Django Overrated

     As a long time fan of western films, I thought it was my duty to check out “Django Unchained”. I wasn’t entirely sure what to expect, seeing as Tarantino made it, but I did anticipate a “modernized-western” film…and that is what I got…

            When I watch a western film, I want to see a western film. I don’t want to see a slave trade/racism film, disguised a western. Django Unchained is essentially a film dealing with the African American slave trade in the United States, while adding subtle western aspects. If you're expecting to see Butch Cassidy and the SUndance Kid, Tombstone, or The Magnificent Seven, you must look elsewhere. The fact that this film dealt primarily with the slave trade/racism, led me to one of my biggest issues with the film: the most emotional scenes are the ones depicting racism from our historical record. What does that mean? It means that the writers and Tarantino didn’t actually come up with anything really compelling or emotional. They just slid in footage you would get in any given documentary on the slave trade. This could be interchangeable with other similar scenarios (the Holocaust, Egyptian slavery, women in the Middle East etc.). These graphic and emotional scenes undermine any emotion that the characters or plot now tries to provide. However, I can understand Tarantino using this tried and true method, because it works. All you need to show is a lower class individual being pushed around and treated poorly by a higher class, and then have the lower class unable to fight against them. Tugging at the heart strings 101. Easy as pie.

            Another other problematic area of the movie is the soundtrack. The film starts off with a gorgeous western guitar riff…but then hops into a more modern sound with someone singing about Django. I’ve never been fond of soundtracks that are singing about the characters you’re seeing on screen at that moment. I’ve also never been a fan of mixing modern music with a period piece film. For example, when one of the few western fight scenes breaks out, they opt to play rap, as opposed to creating a fitting western tune. These moments are pretty jarring, and take the viewer out of the movie, while almost negating the situation and time they’ve said the film is taking place in.

            The film has a few other flaws as well: after one hour, they sum up the entire movie for you in a brief conversation about a German fairy tale; they make use of the classic (but gratuitous/lazy) damsel in distress; in Tarantino fashion, they exagerrate many action scenes, by adding mass bloodshed and overdramatic sound effects; they also build up their 1^st climax with an unimaginative and unbelievable character decision that acts a silly catalyst to the ending.

            My biggest issue with the film is the fact that the two protagonists could have avoided all the trouble, bloodshed, and death throughout the film, by making a simple alteration to their plan. *spoiler alert* In the film, Django and Schultz go to see Calvin Candy, and fabricate some story about who they are, why they’re here, and how they plan to get Django’s wife. Basically, Schultz could have done this mission solo. He didn’t need Django with him to pretend he’s an MMA expert. Schultz could have simply gone to Calvin, let him know he’s German, and that he’s heard Calvin has a German speaking slave. Schultz mentions how he would be delighted to purchase her. Afterwards, Schultz would use his own advice, and make Calvin an offer so ridiculous that he would be crazy to decline it. Calvin parts ways with a $300 slave for about $2000-5000, and Schultz returns her to Django. Done. Film over. Plot hole removed.

            Now, I have criticized this film for its many flaws, but I will give credit to Tarantino for coming up with an idea that isn’t entirely run of the mill, doing a great social commentary on the KKK Kowards, and for assembling a brilliant cast that was flawless. In an odd way, Django is actually very reminiscent of Inglorious Bastards, in that it ultimately deals with extracting revenge on bigoted racist groups.

6.5/10