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Does Jaimie Fox transcend his role in order to allow me to feel the suspense and disbelief of the film?
This is the question I have been asked for the third part of an analysis of Jamie Fox’s portrayal of Django and oh man is it a resounding YES.
The difficult part about Django Unchained is that the story itself is very unrealistic but this is the nature of most Western films: the protagonist as a natural shot, with a strong heart and sense of morality who must shoot his way out of ridiculously impossible situations. However, all of this becomes muddled as Django is a freed slave, who has most likely never held a gun let alone shot one and his moral strength is forcefully twisted with his new found freedom.
It is ridiculous to believe that a man of Django’s circumstance could shoot a pistol better than Billy the Kid but somehow, Jaimie Fox plays the role so well that the only explanation that the audience needs is Dr. Schultz’s exclamation, “The kid’s a natural!” I believe that Fox’s ability to make the audience believe him has everything to do with Tarantino’s direction. At the very first encounter with Django, Dr. Shultz removes his shackles and despite the bitter cold and incredibly weak legs, Django does not fall to the ground or say thank you, instead he throws off his light blanket with both arms and reveals his beaten but sculpted body, all in slow motion, as he proceeds to further prove his strength and legendary character by stepping lightly on a horse to inflict pain on the slaver hurling insults at him. Jaimie Fox does all of this with such graceful intent that the audience has no room to question his actions. He is Django.