Review of The Hateful Eight (2015) by Nightreviews — 03 Feb 2016

Watching a Tarantino film is a cinematic experience, better yet, a right of movie-passage; an experience that may not be as recognizable or appreciated now by the vast majority, but can surely be pointed out and appreciated by a fine few who can find similarities and influences with some of the last great auteurs and great directors of the past. And yet, like his films, Tarantino intended to present his sly and ultra-violent eighth film in the most roadshow way possible; with an overture, intermission and in 70mm no less. Maybe your wondering, after eight films, has Tarantino out done himself, especially after the exceptional critical and commercial praise of Django Unchained, for which he won an Academy Award in the Original Screenplay category? The answer my friends is, as Samuel L. Jackson so coyly says within the first lines of the film, “Got room for one more?”, cause Tarantino ain’t going anywhere yet!

Tarantino’s newest film, The Hateful Eight is every bit as brilliant, violent, unapologetic and masterful than his last, plus some. Writing in a way that can only Tarantino can write, The Hateful Eight proves that the master scribbler has no intention of letting up, or letting lose of his racial, sexist and down-right offensive subject matter in his older age.

But before we get into all that, lets take a little history lesson….

Back in 2014, the original script for the film leaked online, which gave Tarantino a very easy choice to make, he scrapped the project in pre-production altogether. Opting to make the film a novella instead, a cast was chosen to give a brief reading of the script in LA. The cast, who is almost identical to the final cast seen in the film, with the stark exception of Jennifer Jason Leigh, who replaced Amber Tamblyn in the read as Daisy Domergue, as well as the addition of Demián Bichir and a super secret role of Channing Tatum, The Hateful Eight saw the light after all. Thankfully, after a very successful and publicized read, and with the help of the convincing of good friend Samuel L. Jackson, a frequent collaborator of Tarantino, the writer extraordinaire re-wrote the first draft of the script, created two new alternative endings, and announced his plans to continue with The Hateful Eight as his next film. Alas, here I am today.

The film, which circles mostly among eight main characters, tells the story of a hangman, John “The Hangman” Ruth (Kurt Russell), who is notorious for claiming his earning with subject who are alive, and his seamlessly impossible quest of getting the wanted Daisy Domergue (Jennifer Jason Leigh), a woman convicted of murder, to the proper authorities for a hefty bounty. Unknown to him at the time on his way to Red Rocks, Colorado, Ruth’s coach, steered by the steady O.B Jackson (James Parks), encounters one helluva winter storm. Untrusting of anyone and everyone, except O.B, the storm swallows the travelling companions of two men; Major Marquis Warren (Samuel L. Jackson), also a bounty hunter, with some precious cargo of his own, and one Chris Mannix (Walton Goggins), an ex Lost-Causer militiaman who is on his way to Red Rocks to claim his new badge as Sherriff and inevitably, issue both Ruth and Warren, their bounty prizes. Too many coincidences yet? Trust me, we are just getting started.

As the two horseless men make their way on Ruth’s coach, Ruth makes an alliance with Major Warren, to both protect their bounties from anyone threatening to take it away from them. While the three men bond in the most bizarre ways, Mannix, an ex Confederate, laughs in the face of Major Warren and his conquests during the Civil War, showing just how stormy the next chapters of this epic story will actually be. As the storm takes a turn for the worst, the coach and all its occupants are forced to seek refuge in Minnie’s (Dana Gourrier) Haberdashery, a cozy and warm little stagecoach lodge the middle of nowhere.

Once settled, paranoia levels are high while we are introduced to the rest of Tarantino’s Hateful Eight. Among the new eight are; Joe Gage (Michael Madsen) a quiet man who so happens to be at Minnie’s on the quest to see his mother; General Sandy Smithers (Bruce Dern) an old Confederate General who is just being cozy playing chess; Oswaldo Mobray (Tim Roth), the hangman responsible of the actual hanging of Daisy once at Red Rocks, and my personal favourite Bob The Mexican (Damián Bichir), the only person in charge of running Minnie’s place while she is ‘conveniently’ away with her husband Sweet Dave (Gene Jones). Once the already inhabitant guests greet the new coach full of killers, bounty hunters and coachmen, the stage is set for one of the best whodunnits films in recent memory.

Essentially, this is Tarantino’s first attempt at a mystery film and without question, what a success it is. As expected, Tarantino, arguably, one of the best actor directors working today (and even possibly, of all-time), assembles a stellar cast full of vivid characters.