Django UNCHAINED

Movie: Django Unchained
Director: Quentin Tarantino
Stars: Jamie Foxx, Christoph Waltz, Leonardo DiCaprio, Kerry Washington, Samuel L. Jackson
Genre: Western
Rated: R

Let me start off by saying I hate westerns. Sorry, I just can't stand them. They just all seem the same to me. The cowboy (usually middle-aged) rescues the pretty young girl from Indians or outlaws or something of that sort and then they kiss, the movie ends, and I'm left with a large feeling of cliche.

Not with Django.

I'll admit it's still the same basic "damsel in distress" premise, but with a big twist: Django (Jamie Foxx) is a freed ex-slave trying to rescue his still enslaved wife, Broomhilda (Kerry Washington), from one of the most savage slave owners in the South, Calvin Candie (Leonardo DiCaprio), owner of the plantation "Candyland". With the help of the bounty hunter who freed him, Dr. King Schultz (Christoph Waltz), Django becomes a bounty hunter himself killing white folk for money on the way to rescue his beloved Broomhilda.

I saw this movie primarily because it was by Quentin Tarantino and while I've only seen the Kill Bills and Inglourious Basterds, I love his work and I was not disappointed. It's not my favorite Tarantino flick but it has everything you would expect: great dialogue, well made story, and great performances.

However, it's not all sweet in Candyland. As you might've heard, this movie has been garnering some negative attention from it's use of the word "n*gger" multiple times in the movie. I, personally, don't see anything wrong with that simply because it's a movie set in the South before the Civil War, that word was used quite liberally back then and I think this movie is excused for the sake of making this story as believable as possible.

I also find it funny how we're so used to Tarantino's style that I've heard little to nothing about the extreme violence or nudity in the film. Seriously, if you're planning on seeing this movie **minor spoiler alert** get ready to see a glimpse of Django's testicles as he's being strung from the ceiling.

Should you go see it? Yes! Django Unchained is a great movie to see especially if you're a fan of Tarantino's previous works. But not if you don't like lots of blood and violence, some nudity, or strong language.

Fun Facts:

• For any Quentin Tarantino lovers out there, you know that he likes to hide little Easter eggs in his movies and link them together in some way. Django Unchained is no exception. If you recall in Kill Bill Vol. 2, Beatrix Kiddo was buried alive in a grave marked Paula Schultz 1823-1885. Whether Paula Schultz was the wife or sister of King Schultz is unclear but that little Easter egg is still pretty cool.
• **Spoiler alert** In the scene where Candie confronts Django and Dr. Schultz, Candie slams his fist on the table, breaking a bottle and cutting his hand. This was not staged. DiCaprio really did cut his hand and needed stitches, but not before finishing his scene and rubbing his actual blood over Kerry Washington's visibly distraught face.