Directed by Quentin Tarantino, Django Unchained was released in 2012 packed with A-list actors including Jamie Foxx, Leonardo Dicaprio, Samuel L. Jackson, Christoph Waltz and Kerry Washington.
Set in 1858, two years before the Civil War in the American south, the film portrays the brutal history of slavery and racial division with no details left to the imagination. Extremely gruesome and disturbing at times, the film also includes comedic intervals and engaging dialogue to break up the bloodshed.
A freed slave named Django (played by Foxx) enlists the help of a German bounty hunter (Waltz) to rescue his wife Broomhilda (Washington) from the clutches of a brutal plantation owner in Mississippi.
Django and Dr. King Schultz set out on an epic journey to find Broomhilda whom Django lost to the slave trade and is said to be living in ‘Candyland’ an infamous plantation run by an utterly racist Calvin Candie (Dicaprio).
While most modern Hollywood films tend to steer clear of controversial topics such as slavery Tarantino dives in head first and shows every grotesque detail of the times. His unrestrained capacity to show truth without regret leaves viewers feeling historic anger. Nearly three hours long, there’s no shortage of mental anguish or horrific torture which in the film’s context is entertainment but never lets the viewer feel comfortable.
Truthfully exposing the evils of America’s past, Django Unchained is extremely entertaining thanks to Tarantino’s never-ending supply of witty dialogue and his ability to push the boundaries when no one else is willing.
