 | ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids. |
 | OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | NOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age. |
Inglourious Basterds
- Review Date: August 12, 2009
- R
- Genre: Action/Adventure
- 2009
Common Sense Media says
Tarantino's World War II epic is both bloody and talky.
Parents say
QUALITY
Kids say
QUALITY
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that, like all of director Quentin Tarantino's work, while this World War II adventure starring Brad Pitt is full of food for thought, it's also brutally violent, bloody, and full of harsh language. Expect cringe-inducing beatings, shootings, and more, plus a non-stop barrage of words like "f--k" and "s--t," constant smoking, and plenty of drinking. The film also takes lots of liberties with history and is very talky -- meaning that teens who watch might alternate between being bored to death and shocked by the gory parts.
What's the story?
Set in 1944, INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS follows two parallel stories that quickly converge. In the first, an American group of Jewish soldiers called "The Basterds," led by hard-bitten Aldo Raine (Brad Pitt), carries out terror attacks against German troops in occupied France. Meanwhile, in Paris, a theater owner (Melanie Laurent) is approached by a heroic soldier (Daniel Bruhl) to host the French premiere of his propaganda film; what he doesn't know is that she, hiding her Jewish roots to keep safe, is also part of the resistance. As the American Basterds, the French resistance, and the German high command converge on the theater, it's going to be a premiere everyone will remember ... if they survive.
Is it any good?
Bizarre, bold, and bloody, there's no denying that Inglourious Basterds has all the vim, vigor, and excitement of Quentin Tarantino's other films. Detractors will call it an empty exercise in style over substance, and they won't be entirely wrong. But it's also a glorious exercise in style over substance -- a Valentine to the very acts of moviemaking and moviegoing, with the Nazi high command wiped out in spectacular fashion in a movie theater as the action playing out up on the screen begins to pale in comparison to what happens inside the theater.
Tarantino has said that the film is his fantasy of "how cinema can save the world," and while that's a naive sentiment, it's one that's played for action and laughs here. Pitt gives a blood-soaked comedic performance as the grunting, grim Raine, and he's matched by Christoph Walltz's Col. Hans Landa on the Nazi side. Featuring long, loopy conversations punctuated by brief bursts of bloody violence before culminating in a incendiary -- in every sense of the word -- finale, Inglourious Basterds ultimately has to be enjoyed as a piece of pure moviemaking energy. Fans waiting for Tarantino to make a film with the moral and artistic complexity of Jackie Brown or even Pulp Fiction will be disappointed, but those who know what they're in for won't be let down.
What families can talk about
Families can talk about the movie's violence. What's the impact of the brutal scenes? Does it make the violence feel surreal or more honest and authentic?
Are there limits on what soliders will and won't (or can and can't) do in the heat of the moment during wartime? Do soliders who participate in a genocide like that of the Nazis against the Jews deserve any mercy?
What does the movie say about the role of filmmaking, press/public relations, and storytelling as part of war? What role does film have in wartime? How can it be manipulated to meet those ends?
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AGE
Perfect for the older crowd.
This movie was right on awosome. It was super violent with tons of mercilious killing, but the story line was right on. WARNING!! language issues.
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AGE
Great for mature people! :)
Okay, honestly, the cussing wasn't THAT bad. They probably didn't cuss anymore than what the people in The Breakfast Club did. The violence might disturb some viewers, but I think this movie is definitley worth watching!
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AGE
13 and up
I loved this movie it was so funny and brutal
"Were doin one thang and one thang only Killin Nazis" :D favorite quote from movie
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AGE
Good.
Pretty entertaining, but the first half an hour is extremely boring.
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AGE
Great Movie- But 14+ ONLY
Great Movie, hands down one of the best i've seen this year. Not to much action so the violence is not over the top. Tarantino's most "tame" movie, language is not at all what I came to expect, not to much of it which is nice, the sexually comedic "effect" scene is totally unnessesary.. You would even see it coming.. Not even part of the movie, Overall I would give this a 5/5, 9/10, a must see for anyone 14+
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AGE
Love this movie! Good plot, acting, script, direction, EVERYTHING!
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AGE
Masterpiece!
Inglourious Basterds earns its R-rating many times over. Even some teenagers will likely be upset/terrified by some of the brutal violence. That being said, this movie is genius. I was enthralled the entire running time, and my mind was blown by the brilliant dialogue, fascinating characters, and wildly thrilling plot. I disagree with CommonSense that it is only for adults - mature, slightly older teens can definitely watch this movie.
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AGE
Inglourious Basterds was, to put it simply, one of the best WWII movies ever made. You could put it up there with Saving Private Ryan and Schindler's List. But unlike those, which are both (mostly) historically accurate and dead serious war films, Inglourious Basterds is a very typical Tarantino film with a WWII plot. That does not mean that it's not a good war film. Like some of Tarantino's earlier work, the film is split into several "chapters" that at first are seperate, but the two different assassination plots by two different people (and their cohorts) intertwine in the end. As far as content goes...it's typical Tarantino. This film is thick with gunfights, scalpings, stabbings, beatings, scenes of strangling, and more, including a scene of torture. Blood and gore are very, very frequent; this is Tarantino, after all. However, it's certainly not as violent as Kill Bill or Reservoir Dogs. Language is pretty strong, with quite a few f-bombs (though not as many as Reservoir Dogs), as well as milder stuff. There's also a very brief scene of someone having sex with his mistress; while somewhat graphic, there's no nudity, and the scene's intended to be funny. There's also a lot of (period-accurate) smoking and drinking, and Aldo uses snuff. Overall, if your teen's over 14 and is a fan of Tarantino's work, he/she's fine. If they haven't seen any Tarantino film, I would have to raise the age recommendation to 16 and up.
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| Studio: | Weinstein Co. |
| Director: | Quentin Tarantino |
| Cast: | Brad Pitt, Christoph Waltz, Melanie Laurent |
| Genre: | Action/Adventure |
| Run time: | 152 minutes |
| Theatrical release date: | August 21, 2009 |
| DVD release date: | December 15, 2009 |
| MPAA rating: | R |
| MPAA explanation: | strong graphic violence, language and brief sexuality |
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