This is not just any war film - it's a Tarantino war film.

That fact alone is enough of a recommendation for Inglourious Basterds, a typically violent World War II tale from the master of shoot outs.

Loosely based on the era, it follows a plot to wipe out the Nazis that's being planned on three different fronts.

First up is Lieutenant Aldo Raine (Pitt), an American soldier intent on getting his own back on Hitler's Nazis through the most violent, gory means he can. Raine leads a band of Jewish American soldiers, The Basterds, who are gaining a reputation as the most terrifying gang a Nazi soldier can run into.

Raine's Basterds, who include Hugo Stiglitz (Schweiger), a German soldier who turned on his own army, are tasked with getting their leader 100 Nazi scalps each, cut from their victims - so you can see where the trademark Tarantino gore comes in.

Raine may be awkward, crude and completely devoid of any elegance, but he's the film's hero and along with The Basterds provides much of the humour.

Meanwhile, Shosanna (Laurent) has her own reasons for revenge. Her family were killed by Nazi Colonel Hans Landa (Waltz) when she was a teenager and she's now running a cinema in Paris.

When Shosanna meets smitten German soldier Frederick Zoller (Brühl) who has had a film made about his war exploits, Shosanna's cinema is chosen as the venue of the premiere.

With the guest list including some of the most influential names in the Nazi party, Shosanna realises this is her chance to settle the score with the soldiers who murdered her family.

Finally, the British army have also got wind of the event and want to team up some of their spies with Raine and German actress Bridget Von Hammersmark (Kruger) to sabotage the screening.

But it's a case of too many cooks spoiling the broth, as each of those involved goes after their goal with a vengeance, muddling up all of the plans.

Unsurprisingly, what the film builds towards is a bloody, violent climax of all parties seizing the opportunity to change history by culling the Nazis.

Fans of a good old Tarantino shoot out will definitely not be disappointed.

One of the greatest things about Inglourious Basterds is the international cast that lend authenticity to every role, rather than using American actors with cod European accents.

But as perfect as Diane Kruger is in the role of one of Germany's sweethearts who's conspiring against her country, it's Melanie Laurent as Shosanna who really deserves the title of the film's main female star.

Brad Pitt proves as he did with last year's Burn After Reading that he can tackle comedy scenes better than a lot of actors who specialise in the genre, and his larger than life character is one of the things that really makes this film.

But if one actor out of a brilliant cast had to be singled out, Christoph Waltz as Colonel Hans Landa could be the only choice.

Smug, prissy, instantly hateable and with some of the best lines in a razor-sharp script, Waltz is what makes Inglourious Basterds glorious.

As Landa himself says, "That's a bingo!".

Katie Archer

Film Facts

Rating: 5 stars

Cert: 18

Genre: War drama

Director: Quentin Tarantino

Starring: Brad Pitt (The Curious Case of Benjamin Button), Melanie Laurent, Diane Kruger (National Treasure: Book of Secrets), Christoph Waltz, Daniel Brühl (The Bourne Ultimatum), Eli Roth (Death Proof), Til Schweiger

Memorable lines: "Each and every man under my command owes me one hundred Nazi scalps... and I want my scalps!"

Did you know? The film-within-the-film, Nation's Pride, was directed by Eli Roth

Verdict: Classic Tarantino, on a par with Reservoir Dogs and Pulp Fiction