Cinepals - Quentin Tarantino's DJANGO UNCHAINED Reaction & Review! | CinePals

Episode Date: March 9, 2025

Kristen and Michael watch Tarantino's Django Unchained for the very first time! In this film, a freed slave teams up with a bounty hunter to rescue his wife from a brutal plantation owner in the pre-Civil War South. Django Unchained was directed by Quentin Tarantino (Pulp Fiction, Kill Bill: Vol. 1 & 2, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood). The main cast includes Jamie Foxx (Ray, Collateral, Spider-Man: No Way Home) as Django, a freed slave on a quest to rescue his wife. Christoph Waltz (Inglourious Basterds, No Time to Die, The Zero Theorem) plays Dr. King Schultz, a German bounty hunter who mentors Django. Leonardo DiCaprio (Titanic, The Wolf of Wall Street, Inception) portrays Calvin Candie, a ruthless plantation owner. Kerry Washington (Scandal, Ray, The Last King of Scotland) stars as Broomhilda, Django’s enslaved wife. Samuel L. Jackson (Pulp Fiction, The Hateful Eight, Marvel's The Avengers) plays Stephen, Candie's loyal and manipulative house slave. Walton Goggins (The Hateful Eight, Justified, Ant-Man and the Wasp) appears as Billy Crash, one of Candie’s enforcers. Don Johnson (Miami Vice, Knives Out, Machete) plays Spencer "Big Daddy" Bennett, a wealthy plantation owner. The film blends Western and revenge drama with Tarantino’s signature style, exploring themes of slavery, justice, and redemption. Join us on YouTube at https://www.YouTube.com/@Cinepals for the cutdown reaction or becoming a Patron at www.cinejump.com and get access to the uncut reaction for this movie as well as many other movies and shows! SOCIAL MEDIA ~KRISTEN STEPHENSONPINO~ Instagram: @Kris10Kesp ~MICHAEL BOOSE~ Instagram: @BooseIsLoose ~CINEPALS~ YouTube: @CinePals Insta: https://instagram.com/TheCinePals Twitter: https://twitter.com/TheCinePals

Sina. Pau. I can't. Oh my God. Don't use that. I guess use it, whatever. What's up, guys? This is Krista Sepsapino, and joined by Michael Boost himself.

Let's get to it. Let's get out of here. Let's get out of here. Oh, good. She's got a rifle. Great. Amazing. Wow.

Damn. Thank you. Thank you for that important note. No horses were harmed. Where to start. Yeah. This was so heavy. Yeah.

And so intense that my stomach was in knots the entire time. It's still a knots. I feel like Leonardo DiCaprio is absolutely outstanding in this. He was incredible. I will say. this, I have heard of this film. Oh, okay. So I have heard about it, and I did hear

in an interview once. Don't quote me. I'm pretty sure I heard this in the interview. The part where you said it looked like real blood. Where you like slapped down on the glass? I heard in an interview that that was real. Oh my God. He did if that happened to me,

I'd immediately be like, oh, yo, I slash the crap out of my hand. We got to stop. And then he just kept going. And he just kept going. You know what? That is, He is a caliber of actor. I'm pretty sure that's like it was like an incredible caliber of actor. I didn't know what they were really talking about. That's crazy.

I mean like it does it does look like he is very gingerly handling that hand when that scene happens. He like he slams down and he kind of like looks at it and like the blood doesn't like appear immediately. But like that was a lot of blood and they cut to coverage and stuff like that. And looking at his hand, there wasn't like an obvious wound. Yes. Okay. See, I, okay, so I remember watching, because it was like a whole thing about Leonardo, and this was just one snippet.

It says, yes, Leonardo DiCaprio really cut his hand while filming the scene. That's impressive. The fact that he continued performing through that. Yes. Cudos to you. So they said that he did that in the amount of blood he lost as he continued. So I guess there was like a bunch and he just continued the scene and everybody just kind of was like on the sidelines like

I feel bad for Carrie Washington though like she didn't sign up for getting blood spread on her face I don't know I'm gonna look that up was that really I don't know maybe that actual blood or did they like wait wait wait wait wait wait wait wait wait wait wait wait hold up we're gonna find this out real quick Quinn was like you know oh wow we got this shot so maybe

maybe he matched cut with the fake blood maybe he was able to like warn Carrie Washington but like yeah if I'm in a scene and like somebody starts smearing their actual blood on me Like, not only is that a biohazard, but, like, that, I didn't sign up for that. I don't think that they would have really done. I was going to say, because they cut to a different frame. So I'm wondering if, like, with that cut, they just started bloodying his hand up a little bit more just to, like, keep continuity.

