Say what you want about Quentin Tarantino, but he is probably one of the most unique and daring Directors out there. By now we know what to expect from his films; gratuitous violence and over the top vulgarity combined with a love of retro pop culture and actors. We feel we shouldn’t like his films, but he presents such a visceral film experience that we can’t help but get over our political correctness and hold on for the ride of his cinematic visions. In addition, his love of cinema, especially the movie going experience from the 60’s and 70’s is infectious and he tries to recreate that magic in all his films. ‘The Hateful Eight’ is Tarantino’s eighth film and I won’t say its ground breaking, but it is an ode to the Westerns of the 60’s and 70’s. Tarantino used 70mm film, which hasn’t been used since back in that time period and I’m glad he did. I forgot how wonderfully it captures the expanses and landscapes so much more than film today. Again, he tries to recreate that movie going experience from our childhood and he succeeds.
Another thing that Tarantino is not afraid to do is take his time in rolling out a story. “The Hateful Eight’ is a simple old fashion whodunnit story that takes place in a remote way station in Wisconsin, but the film is 3 hours long. I can already hear the groans, but the story moves such that it doesn’t feel that long and the film is divided into two overlapping stories that is divided by an actual 15 minute Intermission. When was the last time you went to a movie that had an actual Intermission? Tarantino has a love of overlapping stories that reveals and enhances the perspective of the overall story. ‘The Hateful Eight’ is a more straightforward, where he only has two intertwined stories that happen sequentially. Still, it is visually enthralling to watch and Tarantino’s usual band of actors are back.
I would have to say there are co-leads in the film. New-comer to Tarantino films, yet a veteran actor, Kurt Russel plays John ‘The Hangman’ Ruth. He is a bounty hunter who is collecting the prize on a mysterious prisoner named Daisy Domergue (another veteran actor, Jennifer Jason Leigh). Trying to beat an incoming blizzard on his way to collect the bounty, he runs across another bounty hunter, former Yankee Major Maquis Warren (Samuel L Jackson) and later a man who claims to be the Sheriff of the town they are going to, former Confederate soldier Chris Mannix (Walter Goggins). Knowing that they will not be able to outrun the blizzard, the men stop at the nearest way station they find with the plan to hunker down until the storm passes. The inn is not empty and contains another group of men with the same plan to wait out the storm. Major Warren is familiar with the proprietor of the station, who is missing, and both he and Ruth realize at least one of the people there has done something nefarious to the owner and has plans to rescue Daisy Domergue. The race is on to find out which one it is and to save themselves from someone who is almost assuredly going to kill them to rescue Daisy.
Tarantino is a master a spreading out tension as well as explosive and graphic fight scenes. We know that everyone staying at the station is unsavory and Tarantino reveals just enough of their backstories to be excruciating as we try to figure out which one is the culprit…or is it more than one? Russell has a swagger that befits his acting style and is the immediate presence and center of the story. While wary of Major Marquis, he finds that he is the only one in which he has the smallest amount of trust. Systematically, both Ruth and Marquis try to pry out each person’s backstory to determine if the coincidence that brought them all together is just that… a coincidence.
I won’t say that this is one of Tarantino’s greatest films. I am also disappointed that most of the film takes place indoors as one of the reasons to use 70 mm film is to show vast landscapes. That being said, the movie is a beautiful visual feast and Tarantino has an eye for frames like no other. As always, his use of vulgarity is over the top, even for someone like me who is not offended by that. When the action starts, the violence is brutal and even the most hardened film goer will wince at the gratuitousness. For fans of Quentin, he doesn’t disappoint. It’s not your typical Western, but Tarantino doesn’t make typical movies. Despite everything I listed, it is a nostalgic return to the films of the 60’s and 70’s which I believe is Tarantino’s ultimate goal. I won’t say go see it, but I think if you do go you will enjoy it for what it is. I’ll qualify that with, if you are a film enthusiast, definitely go see it as it is a beautifully made film.
I give this film *** stars
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