"Django Unchained," a 2012 film directed by and written by Quentin Tarantino, introduces Christoph Waltz as an ex-dentist who forms a friendship with Jamie Foxx’s character, Django, a former slave, in West Texas just before the Civil War. They begin working together as bounty hunters after discovering their compatibility. The story then shifts its attention to their effort to get inside a Mississippi plantation run by the arrogant Southern landowner "Monsieur" Candie (Leonardo DiCaprio) so that Django can free his wife (Kerry Washington). Samuel L. Jackson portrays Candie’s extremely devoted house slave. This is an outstanding American Western, incorporating elements of the Spaghetti Western genre and showcasing Tarantino's characteristic artistic touches. The film unfolds in both the West and the South, which brings to mind "Nevada Smith" (1966), a lesser-known Western that I really enjoy. Waltz’s performance is captivating as the cool and collected lead, and he and Foxx have a strong rapport. There's a good balance of engaging conversations, funny scenes, and exaggerated action sequences. As anticipated, Tarantino does go too far with the use of the 'n' word and the violence, which occasionally feels like something out of a cartoon. Despite this, it’s an inventive Western that is full of imagination, including beautiful settings, impressive cinematography, and a fantastic mix of music and score, featuring pieces by Ennio Morricone, such as the excellent "Hornets' Nest," the creative "The Braying Mule" and the poignant "Ancora Qui." Overall, it’s much better than "The Hateful Eight" (2015) because its story isn’t restricted by a single-room mystery plot—though “Hateful” does have some things going for it. The film's length is 165 minutes and filming took place in Jackson Hole, Wyoming; Evergreen Plantation & New Orleans, Louisiana; and various locations across California (Lone Pine, Alabama Hills, Semi Valley, Melody Ranch, Santa Clarita, Independence & Los Angeles). The movie also features a number of recognizable supporting actors, including Ato Essandohs, Don Stroud, James Remar, Bruce Dern, Ato Essandoh, Franco Nero, Don Johnson, Amber Tamblyn and many others. GRADE: A

Source on TMDB