Review of The Hateful Eight (2015) by Bradley J — 03 Jan 2017

I have always found Quentin Tarantino to be an inherently frustrating director. His films are characterized by a distinct amount of self-indulegent length, draggy speeches, and over-the-top characters.

In these regards, The Hateful Eight is no different than his previous films. However, his eye for stylish violence and excessive narratives proves more enjoyable than usual with this film. It is a locked-room mystery thriller with a host of stealthy characters to combat and if the film drifts into highly offensive territory, it is an offense aimed at every demographic instead of singling out a specific group.

It is unfortunate, though that the treatment of the sole lead female character as misogynistic keeps rearing its ugly head. While Kurt Russell and Jennifer Jason Leigh bounce well off each other, the violence projected onto Leigh's character is startling.

But again, so is the violence throughout. The performances all shine and the action here is staged like a gripping stage play. Tarantino has finely delivered a film I can enjoy. I am shocked. Rating: 75.