The Hateful Eight – A Review

The Short Version: for his eighth film – I see what you did there Tarantino – QT helms a movie that’s a little bit Reservoir Dogs, a little bit Agatha Christie, and a whole lotta Tarantino and creates while not a masterpiece, a very good movie that’s a love letter to movies and the whole process of going to the movies. I give it a B+. (Along with blood groups A, O and AB because a great deal of claret is thrown about.)

The Long Version and in the immortal words of River Song, "Spoilers!"

The Good: The cast to H8 is fantastic with QT veterans and newbies really stepping up and delivering his dialogue and making it work. (Not a feat every actor can accomplish.) Russell, Roth and Jackson deliver (duh) while Goggins and Leigh – especially Leigh, what a performance – make their rather H8-full characters intriguing and compelling. The 70mm format is no gimmick as QT and his DP fill the screen with gorgeous widescreen imagery and also intimate close-ups that are almost painterly in their depiction. And Morricone’s music really sets the scenes. (BTW, the maestro couldn’t do a full score so astute listeners will hear some cues from The Thing.)

The Bad: at a little over three hours and some loose change the movie never really earns its length. There are some scenes, especially in the first half, that verge on padding but again thanks to the cast the movie never drags but it does slow down. However, let’s face it, this is Tarantino who loves to hear his dialogue, you know that, I know that and we know that before setting foot inside the theater. And the second half is definitely the faster paced of the two.

The Ugly: this isn’t a tale of good, bad guys or bad, good guys. No, this is a tale of bad guys and worst guys. However, your mileage may vary. (Personally, I found some of their motivations – like Jackson’s Bounty Hunter or rather Bounty Killer – quite understandable. Hard people for hard times. Credit to QT for not going soft on the characterizations and letting bastards be bastards.)

If you can see it in the 70mm Roadshow. It’s worth it.

P.S. The moral of the story; nothing good ever comes from taking up residence in a cabin in the woods. (See: The Thing, Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Cabin in the Woods, Evil Dead I & II and The H8-ful Eight.

Also see: "Spam in a Cabin."

Did you see the Roadshow in panavision??

Yep, in all its 70mm glory.

Yep, in all its 70mm glory.

And?? (I’m not reading you review until after I’ve seen it :p)

And?? (I’m not reading you review until after I’ve seen it :p)

Is a thing of beauty, it is. And Chris Nolan is prepping his next movie, apparently a WWII film, and plans to shoot it in, according to Tarantino, in 70mm.