Saw it. When I first heard about it I loved the idea, but my fear when I saw the trailer was -- given how much we dwell on current events and perhaps over-think occasionally around here -- that people would see these bloody, torturing Jews and not only think that this has a grain of truth to what really happened, but that it would be used to say, "Aha! You see, this is how the Israelis behave today! We told you they were bloodthirsty!" I also figure Tarantino's politics lean toward the moonbat, having seen him give a flattering introduction to Michael Moore some time ago, and that couldn't help but seep through, right?

I can say after seeing the film I'm no longer so concerned. Without getting into too much detail and ruining anything, this film is clearly an over the top fantasy. To be paralyzed by the fear that it could be used to some nefarious purpose today would be akin to the same fear that keeps Jews from sticking up for themselves generally -- a preemptive worry that they'll be seen as confirming negative stereotypes merely by defending themselves and which gives their enemies the field.

I say if you like Tarantino's style (and I admit that I hate Tarantino -- mostly because I envy him his success and his genius), then you'll love this movie. It's bloody, it's violent, innocents and the people you like are often caught in the crossfire...but it's very entertaining and the 2 1/2 hours fly by.

Tid bits: The audience I was with actually laughed when they showed the "Basterds" at the beginning of the film -- the part you can see in the trailer with Brad Pitt explaining what they were going to do. Tarantino clearly went out of his way to cast a bunch of ethnically Jewish-looking nebishes who look completely out of place in the circumstance. It's a sort of displacement to see these guys when we're trained to expect the cast from the Dirty Dozen and it draws giggles from an audience more trained to seeing this type of person getting ready to board the bus for law school. Very clever and quite intentional on Tarantino's part.

There's also a treat in the film for Red Sox fans.

Debbie Schlussel loved it.

BTW, the ADL issued a statement saying, "If only it were true!"