And so she got fake blood smeared on her face and, like, she got the heads up. Because if he cut a hand and then they cut later. Okay, let's see, let's see. No, it was fake blood. Okay, all right, cool. Okay. Because I was going to say they definitely cut to a different bit. Okay.

So they said they banaged, they cut it. Uh-huh. They banished what I read right now. They banished his hand, put fake blood on it, and then did that. And then just rolled with it the rest of the time. That's still really impressive that he kept the scene going after actually cutting his hand. That's amazing. Because, again, I would have cut my hand and immediately been like, I mean, sometimes there's an element of like, especially when you've got like a really heightened scene like that, you don't feel it necessarily.

Yeah. I've busted up my hand, like slamming my hand down on a table during a scene when I was in college. and I, like, bruise the crap out of my hand, but I didn't notice until after I was done with the scene. And then my director at the time was, like, we don't need to do that. You don't have to go that hard. Like, there's a certain element of, like, being in the scene

and letting it take control of you, but, like, also, like, still remaining in control. But still, impressive. And kudos to Leo for staying in that scene. And he was incredible in this. Yeah, but he's, like, amazing. He was phenomenal. Yes, he was.

Jamie Fox was in, this is a ballsy, like, hardcore role. that he did. He did a really good job with it. And I'm just like, wow. Yeah, he was incredible. He was absolutely outstanding. This film was very hard to watch. It's a heavy one.

It was very, very hard to watch me. I love the doctor. Yeah, Christoph Waltz continues to be amazing. Yeah. Why is he so damn good, man. He's phenomenal. Gold. He played in the other one.

Yeah, yeah, right? He's in glorious backwards. He's so freaking good. But to see him in this and be a completely different character, I didn't even notice it was him until we pulled up these credits. I didn't realize it was the same guy. And he's playing two completely different characters. I know.

His character in this is so nice and, like, really charming. And what's interesting is they're like, they're almost two sides of the same coin. Not to critique two movies at the same time, but what Crystal Waltz has done is, like, they're very similar characters in like, their interaction, their charm, their charisma, their insistence on politeness. But whereas his character in Glorious Bastards is very, like, evil and, like,

weasily and chilling and just threatening. The aura of Dr. Schultz is very much like, I'm friendly. I just want everybody to be okay. And I work in bounty hunting, and it's just kind of what I do. And you know what? It's civility overall. but it's they both kind of towed a very similar line which was really was really interesting to kind of watch him play

because it's like they're two very very distinct characters and he made them very very distinct while still kind of having those same Christoph Walt's idiosyncrasies okay my favorite part was when Jango was about to off the father in the field and the bounty yeah and he was having that moment and first we're all kind of like sitting there like I'm like what I felt anyways I don't know about you

but I'm like, okay, what's making him stop? What makes him hesitate? But then another part, he's like, well, this is his first kill, right? Like, I'm thinking maybe it's his first, you know, whatever. But then I saw the kid, and I'm like, oh, there's the empathy and that, you know, like that something, something. And you have the doc who has him read the wanted poster to give him the overall picture of this is a bad person. This is a bad man. You know, and then he has that moment.

And then all of a sudden we're at the carriage and he goes and they have that same conversation. Yeah. But now the tables have turned. It is interesting to kind of watch like Django come into his role like a bounty hunter. And that was very interesting because I almost feel like I thought he was, Django was going to be the one to mess it up. Right. Okay.

But Django leaned into it and then went to the dock and was like, no, you're the weak link right now. Like you're, you're messing. up like you know what I mean and I love the empathy of at the end how the dog just keeps having that flashback of the man getting torn apart by the dog and he's just disgusted because in his eyes you know there's nothing wrong there right there's nothing done and he's like you're a bad man yeah and dr. Schultz's character is very much one that's like I have no I have no problem punishing people who have done bad and I think that's we talked about was it worth going back and shooting candy.

