Film Critique

Jaimee Stevenson

Professor Bomboy

Humanities 101

6 May 2014

Film Critique

Pulp Fiction is a film written and directed by Quentin Tarantino, who has an extremely grungy, action-based style that he implements in his films. Pulp Fiction tells a story out of sequence while still successfully portraying an order of events that manages to begin and end the film within the same scene. This film was created primarily for entertainment, however Tarantino undoubtedly inserted his artistic style in the film, not to make a statement, but to present himself as a writer, director, and actor. Tarantino is known for making cameos in his films, usually as small roles only acting in one or two scenes. The plot of this film shows the lives of two hit men, a gangster and his wife, a boxer, and a bandit couple whose stories intertwine with redemption and violence.

The film begins with the bandit couple who have decided to make a diner their target for robbery. This scene depicts crime right from the beginning of the movie, representing the whole theme of the film. Viewers are lead to believe that this couple will continue to appear throughout the film, possibly as primary characters; however, the scene ends on a cliffhanger and these particular characters are not seen again until the very last scene in the film.

The two mob-men are introduced next, and the plotline at this point in the film is confusing and undetermined. Viewers are uncertain about the direction of the film, and there is no background told about the mob-men and no known reason for their actions at this point. Additionally, it is unknown what the mob-men’s intentions are or what they are trying to accomplish. Considering all of the unknowns, Tarantino captures his audience’s attention using humor, established actors, and clever script. The conversation between the mob-men, played by Samuel L. Jackson and John Travolta, remains quick-witted and cunning throughout the film.

Next, viewers are introduced to drug use and the gangster’s wife, who has been mentioned but never seen until this point. This scene builds on what was shown in the previous scene and the sequence of the film begins to unfold. The chronological sequence ends with the following scene in which it is unknown of the time and relevance to the previous scenes and characters. Tarantino maintains his audience’s attention using action and brilliant dialogue. At this point in the film the all of the primary characters have been introduced and their designations are better understood.

The remainder of the film depicts a series of crime scenes and immensely indulging script. Tarantino makes an appearance as a highly contrasting character given the nature of the film, and perhaps this is his intention as a director to stand out in the film. Although the film remains out of sequence, the chronological order is understood; however, the history of the characters are unknown. Each scene portrays a day out of the character’s life in which a major event has occurred or it holds meaning to the character. It is unknown as to how the characters have gotten where they are and where they will end up; this film shows transitional periods in the character’s lives.

The film concludes in the same diner scene in which it started. The bandit couple are again seen and although their lives do not interfere with the mobsters, their stories connect at this point for a climactic ending. The epilogue is again out of sequence from the rest of the film, but it is known that this scene chronologically occurs previous from other scenes, despite being the epilogue.

Tarantino ingeniously created a film that is out of sequence, yet loops from beginning to end. Each scene in the film builds upon the previous scene despite the lack of chronological order. Pulp Fiction is captivating and brilliantly thought-out by the director and actors. All of the actors communicated their characters flawlessly and forcefully to create a highly entertaining film. The film is enhanced by the accurate portrayal of the time-period through the costumes, music, scenery, and language. Pulp Fiction is a fun, invigorating, and inadvertently comical film that should not be missed out on.