5. It's Got A Great Love Story
You might not realise it at first given all of the bloodshed and uses of the n-word, but Django Unchained is above all else a love story, the desperate quest of one tortured soul to rescue his wife from the clutches of an evil plantation owner who is using her as a house maid and often something more nefarious. Even though Jamie Foxx and screen wife Kerry Washington don't get many scenes together, their connection is felt throughout the film by visions that appear before Django of his wife bathing in the lake or following the pair on their journey. He might be the strong, silent type, but we know he loves his wife deeply - he doesn't need to say it, and of course, the first time they catch sight of each other at Candie's home, it's made abundantly clear. Django's sole driving force is to reclaim his wife; the trailers might suggest that vengeance is the key, but really, it isn't. It's about getting a lost love back and getting on with your life, and Tarantino cements this in a manner that is unsentimental but all the same probably the most heartfelt central motivation of any of the director's films. There is no greed at the forefront; it is a selfless affection for another person, and that's actually kinda nice.