
  2. Negative: 1 out of 36
  1. The film is by no means terrible -- its two hours and 32 minutes running time races by -- but those things we think of as being Tarantino-esque, the long stretches of wickedly funny dialogue, the humor in the violence and outsized characters strutting across the screen, are largely missing.
  2. Reviewed by: Todd McCarthy
    80
    A violent fairy tale, an increasingly entertaining fantasia in which the history of World War II is wildly reimagined so that the cinema can play the decisive role in destroying the Third Reich.
  3. In Tarantino's besotted historical reverie, real-life villains Adolf Hitler and Joseph Goebbels are played as grotesque jokes. The Basterds are played as exaggeratedly tough Jews. The women are femmes fatales.?