And I think there was no way that Dr. Schultz was leaving Candyland without ending candy. Because he has such a moral compass and is like, bad people need to die and that is my job. And so I'm going to end this bad man. I tried being civil.

We tried playing this game. But like I have been exposed to like the furthest reaches of human cruelty possible. I have seen the crimes. I know, but it was like... I have... I know, but it was like... But at the same time,

like, I feel like he also knew he was going to be done after that, right? Oh, yeah. He was like, he knew. He was like, I'm not walking out of this alive. And his last line. Sorry, I couldn't help it. Like, you know, like...

Right, that's who his character is. Like, that's the core of who he is. And then he gets destroyed. And I'm like, dude, you just put our guy in a worst predicament. Like, we were free. Like, I... But he got out of it. He got out of it.

He got out of it. He got out of it. It's not like it, like, he almost got his balls cut off. He almost did. Okay. Like, that is, that scene was gnarly. Uh-huh. Oh, my God, you saw everything.

I was like, oh. I know. I know. And I felt vomit, like, going to my throat. And, like, I felt a cry that I wanted to scream for help. Yeah. And I was like, who's out of this twisted plot? And I'm like, okay, okay, okay, okay.

And then I think, like, my thoughts also started going down. to like, oh my God, like I started thinking about history and like real shit that has happened. Right. And I'm like, that is just, and I think it leaves a taste in my mouth of, I don't even know. I can't even, I can't fathom that though. I don't understand. I never will understand that. I don't want to understand that type of cruelty.

Right. But it makes me so uncomfortable and so sick that I did feel like I was like in my throat, like, ugh. And I almost like wanted to like shake of fear. Right, you were quaking. You experienced, and I'm like, and I wanted to cry. The, like, extent of human cruelty. I don't like it.

I think, say what you will about Tarantino and his use of violence. Like, a lot of people say that it's, like, very gratuitous, and there is a certain argument for that. However, I think Tarantino doing this film very much touches on, like, the reality of the slave trade. Yeah. And I'm not saying that other movies about the slave trade or, you know, the slave. slavery movies don't kind of touch on that same cruelty like there's there's certain levels and they always touch on it but I think Tarantino isn't afraid to be like yeah the the capacity for human cruelty to other humans especially humans that we perceive as lesser massive super

inventive here's and so he shows it and depicts it really really well and so I think the gratuitous violence really serves this film because it really is like oh yeah people did that like we were straight up evil to other people for me Tarantino okay I You know, I don't like this kind of like blood, gore, whatever, right? And I don't like watching people die, even though I know it's fake. I think Tarantino gets away with it with me. Yeah. And he's one of the very few directors that does get away with it because his stories are told so, like, in a way, you can't look away.

Like, he does such a good job. And he makes it an art piece of a, like, it's a masterpiece. It truly is a masterpiece. So for me, it's interesting how, for me, I'm like, yo, you do what you got to do. Like, and I don't necessarily have a problem with it because he executes every little detail so well. Right. And sometimes like, yeah, he goes over like when they're like flying there. But at the same time, I'm like, oh, that's kind of cool.

It's gratuitous. It's kind of cool. But it's also like gnarly. Choreographed. It's gratuitous, but it's well curated, I guess. is kind of the idea. And he also intersperses it with these long moments of really good

dialogue and drama. He's really good at those scenes. These incredible scenes, like the writing, again, is phenomenal. So you can kind of forgive the gratuitous violence because the movie isn't propped up on the gratuitous violence. It's just a stylistic choice. But he also throws comedy in it too. Yeah, exactly. Which is interesting

because it doesn't feel like, okay, he throws this comical twist on these films. Right. Every once You're like, ha, but you feel uncomfortable laughing. And you're not sure if you should laugh or you shouldn't. But you're also like, huh, it was kind of funny. Ooh.

That was real, but it was real funny. Yeah. Yeah, that was real. And I kind of like that. But then at the same time, he does it in a way where it doesn't lose its momentum, where some films, I feel like they do that. And it kind of cheapens the film sometimes. Right.

