The Hateful Eight (2015)

Review by CJ

Director:
Quentin Tarantino

Starring:
Samuel L. Jackson, Kurt Russell, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Tim Roth, Michael Madsen, Bruce Dern, Demián Bichir, Walton Goggins, James Parks

Other notable appearances:
Channing Tatum, Dana Gourrier, Gene Jones, Zoë Bell

Running time:
187 minutes

Watch this if you liked:
Inglorious Basterds, Pulp Fiction, The Thing

 

Bounty hunter John Ruth (Russell) has captured wanted criminal Daisy Domergue (Leigh) who is worth $10,000. Ruth stops at Minnie’s Haberdashery to see out a blizzard before taking Daisy on to Red Rock where she will be hanged. When they arrive, they find Minnie’s already has guests and it is up to Ruth to decide who is friend and who is foe.

One of the first things I noticed about The Hateful Eight is that there are a lot of racial slurs used. While this portrays the language used at the time in which the story is set, if you think the first few examples are just for impact and it’ll lessen — it won’t. If this is something that bothers you in a film, then these aren’t the celluloids you are looking for.

All of the actors involved gave great performances in The Hateful Eight. Russell is always a blast to watch in a western setting. Leigh is almost unrecognisable as the rough murderess with a vile mouth. Jackson was characteristically passionate in his portrayal of Major Marquis Warren. I loved Tarantino’s cameo as the voice over during later chapters. If Tarantino went into the business of reading audiobooks, I would listen to almost anything he recorded.

The Hateful Eight is a long movie and it does feel long at times. For the most part, this is due to The Hateful Eight being heavy on dialogue and, while it wouldn’t be a Tarantino movie without a few gory deaths, there isn’t a lot that actually happens throughout most of the film.

The plot is good but nothing special. I didn’t love it but I didn’t have any strong negative feelings towards it either. The main emotion I felt while watching The Hateful Eight was boredom. That’s not to say there weren’t moments that I enjoyed but there were frequent appearances made by the boredom fairy.

Overall, I enjoyed watching great actors work but don’t feel The Hateful Eight is the best representation of a Tarantino film. It’s a good story but hardly seems worth having to wade through three hours, during most of which not a lot happens.

Rating:

“Ain’t no way I’m spending a couple of nights under a roof with somebody I don’t know who they are. So who are you?”