Today’s quick review: The Hateful Eight. Major Marquis Warren (Samuel L. Jackson), a bounty hunter on his way to Red Rock, Wyoming, hitches a ride with John Ruth (Kurt Russell), a fellow hunter taking his bounty (Jennifer Jason Leigh) to be hanged. After picking up a Confederate sheriff (Walton Goggins), the travelers hole up in a lodge with four other strangers (Demian Bichir, Tim Roth, Michael Madsen, and Bruce Dern) to wait out a blizzard.
The Hateful Eight is a Western crime drama from writer and director Quentin Tarantino. The Hateful Eight features a large and talented cast, a simple premise, and a complicated plot that dives deeply into the circumstances that have brought the eight travelers together. The movie is a deliberate watch that takes its time setting up its plot hooks and suspicions. The payoff is an engrossing mystery punctuated by Tarantino’s trademark violence.
The Hateful Eight is the epitome of a slow burn. The film runs nearly three hours, and it splits its time evenly between setup and a tightly controlled escalation to the finish. The slow story works only because its particulars are so intriguing. The characters are colorful and full of surprises, while the film’s subtle plot hooks and thoughtful direction make its scenes interesting to watch even when very little seems to be going on.
The Hateful Eight is missing many of Tarantino’s stylistic quirks. The dishonorable characters, the dark tone, and the degree of violence all match his modus operandi, but he seems content to let the story speak for itself, with only the odd stylistic flourish. Fans of Tarantino’s perky, ironic style will find The Hateful Eight to be more sober than usual but no less skillful. The violence is likewise extreme but saved for when it’s needed.
Watch The Hateful Eight when you are in the mood for a dark, gory mystery with plenty of secrets to hide. The combination of well-drawn characters, a confined setting, and tight direction makes the movie a tense, satisfying watch from start to finish. Those who are at all sensitive to language or violence, those hoping for an action movie, and those who prefer stories with heroes will want to steer well clear.
For another Quentin Tarantino movie in the same vein, try Reservoir Dogs, Inglourious Basterds, or Django Unchained. For a lengthy Western with less violence, a more balanced tone, and excellent acting and direction, try The Good, the Bad and the Ugly. For a crime thriller with a confined setting and dark secrets, try Bad Times at the El Royale.
7.8 out of 10 on IMDB. I give it a 7.5 to 8.0 for skillful storytelling that never takes its eye off the ball.