It feels tonally like it shifted. And I feel like with him, he does it in a way that, it just adds to the film and makes it even cooler and more badass than it would have been if anybody else had done it. It's that it's that blending of tones, I guess, that Quentin does really, really well. You've got the violence, you've got the drama, you've got the witty repartee, and you've got the comedy. And all of it like really feels grounded, even though he does, this one less so compared to some other Tarantino films. but he does kind of a really stylistic choice with his films where he has those cutaways and then in this one he was really playing with the western style of like the rapid zoom in

or the rapid zoomed out to wides and stuff like he makes really stylistic films but they still feel really grounded in reality which I think the shots he chooses to me are very interesting because sometimes I watch films I'm like why are you showing this you know or I'm like okay that that was kind of unnecessary his are very very interesting. It's like a reason, but they're also ballsy shots. Yes. No point intended on this one. There was definitely a very ballsy shot.

I feel like most people would not go for that. No, no. I know that angle that straight down on. Even with his leg shivering. Yeah. For me, and you could see the sweat going down. I was like, I'm sweating myself. Like I'm like that was a really, really good shot.

Yeah. I don't think others would have been able to capture that scene the way he did because I feel like that scene was one of the most terrifying ones in this whole film. And I think that the things he decides to like, sometimes when he goes in and he comes in with the blur and unblurrs. Yeah, like kind of playing with the focal range and things like that, yeah. I feel like if anybody else was to do it, I'd be like, why are they doing that? Like, that's kind of weird, right?

Right. But the way he does it is so smooth, like in the opening, I liked it. Right. Right, because they transitioned between like Jamie Fox and the rocks. Yeah, that was a really, really good little technique. It stood out to me because normally I feel like I would have been like, what are you doing? But the way they were doing it, especially like with the movement and the music, I actually was very like, oh, I really like that. Speaking of the music, I really loved the kind of blending of soundtracks in this one.

You know, we had everything from like classic Western theme. to act like orchestral undertones underneath the scenes and then you'd have things like modern rap songs and stuff like that like he really said i'm just going to throw whatever songs i want and thematically fit with my moment and it makes sense like it doesn't take you out of it no at no point where you like oh man what's this modern song doing in my western or oh wow we're really getting back to the western soundtrack or like playing with that western soundtrack hard i really lent itself to the film and No point did it take me out of it. I was just like, oh, this is great.

What a, like, a great song to go with this scene. Yes. And he really underscored the whole movie very, very well. And I think it set the tone and also kept the style and the sort of iconic Western style, but modernized that he was playing with. No, it was smooth. I also like how they kept Django and his first, like, the jacket. The jacket for so long. And they just kept the bloodstains on it.

Yeah. You know, and like, he just kept wearing the same damn thing. I like that and I like to how, okay, when he picked that blue outfit, I think it's so funny. But there's something about it that's almost sweet. Yeah. There's something about it that's almost like, it's so precious. It's a precious moment. A person who's never been able to like dress themselves before.

And he just is like this. This is what I think like high fashion is. I'm going to wear that. That's what I feel like wearing. And I feel like I look good doing it. Yeah. He pulled that off. He did.

Jamie Fox pulls that outfit off. At first, though, you're kind of like, like, why? Yeah. And then you're like, but you're also like, oh, you're so precious. Like you're so, you're so, like, my angel, you know, and then. My poor sweet so much of me. Yes, I love that part because it gave that, it's like an innocence of a new world. Yeah.

And a new reality. And I do believe that Django is, he was the hope. He is the dream, you know. for other slaves to see that it's it's amazing and I think for others it was terrifying because they're like oh no yeah like you're going to open up the door and the moment we let one of you ride a horse means everybody's going to be asking why they can't ride a horse exactly and um I do want to talk about this one oh Samuel L Jackson Stephen yeah mr. Stephen what the hell was his problem what the hell was his problem oh you okay you grew up where you born you born and raised in

this household and like do you think you're white so what the hell was his deal man there's um or is he that scared in his boots that he's like i'm going to go high hardcore because no matter what you're going to lose and so i'm going to be on the right side which is the white side like what the so there's an interesting scene at the at the beginning when they're when they're first discussing dr schultz and jango are discussing like their roles and who they're going to be when they roll up the candy land and jango is talking about being a black slaver is worse than being Yes, which is what he, no, no, no, which is what he was pretending to be, is worse than being the head of the household or the head house guy or the head house slave, which is what Stephen was. So the implication is that Stephen fulfills a role where he is a slave that has authority over the other slaves and is regarded as a low down human being because they side with the white folk apparently.

