Once Upon a Twilight!: Movie Review: The Weinstein Company's The Hateful Eight

The Hateful Eight
Directed By: Quentin Tarantino
Writers: Quentin Tarantino
Starring: Samuel L. Jackson, Kurt Russell, Jennifer Jason Leigh
MPAA Rating: Rated PG-13 for sci-fi action violence
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Some time after the Civil War, a stagecoach hurtles through the winery Wyoming landscape. Bounty hunter John Ruth and his fugitive captive Daisy Domergue race towards the town of Red Rock, where Ruth will bring Daisy to justice. Along the road, they encounter Major Marquis Warren an infamous bounty hunter; and Chris Mannix a man who claims to be Red Rocks new sheriff. Lost in a blizzard the bunch seek refuge at Minnie's haberdashery. When they arrive they are greeted by unfamiliar faces: Bob, who claims to be taking care of the place while Minnie is gone; Oswaldo Mobray, the hangman of red rock; Joe Gage, a cow puncher; and confederate general Sanford Smithers. As the storm overtakes the mountainside, the eight travelers come to learn that they might not make it to Red Rock after all...

The Hateful Eight (ironically enough) is the 8th film by Quentin Tarantino. Going into The Hateful Eight everything was kept pretty obscure, the most we knew going in was that because of a blizzard, eight strangers paths cross when seeking refuge. Keeping it this vague is exactly what you want when dealing with a movie like this.

One of the best ways I can describe this film is if Tarantino took his very own Reservoir Dogs, threw it in a Western, along with the movie/game "Clue," you would get The Hateful Eight. The Hateful Eight is not only one of the most fun experiences I've had watching a movie all year but also one of the best cinematic experiences I've had all year. It has everything you want from a Tarantino film, from the rich dialogue to the unique, one-of-a-kind characters.

Tarantino brings an a-list cast and this a-list cast are all on their A-game, Samuel L. Jackson, Kurt Russell, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Walton Goggins, Tim Roth, Demian Bichir, Michael Madsen, and Bruce Dern. Everyone absolutely knocks it out of the park with their rolls, great performances left and right, Tarantino tends to bring out the best out of everyone, every time. All the characters/ actors here are all captivating but it's the character of Samuel L. Jackson's "Major Marquis Warren" that steals the show, right behind Walton Goggins's character who's also a thrill to watch, but it's Sam Jackson that steals all the scenes he's in. There's this one particular scene he has with Bruce Dern's character, that he just blows you away. Again, all the actors here are just extraordinary.

This is a three hour film in which most of the movie we have all our characters stuck inside a cabin. And while yes, since this is a Quentin Tarantino movie we are due for a full on Tarantino-like massacre scene, it's the brilliant dialogue that carries the film and keeps you so invested throughout it. Whether we had the characters meeting for the first time, or sharing a story, it's the dialogue, that in depth dialogue that Tarantino's known for, that not only makes the characters and their meetings with one another standout, but has you glued to the screen the entire time. Something I also enjoyed throughout the story, was that it didn't only completely focus on the mystery between the eight strangers but also started touching on a few relatable topics such as morals and racial issues.

The great cinematography by Robert Richardson and score by Ennio Morricone went absolutely perfect with the film. Tarantino shooting the film in 70mm, added more to the cinematography, allowing wider and grander shots of the snowy landscapes, also allowing much more detail to be captured when our characters were stuck inside the cabin.

A little something special Mr. Tarantino did with his release of The Hateful Eight, was both shooting it in 70mm and giving it a roadshow theatrical release. Tarantino at the end of the day is a big a movie buff like the rest of us, and wanted to give us a special treat. Roadshow theatrical releases were a big thing back in the day (particularly in the 60's), and they would give you souvenir programs for the movie you're going to see, having an overture before the movie starts, as well as having an intermission throughout the film. Having a unique cinematic experience like this doesn't come around that often these days, it's definitely something I'd recommend doing if your local theater is showing The Hateful Eight in it's 70mm presentation.

At the end of the day I'm really glad Tarantino didn't completely cancel the making of this film after the script leak like he had originally intended, because The Hateful Eight is one of my favorite movies of the year. Tremendous performances to go along with such intriguing characters, top notch cinematography, awesome score, everything you'd would want in a Tarantino/ mystery-who done it film, and an overall great cinematic experience. I absolutely loved The Hateful Eight.