The review embargo for Quentin Tarantino's Django Unchained ended on Wednesday at 12 PM EST and the critics were finally able to have their say on the auteur's latest film.
According to early reviews, Tarantino can do no wrong as the film currently holds a 100 percent approval rating from critics on aggregate site Rotten Tomatoes.
Time Magazine's Richard Corliss noted that while the film was not the best in Tarantino's filmography, it is "undeniably, gloriously Tarantino: all talk and all action." Variety's Peter Debruge stated that the film was "an immensely satisfying taste of antebellum empowerment packaged as spaghetti-Western homage" and critic Coley Smitth adds that as a ""Django Unchained" is Quentin Tarantino's finest film to date."
A number of critics did note the film's short comings including Allison Wilmore of Movieline who noted that the director seems so happy with his promoting his usual sight gags and tricks that he loses the focus of the film and makes an overindulgent piece of art. Willmore concludes, "There's a good movie inside Django Unchained, maybe even a great one, but it hasn't been carved out of the lopsided excess." Screencrush's Matt Singer notes that the film runs an excessive length and lacks the polish of the typical Tarantino film.
Latinos Post's David Salazar also reviewed the film and echoed the sentiments of Willmore and Singer. "Whereas the characters' fates in other Tarantino films feel earned and satisfying, this one rings hollow due to the empty violence and endless repetition of Tarantino gag," says the review. To read the complete review, click HERE.
Indiewire had three critics review the film and all of them differed in their opinion. Erik McClanahan was the most complimentary and gave the film a B+ but also referenced that the film could have been trimmed at several parts. Gabe Toro also notes the film is a mishmash that could be defined as three separate films, but he also congratulates Tarantino for his potent style. Rodrigo Perez is the most damning fo the three and gives the film a C- and concludes that ""Django Unchained" has almost zero subtext and is a largely soulless bloodbath, in which the history of pain and retribution is coupled carelessly with a cool soundtrack and some verbose dialogue. " None the Indiewire reviews are listed on Rotten Tomatoes as of Thursday morning.
All of the critics were extremely complimentary of the performances.
The film will be released in theaters on December 25.