Few people are unfamiliar with the name of Quentin Tarantino's 2009 war film, Inglourious Basterds, starring Brad Pitt, Mélanie Laurent and Michael Fassbender, which has widely been hailed as a 'masterpiece' by critics and audiences alike. The film, written and directed by Quentin Tarantino, is currently available on Netflix, but fans have only a limited time to watch it before it leaves the platform on June 16.

The film's title was inspired by Italian director Enzo G. Castellari's 1978 film The Inglorious Bastards, with Mr Tarantino deliberately misspelling it to give it "a Basquiat-esque touch". Despite starting work on the script in 1998, Quentin initially struggled with the ending, instead directing the highly successful Kill Bill series and revisiting Basterds at a later date.

The film is a World War II revenge thriller that intertwines two main plots - one spotlighting a merciless group of Jewish-American soldiers, known as the 'Basterds', who execute savage assaults on Nazis, whilst another narrative revolves around Shosanna, a French-Jewish woman who survived a Nazi massacre and is scheming her own retribution by utilising her cinema house as a snare for high-ranking Nazi officials. Their individual pursuits for vengeance culminate in a fiery climax that reimagines history, delivering a finale imbued with Quentin's trademark violence, suspense, and dark humour.

Inglourious Basterds was a box office behemoth, racking up an impressive $321.5 million globally against its $70 million production budget. The film garnered eight Oscar nominations including Best Picture and Best Director and saw Christoph Waltz secure the Best Supporting Actor award for his role as Standartenführer Hans Landa.

He also clinched the Best Actor Award at the Cannes Film Festival on top of BAFTA, Golden Globe, Critics' Choice, and Screen Actors Guild awards. Brad Pitt, another of Hollywood's elite, was acclaimed for his portrayal of Lieutenant Aldo Raine in the flick.

Quentin has been quoted in GQ saying: "He's one of the last remaining big-screen movie stars. It's just a different breed of man. And frankly, I don't think you can describe exactly what that is because it's like describing starshine.

"I noticed it when we were doing Inglourious Basterds. When Brad was in the shot, I didn't feel like I was looking through the viewfinder of the camera.

"I felt like I was watching a movie. Just his presence in the four walls of the frame created that impression."

Critics lavished praise on Inglourious Basterds, with one critic noting: "Dialogue is sharp, the imagery mesmerizing and both come together to create a wildly entertaining film. Impossible to watch without wanting to be a Basterd yourself."

One critic hailed Inglourious Basterds as: "A brutal, audacious, triumphant piece of filmmaking that hits harder than a baseball bat to the jawbone." On the other hand, some reviewers were less than impressed, with one stating: "All the trademark Tarantino flourishes are here, the joyous splaying of gore; the self-referential dialogue; the artful artificiality and the juxtaposition of humor and violence, but they don't add up to much."

A further review read: "For all its visual bravura and occasional bursts of antic inspiration, it feels trivial, the work of a kid who can't stop grabbing his favourite shiny plaything." In contrast, a fan of the film praised it as: "Inglourious Basterds is Tarantino at his boldest - a genre-bending, dialogue-driven masterpiece that blends tension, humour, and brutal intensity with effortless style.

"From the unforgettable opening scene to the final shot, the film keeps you locked in with razor-sharp writing and a fearless approach to storytelling. The performances are phenomenal across the board, but Christoph Waltz steals the show with a chilling, magnetic presence that earned every bit of praise.

"The film doesn't follow the rules - and that's exactly what makes it so entertaining. Every scene is packed with purpose, often exploding in unexpected, satisfying ways."

One fan wrote: "Although Pulp Fiction is my favorite film all-time, Basterds is what I consider the finest of Tarantino's work. The most mature film of his excellent filmography," while another praised Brad Pitt, saying: "When you put comedy, action, story, Brad Pitt and Quentin Tarantino together, the only thing you can get is pure gold."

Another viewer commented: "Might be Tarantino's best effort so far. Gloriously gory and merciless brutality, plenty of action and twists. Great cinematography. Brad Pitt excels in this character, well all cast is just excellent in character.

"No nonsense in typical Tarantino fashion. Absolute must see, badass to the bone."

Inglourious Basterds is available to stream on Netflix until June 15.