Django Unchained (2012)

A funny, violent, entertaining crowdpleaser buoyed by superb performances from Waltz, DiCaprio and Jackson in a battle of wits and words. Not a masterpiece, but one that supports its epic length through charisma and sharp dialogue despite lacking deeper substance.

A playfully audacious mix of spaghetti western, blaxploitation and revisionist history that delivers a wildly thrilling swagger through slavery's sides. Overindulgent in typical Tarantino fashion but redeemed by enthralling dialogue, twists, supporting cast and Morricone-style soundtrack.

The film lacks vitality and any vital engagement with history, stretched by loquacious monologues and lagging pace without editor Sally Menke. It prioritizes cartoonish violence and supercilious persona over meaningful confrontation with slavery's horrors.

Tarantino delivers another strong, sparky and bloody entry in his canon with this Spaghetti Southern, but it creaks under its excessive running time and is not quite as entertaining as Inglourious Basterds.

Tarantino is at his brilliant best in this must-see mash-up of antebellum drama and spaghetti western; it is appallingly enjoyable, vivid and entertaining with outstanding performances from Waltz, DiCaprio and Jackson.

The critic calls the film Tarantino’s most articulate, intriguing, provoking, appalling, hilarious, exhilarating and entertaining yet, blending horrific history with grindhouse comedy without diminishing the brutality. She singles out the sharp cultural clashes and standout performances, especially Christoph Waltz’s sly delivery.

Tarantino delivers a brilliant revival of the spaghetti western that harnesses the genre to explore America's history of slavery and exploitation. The critic singles out Christoph Waltz's witty performance as lending lightness to an angry film, along with the strong performances and skilful storytelling.

The critic praises the film's jokey, discursive, idiosyncratic and spirited approach to reframing American history and slavery through a revenge saga in the style of spaghetti Westerns, highlighting strong performances especially from Christoph Waltz, Leonardo DiCaprio, and Samuel L. Jackson along with its stimulating blend of comedy, action, and serious themes.

The critic finds the film crazily entertaining and brazenly irresponsible yet ethically serious, with moral disgust for slavery and sympathy for the underdog. He singles out the playful yet radical reimagining of history and genre alongside strong performances from Christoph Waltz and Jamie Foxx.

Tarantino pulls apart western genre iconography for a postmodern treat full of witty havoc, brilliant set-pieces like the Klan scene and vivid performances, though it feels overstretched toward three hours with a foolhardy cameo.

The film is a stylish, thoughtful, and violent Tarantino effort that reexamines American history and civility through its revenge narrative, even if it lacks the narrative tightness of his prior work. The standout is Christoph Waltz's warm and playful bounty hunter performance alongside sharp dialogue and irreverent comedy.

The critic praises the film's bold sketch of cruelty in 19th-century America and standout performances, especially Christoph Waltz's charismatic bounty hunter and Leonardo DiCaprio's raging monster, but notes it falls between stools as a pastiche-filled action film with some meandering parts after a tense dinner scene climax. Singles out the quiet visual storytelling of maids setting a table for evoking pathos amid the violence and verbosity.

The film is a brutal, satisfying tale of retribution and a blood-soaked morality play that retains Tarantino's trademark excitement and punch, though it is not his best work. The strong cast performances, particularly Samuel L. Jackson's, and the well-handled balance of reflective dialogue and visceral violence are singled out for praise.

The critic finds it an intelligent thrill-ride with trashy pleasures despite some pacing issues in the third act. Singles out Leonardo DiCaprio's loose, funny, and despicable performance as the real revelation.