He may not be the most prolific director in the world of film, but whenever Quentin Tarantino has a new production out, the world watches in anticipation. Known for his captivating scenes and iconic work, his latest film, Django Unchained, sits in well in his portfolio, being smart, bloody and ever-so-slightly offbeat. But could it become another box office smash?
The story of Django Unchained follows the slave Django (played by former Oscar winner Jamie Foxx), who is surprisingly freed by a bounty hunter (Christoph Waltz). Django is then trained up by the bounty hunter to try and locate and catch criminals, but he then leads him back to the plantation in order to take on his former owner and rescue his wife.
Calvin Candie (Leonardo DiCaprio), the owner of the plantation, is the target of Django and the bounty hunter’s anger, but doesn’t go down without a fight. The evil Candie prepares himself for a stand-off that could be explosive. Calvin Candie is a wickedly inhumane plantation owner in the pre-Civil War South. DiCaprio questioned the script at points, asking “Are we going too far?”.
In spite of the fact that the film was only recently released, Django Unchained has been heralded by many as one of Tarantino’s best films. Some of the reviews suggest that it could become a hit at all the major award ceremonies, with two Golden Globes in the bag for Waltz as Best Supporting Actor and Tarantino for Best Screenplay already in the bag.
Numerous nominations for BAFTAs and Oscars have also been received in various categories, with Tarantino himself gaining the bulk of them. While success on the red carpet doesn’t always translate into people going to watch the movie at the cinema, it does suggest that the film has something going for it.
In the lead role, Jamie Foxx will be under a lot of scrutiny, especially because of his previous work. As he’s received some of the biggest accolades in film for his performance in Ray, this role may be a departure for him.
As for DiCaprio, playing Candie is an unusual role for him, but one he should do well in. There’s every chance that he could star in more thrillers akin to ‘Gangs of New York’ after starring in this production.
Django Unchained is what many fans of Tarantino’s previous work will come to expect – a complex plot, thrills every minute, great performances from the entire cast and a cool soundtrack. All that and more will make this film a must-see for anyone wanting to shake off the winter gloom or for any aficionados of Tarantino.
