The Hateful Eight Review
R: Strong Bloody Violence, a Scene of Violent Sexual Content [Flashback of a Naked Man blowing another Man] , Language and Some Graphic Nudity
The Weinstien Company
3 hrs and 7 Minutes [Roadshow Edition] | 2 hrs and 48 Minutes [regular release]
Cast: Samuel L. Jackson, Kurt Russell, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Walton Goggins, Tim Roth, Demian Bichir, Michael Madson, Bruce Dern, with Channing Tatum, and Zoe Bell
Editor’s Note: This review was originally published during my adolescence. Outdated language might be seen in these old posts. Since then, my thoughts and values have grown. This review is being presented as they were originally written, grammatical errors and typos and all. Because to do otherwise would be that same as claiming these flaws has never existed.
BACKSTORY: Monday December 14th, my friend Jon and I went to the NYC premiere of the Hateful Eight. We went through hell and back on a line that went around the corner. I had to go through texts and calls in order to get closer in line to get in. Because I'm Rendy, I was able to do so. During the film's intermission [oh yeah it had that] Bruce Dern approached me and said "you look like a mini Spike Lee you must get that a lot." If any of you readers are reading, yes I do get being called Spike Lee since I was a kindergartner [seriously my gym teacher called me that]. So many years I denied it even when I met Spike Lee I didn't even want to acknowledge my similar features to him, but at this point when you have an acting legend such as Bruce Dern literally approaching you saying you look like Spike Lee you might as well just accept it, and also take a selfie with him.
STORYLINE: A blizzard forced a bounty hunter, John "The Hangman" Ruth that escorting Daisy "The Prisoner" Domergue, a fugitive and powerful woman that accused for murder- to Red Rock for her judgment; also Marquis "The Bounty Hunter" Warren, and Chris "The Sheriff" Mannix- two another bounty hunters which they just met in their way- to find shelter. They discovered the nearest shelter, a stagecoach passover called "Minnie's Haberdashery", where they met another four strangers- Bob "The Mexican", Oswaldo "The Little Man" Mobray, Joe "The Cow Puncher" Gage, and Sanford "The Confederate" Smithers. All of them have their own background and characteristic- which created an intense situation inside the passover, where their reliance are tested- especially when a plot of betrayal and terrible finesse uncovered between them. Their own ability of survival tested in this dangerous encounter- which possibly change the lives of "The Hateful Eight"
REVIEW: Quentin Tarantino is known to a be a fearless and edgy director who doesn't shy from going into the nitty gritty. This is no exception with his new film The Hateful Eight. While watching this film I constantly reminisced on a recent interview I read where Tarantino wanted to adapt this into a Broadway production. Before viewing I kept questioning why and how, but after viewing I can see why he wants to, because The Hateful Eight plays out just as a stageplay. That was Tarantino's intention in the first place, which was to make this film as a homage to old Roadshow films from the 70s by even filming this in a 70mm panavision camera. The movie literally begins with a overture for you to get your seats and has an intermission for you to use the bathroom and converse with your peers. If only Interstellar had this type of release I bet it would've made more money. I'm just going to get to it and say, this film is great. The film has the western style of Django, the intensity of Reservoir Dogs, and the storybook telling of Kill Bill where it's put together in chapters. Its pretty much a mixture With the Hateful Eight you may have a western, but by the time you get to Chapter 3 it starts transitioning into a genuinely intense thriller. There are a lot of characters and nearly all of them have a certain level of depth in them and by the time it gets to the final act, everything becomes a bloody mess. Not that the ending is all over the place, it's just blood everywhere. Since it is a Tarantino film expect a lot of gory bloody violence, a lot of dark comedic humor, a lot of music that feels out of place to the scene it's being used in, and especially a lot of use of the word "nigger." With Django Unchained, I didn't mind the use of the word, because the setting and theme of the film was appropriate with the usage of the word. With this it's just overkill on how many times they say it. There is one black guy [L. Jackson] and the usage of nigger towards him is just annoying coming an hour into it. The rest of the cast is great with the exception of Tim Roth whose character feels like he was written for Christoph Waltz, but most likely he was unavailable for Spectre so he hired Tim Roth to do his role and said "do your best Christoph Waltz impersonation and go." The other actors are at times weaker than others then equally great, but constantly the one who overpowers all is Jennifer Jason Leigh. It's not only that her character is written so despicably and so conniving that you have to get a great actress to play her and Leigh's approach fits the bill. She is consistently evil and her delivery in her dialogue impacts you. She is the source of the genuine thrills and intensity in this film. The film may be long and it doesn't really start until you get up to Chapter 3, but it is an experience you won't regret.
LAST STATEMENT: Tarantino's Hateful Eight follows everything you would expect from a Tarantino film, but with its originality, filmmaking style, great performances [mainly from Jennifer Jason Leigh], and genuine thrills minute after minute adds a whole lot more. Tarantino's eighth film is just as much violently bloody fun as his previous 7 films.
Rating: 4/5 | 87%
Super Scene: Daisy tries to make a deal.