That's kind of the implication. What I love about Stephen's character, though, is how intelligent, how smart he is. He was very intelligent. He was very intelligent. And he played, he was the one in charge. He was the one pulling all the strings. You know what? He was.

He played everybody because he watched. As soon as he was, he played a character. He did. That limp, that hunched over, that the way he talked was all a caricature. Because the moment he got into the private library with candy, the moment he was in the shed, just him and Django. The moment he was facing Django down on the stairs at the end, dropped the cane, dropped the dialect affectation, stood straight up.

He was playing a role he was pretending to be or playing a role that the white people wanted to see him as, as a dumb, cratchety old head of household, even though he is this cunning guy that saw through Django and Dr. Schultz that was basically feeding Calvin Candy all of his ideas and then he also was feeding the sister the ideas because he taught he has that whole bit where he's like man the slaves at the mine have it worse man the slaves at the mine have it worse and then he says it one more time and the sister's like I have a brilliant idea we'll send him to the mines and he goes that's a great idea miss lady that's great he was so cunning and I loved the way that Samuel L Jackson played him and the

the kind of way he dropped that veneer every time was so good. Just incredible. Just like, it was a phenomenal character. And, like, kudos to Quentin for writing that so well. And then Samuel L. Jackson playing it so well. Because, like, I agree. He's not a great character. He's awful.

You're sitting here going, like, what's your problem? I understand why candy is evil. But, like, why are you like this? Yeah. And so he really, like, just assumed that role of this terrible, awful person that we're supposed to hate, that we're meant to hate. and did it really, really well. So I think your uncomfort with him is a testament to how well he was played.

No, he was played very well. And it was so interesting because every time he spoke, I don't know why. I was so uncomfortable, I wanted to laugh. But at the same I'm like, ah, and I'm like, I hate you. But I'm like, I'm also like his delivery and the way he was like, oh, what, what? You know, and I'm like, but I'm like, shut up. Shut up. Yeah, he makes your skin crawl.

He makes your skin crawl, and that's like the entire purpose of the character. At the end, the main master's gone, and he's still going for it. And I'm like... Because he's smart enough to try and thrive within the bounds of society. Which he was. Which he was. I mean, he did have Calvin's full undivided attention and trust. He did counsel him, technically.

Yep. And he did, like, you know, he did take his opinion into account, which is interesting. because Calvin is appalled at the dock, right, for having Django as his right-hand man and, like, having him and whatever, when he himself has the same damn thing in his own household. Right. Isn't that interesting? But it's different because they're not partners. Supposedly. Supposedly.

Yeah. Supposedly, which is interesting. I think you actually touch on a really good point. It also speaks to, like, the hypocrisy. of the consideration and this time. And only that, Stephen also, you know, he authentically loved Calvin. Just like Django loved the dog. I mean, you see him and he grabs him immediately in cries.

To me, I mean, obviously he's older, so he must have like also helped raise the guy. Yeah. You know what I mean? And so I did, I thought that was actually kind of a touching moment. Even though I was just like, yeah, like, you know, but at the same time, it kind of I was, in that moment, I was like, oh, I feel sorry for you, dude. Like, that's your family member. But at the same time, I also was like, oh, my God, the dog, you know?

And then, and I felt like it was like, Django and Stephen all had the similar moment. The only difference is, Django had to defend himself and protect his wife. Right. So he wasn't able to have that meltdown or that moment with his friend. You know what I mean? And his companion. I don't know. Like you said, the hypocrisy of this is just phenomenally.

Like, I, I, it really, it really shines the light on the darker parts of our history. And not only that, how do you sit there and hate the opposite color when you're loving to bang it? Clearly, clearly, you know, I hate that much. Because if you did, you wouldn't do that. There's some, there's some hypocrisy out there. And here's the thing. Calvin also told the dog, oh my God, they're wonderful. Yeah.

They're amazing. Exactly. He's like, he's like preaching and like gushing over them. It's all about ownership. Yes. It's all about ownership. But at the end of the day, he, even like the girl that he, that, the girl that he had as his like right hand girl. Sheba.

