Filmology Rating: 3.25 out of 4

Set in Wyoming post Civil War, The Hateful Eight starts to take its shape. Bounty hunter John Ruth (Kurt Russel) and his fugitive captive Daisy Domergue (Jennifer Jason Leigh) are headed to the town Red Rock so that Daisy can hang for murder. Along the way, the stagecoach picks up a few more passengers (Samuel L. Jackson and Walton Goggins) who play another bounty hunter and a Sheriff, and are off to try and escape the blizzard on coming quickly behind them. They find a cabin to take shelter in and soon meet 4 other men in the cabin who are waiting out the blizzard as well (Most of these people are actors who you will recognize who all did an excellent job). Soon, this story escalates very quickly because these people may or not be there by random chance. We soon have a very fun game of who done it and the mystery starts to unfold. Directed by Quentin Tarantino, this movie was so much fun to watch. Now keep in mind, this movie does follow his typical Tarantino type of feeling meaning there is a lot of graphic violence and a lot of swearing and racial slurs. You have been warned…. The good thing that Tarantino brings to the film is the awesome dialogue and writing style. This is a 3 hr movie so this movie is very much carried by the dialogue and the character interaction. I thought that this was spot on and really well done. There were a few really good monologues throughout the film that were just fun to watch and listen to that were very well done. One thing that I really enjoyed in the movie was the setting, apart from the opening act, this movie takes place entirely in a cabin. This close quarters setting really makes you feel like you are there in the cabin watching this happen. This sense made me think of his first movie Reservoir Dogs and how that movie took place inside a warehouse for the majority of the film. Tarantino has a gift for making you feel like you are there in the moment watching these events take place in person and I very much appreciate that. This was a great movie to watch but I felt like it could’ve done without some of the excess dialogue. In the moment, you don't really see the excess because of how great the dialogue is but when it’s over, I thought that some of it could have been shortened or done away with. There is also one scene that I thought turned a lot of people off to the movie and one of the main characters (you will know it when you see/hear it). I feel like this was a little excess and didn’t really need to go that far. Other than that, I would very much recommend this movie but like I said, you’ve been warned about the violence and the language.

Rating: See It 

-Nick

The Hateful Eight is a bloody good time. Upon leaving the film I was unable to purge this tagline from my mind. With “The Hateful Eight”, Tarantino again manages to channel his cinematic mastery into a film that is both bizarre and technically impressive. The plot of The Hateful Eight centers on John Ruth “Hangman”, played by Kurt Russel, and his quest to bring outlaw Daisy Domergue, played by Jennifer Jason Leigh, to the nearest town. John Ruth “Hangman” is a bounty hunter who only earns his bounty through bringing outlaws in alive. John Ruth “Hangman” and Daisy Domergue are only two characters in a wonderfully large cast of characters. The most notable of the characters being Major Marquis Wallace, played by Samuel L Jackson. As the story progresses, intentions of each of the characters are revealed and the movie slowly descends into a Tarantino style bloodbath. 

What makes Tarantino films unique is their ability to effortlessly blend genres together. Many of Tarantino’s films, especially his more recent films, have combined film genres in a way that seems almost effortless. Whether it be the combination of gangster film and comedy in “Pulp Fiction”, or the blending of Western and Kung-Fu in “Kill Bill”, Tarantino seems almost incapable of creating a film that is contained within a single genre. This genre-blending style would mean nothing if Tarantino was unable to create and develop a character. Luckily, Tarantino is able to write and direct characters that are both unique and entertaining. All of Tarantino’s greatest strengths as a filmmaker are in full force here in “The Hateful Eight”, but so are some of his faults. 

The Hateful Eight is a film that is equal parts Western and Mystery. Contained within a small cabin during a raging blizzard, “The Hateful Eight” is constructed like a stage play. Characters interact more through their words then through their actions. Held within this Western/Mystery film is a glimpse into the conflicting ideologies of those who fought for the north and south in The Civil War. The character of Major Marquis Wallace serves as the driving force behind the confrontation in “The Hateful Eight”. In the end, the differing ideologies of “The Hateful Eight” also serve as the only emotional depth in a movie that is particularly devoid of it. Tarantino has always focused on his signature combinations of blood, violence, and comedy. In each of his films, Tarantino often takes these 3 factors to the excess, often at the expense of any sort of emotional depth. While the “Kill Bill” series is perhaps his most emotionally rich piece of filmmaking, “The Hateful Eight” could be considered his most shallow. The choices Tarantino makes in his films seem almost like a challenge to both audiences and critics. Can a movie that is both unnecessarily violent and vulgar yet technically perfect still be considered a great work of art? As Tarantino reaches the possible end of his filmmaking career (he plans to only direct 10 film), must we ask more of him, or simply enjoy the wonderfully diverse films that he creates? Go see “The Hateful Eight”, but be aware that this film holds both Tarantino’s greatest strengths and weaknesses.

Rating: See It 

-Tyler