Official Tagline: While racing toward the town of Red Rock in post-Civil War Wyoming, bounty hunter John “The Hangman” Ruth (Kurt Russell) and his fugitive prisoner (Jennifer Jason Leigh) encounter another bounty hunter (Samuel L. Jackson) and a man who claims to be a sheriff. Hoping to find shelter from a blizzard, the group travels to a stagecoach stopover located on a mountain pass. Greeted there by four strangers, the eight travelers soon learn that they may not make it to their destination after all.
Written by: Quentin Tarantino
Directed by: Quentin Tarantino
Starring: Samuel L. Jackson, Kurt Russell, Jennifer Jason Leigh , Walton Goggins, Demian Bichir, Tim Roth, Michael Madsen, Bruce Dern
The Hateful 8 is Quentin Tarantino’s eight official motion picture [He actually did a film before Reservoir Dogs, but doesn’t acknowledge it] and if you are a Tarantino fan, then you will very likely love this movie. If you want to see Samuel L. Jackson’s character, Major Marquis Warren describe in great detail how he forces at gun point, a naked, freezing, southern redneck to perform fellatio on him, then you will really love this movie. If you enjoy long, long scenes of dialogue, then buy a ticket now! Like lots of blood, guts and violence? Step right up and enjoy the show. If hearing the F Bomb and the N word dropped almost every other word, then this is the one movie you want to see this year. If you don’t like those things, then this may not be your cup of tea.
The Hateful 8 begins with a drafty stagecoach slogging over a snow covered trail. On board are bounty hunter John Ruth [Kurt Russell], known as the Hangman and his bounty, Daisy Domergue [Jennifer Jason Leigh] bound for the mountain town of Red Rock for Daisy’s appointment with a noose. Along the way they pick up another bounty hunter, Major Marquis Warren [Samuel L. Jackson] and the new lawman of Red Rock, or so he says, Sheriff Chris Mannix [Walton Goggins]. Their journey is interrupted by a fast moving blizzard and they are force to take refuge at a remote, mountain stagecoach stop. There, they do not find the regular proprietors, but Bob [Demian Bichir] a burly Mexican, who says he is watching the place for the owners and three other stranded travelers, British dandy, Oswaldo Mobray [Tim Roth], cowboy Joe Gage [Michael Madsen] and confederate General Sandy Smithers [Bruce Dern]. John Ruth trusts no one and Warren is wary of Bob’s story as soon as they get off of the stage coach. Ruth and Warren form an uneasy alliance, not knowing if they can really trust anyone and as they night progresses they have good reason not to trust anyone.
The movie has elements of Reservoir Dogs, Agatha Christies Then There Were None and even Inglourious Basterds. There are parts of this movie that are very good, but also parts that lag on and on. There is even a jarring introduction of Tarantino suddenly narrating a section totally out of the blue which really does nothing to enhance the movie, but does blow the suspension of disbelief the audience may have had. You may think from this review that I hated The Hateful 8 and that is not the case. I enjoyed The Hateful 8, but didn’t love it. The movie is too long and uneven. The main problem is that Director Tarantino is too much in love with the dialogue that Writer Tarantino lavishly puts to paper and there is no filter between the two to tighten and steam line the story. This has been a problem with Tarantino’s films for a while now, he over indulges in the writing of over long exposition scenes, lacks discipline in editing in the writing and directing and this causes his films to lose focus and momentum. The acting is solid all around and the movie looks beautiful, but the directing is a little uneven.
If you are a fan of Tarantino or these actors, then Hateful 8 is worth a look, but you may want to go to the bargain matinee.
Screen Writer Ink
Fade In Is Just The Beginning