When he yells in the room when we first meet, when we first meet him. And he goes, I wasn't talking to you, sugar, you know. Yeah, yeah. Oh, I know you weren't talking to me. Like there was also a moment there. it's like, she's pretty much like head and head even too. Yeah. So it's interesting how hateful Calvin is about the dog, yet he has more than Kelvin.

Yes. You know what I mean? It's the hypocrisy. It's the hypocrisy. Which I actually really love about this film. Yeah. It does a really, really good job. Because you're like, you're like, no, you're in love with her.

Uh-huh. You know, ooh, no, but you also love Stephen. Stephen loves you, but we're in this effed up world full of bullshit. Yeah. And the only thing that's true to it is Django and the dog's relationship. And that's the one that's like the purest and like the most real and the bravest of brave up to be. They're brave enough to step into that role and be who they are. Because, because Dr. Schultz sees Jango as another human being.

Yes. Whereas candy, no matter how much he enjoys Stephen and Shiba and all of the other slaves on his plantation, sees them as property. Yes. Because that's what he talks about. The hand-cutting thing is like, she. according to the great state of Mississippi is my property and I can do whatever I want to my property. Yes. And no one's going to stop me.

But at the same time, I think deep down, I feel like deep down like he doesn't even realize, like, you know, people like him don't realize the actual like love and admiration they have for some of these people that they've allowed to like, I mean, he allowed Stephen to talk over him and talk directly to him and hang on his shoulder. There's no way in hell. No way in hell. That would have been okay. We're acceptable. You know what I mean? So it's like anything deep down, like he just doesn't realize, but he's so brainwashed that he's like, no, you're just my property.

But he's like, oh yeah, what's that, buddy? I'm not sure how much of that is like, is truly love. It might be. It could be. I think there's some in there. I'd argue that it's more, he accepts it again, because Stephen is playing that character of like the sort of dumb crotchety head of

household and they're like it's like it's a bond it's when you have like a little tiny yap dog and like the dog barks and barks and like little like chihuahuas get way more leeway about barking than big dogs everybody's like oh man this thing like behaves badly he's so cute I want to believe

he has a little bit of heart a little bit for two for two of his people maybe just a little bit maybe now I didn't say a lot but maybe there's a little bit There's like, I don't know, I believe in hope. Let Django be the hope. He's like the full-blown 110% hope.

Like, he, man, this was a journey. Yeah, it was. And I loved the part where he convinced the people who purchased him to free him. Oh, my God. And hand them his rifles and everything. That was a great moment. Oh, my, I was worried. A nice little flip of the story.

I was worried. I was like, damn it, we're going to go through. this whole, we got laundry doing it. I thought we were going to go. Jango 2 coming out. No, for real. I was like, oh my gosh. This is like, we're not going to get back and like for a while. And then all sudden it did boom, bada bang. And I'm like,

oh my God. Oh my God. Anyways, I will give this hand of applause. Well done. I thoroughly, thoroughly. Well done, Quentin. Love this film. I, I, it's got to speak. special place of my heart.

It's probably not one that I'm going to like want to like watch every day. It's pretty heavy. I would definitely, but it is one that I would probably go rewatch every so often maybe. Everyone's going to get a rewatch, dust it off. Yeah, dust it off just because I believe it's done so well that it deserves a place.

Yeah. And it deserves to be seen. And it's kind of badass. Like I've never seen a film, especially with slavery, based around it, told in this manner. Mm-hmm. And it was pretty damn cool to see some tables turn. It was a great, yeah, it was a great, stylistic...

It was cool. Representation of, like, slave movies. It was good. Yeah, it was, it was definitely new and different. A mixture of, like, classic Wild West themes, slavery movie, obviously, and then that Quentin Tarantino style that all came together to create a really wonderful package. The moment when they did his flashbacks with his wife, life that one got me yeah yeah i was trying so i'm like don't do it don't do it don't cry don't

it was tough that that whole like oh this was i'm going to clap again good job you guys let us know your thoughts in the comments i know you probably loved it just as much as we did this is a badass film it's pretty damn good um if you haven't done so already please hit that subscribe button bell icons, all notifications, and upvote this video. I'm Kristen. I'm Michael. And we'll see you next time. See ya.