**Movie Review** The Hateful Eight

  Quentin Tarantino jumps right back into the Western genre with his latest offering "The Hateful Eight" but if you think you're just getting a rehash of "Django Unchained" then you have another thing coming. While very obviously a Tarantino movie (long dialogue scenes, swearing and gratuitous violence all very much present) it does have a certain old-time western feel albeit with a modern sensibility.

   The story revolves around John "The Hangman" Ruth (Kurt Russell) trying to deliver  Daisy Domergue (Jennifer Jason Leigh) to the town of Red Rock so he can collect the $10,000 bounty on her head. Along the way he picks up Major Marquis Warren (Samuel L. Jackson), a renowned Civil War veteran with a personal letter from Abraham Lincoln, and Chris Mannix (Walton Goggins), a former Confederate solider who claims to be the new sheriff of Red Rock. Due to the storm the 3 and their stagecoach driver OB (James Parks) are forced to stop at Minnie's Haberdashery to try and wait it out. Its here where the vast majority of the movie takes place as they are forced to share the space with a collection of characters who may or may not be lying about who they are and what they're really doing at Minnie's. There's Joe Gage (Michael Madsen), the quiet cowboy writing his life story in the corner with a candle and a bottle of liquor. Bob (Demian Bichir), a Mexican ranch hand who's in charge of the store while Minnie is away. General Sandy Smithers (Bruce Dern), the former Confederate General who's come to bury his son and finally Oswaldo Mobray (Tim Roth), English gentleman and current Hangman for the county. Cue the Murder and intrigue.....

Who can you trust?

   In true Tarantino fashion the movie is centered around not so much the violence, although there is plenty of that, but the characters and how they interact with each other. The cast he's assembled here is outstanding all the way through. Every character no matter how little of a role they play are all memorable and unique, not to mention perfectly cast. The best thing about watching Tarantino movies is seeing what great actors can do with great writing and when given a chance to make acting choices other directors may balk at. Tarantino casts his movie, gives them the script and then lets his actors add touches and flourishes that may not be on the page but still feel organic to who they are. While surely heightened versions it makes them more believable in a way and helps suck people into the world they live in, something lesser directors ignore doing.

   I can see why he wants to turn this into a stage production because other then "Reservoir Dogs" this has the most potential in that medium, as long as they got the actors to sell this material of course. "The Hateful Eight" outside of being a mystery is also a fascinating character study and one i have a feeling will only get better with multiple viewings once the secrets are revealed and you go back with informed eyes. Actions or motivations that once seemed odd or quirky can be viewed more menacingly or scared once you realize what is really going on. Its hard to make a 3-hour movie that begs for repeat viewings but Tarantino has done it here. You'll spend the first half of the movie trying to piece together what is going on through hints sprinkled throughout but its not until the reveal and re-watch that you can truly appreciate the subtlety involved in the performances.

   Subtle is not a word I'd use for either the violence or language however. While the first 2 hours is mostly dialogue and exposition the final hour does become what people think a Tarantino movie is with blood and bullets flying all over the place but it does add a refreshing change of pace in the movie itself and not is pointless and all does have a place in the story. Not to mention being extremely satisfying in a few cases. I will say though that the criticism Tarantino has been getting with his seeming ease at dropping racial slurs is becoming a bit distracting. I understand its time accurate and all but this movie, more then Django even really, seems to have no problem in dropping casual slurs at Sam Jackson (the only black character in the movie) but seems to shy away from any directed at our Mexican character Bob. Seems like racism of the time would be directed at everyone so its seeming focus on what group is a bit odd. Just something to keep an eye on Quentin.

Why ya picking on me?

   From a technical standpoint this movie looks great. I wish I'd have seen it in 70mm as intended because i can imagine it added an extra layer onto the already stellar atmosphere. The sound and view through the window of the blizzard outside as these people antagonize each other while having nowhere to go does a great job of adding tension. Helping that along is the excellent score by Ennio Morricone who came out of a 34 year Western retirement to write it. The unsettling beats as well as the setting reminded me of  John Carpenters score from "The Thing" and that's a good thing. Plus it has the added bonus of a legend going back to the thing that made him one in first place and good to see he hasn't lost it.

We talking scores now are we?

   Overall "The Hateful Eight" is an outstanding movie. While not as good as his last western "Django Unchained" this is a totally different kind of movie and stands out on its own as an excellent piece of film making. Do yourself a favor, set aside 3 hours and go check this one out.

Final Score: 8.5/10