The Hateful Eight

My Grade:  A

Quentin Tarantino is back with another western focusing on another bounty hunter. Instead of spanning multiple states this time, Tarantino sticks to mostly one location and builds the story in the way he does best:  through fantastic dialogue.

To discuss the plot of The Hateful Eight would venture too closely to spoiler territory, so I will get very basic:  a bounty hunter and his bounty take refuge from a deadly winter storm in a bar with a handful of other colorful and mysterious characters. Getting back to his non-linear style of storytelling, Tarantino crafts a thrilling caper with enough twists and turns to keep you guessing throughout its staggering three hours and seven minute run time. It does drag a bit at the beginning and has a surprising lack of violence (compared to Taratino’s usually bloody affairs)… until it makes up for that lack in a big way. 

The Hateful Eight brings together a who’s who of Tarantino classics including Samuel L. Jackson, Walton Goggins, Tim Roth, Michael Madsen, Bruce Dern, and Kurt Russell. But it’s the newcomer Jennifer Jason Leigh that steals the show from these heavy hitters (and she earned an Oscar nomination for it). This kind of claustrophobic film requires a stellar cast with compelling dialogue to succeed. And that’s exactly what it does.

Most notably, Jackson delivers one of the more memorable (and rather despicable) monologues in the history of Tarantino films. He captivates his on screen audience as well as the viewer while proving why he is one of the all-time greats. One character doesn’t outshine the rest, though, in this well-acted ensemble piece. It’s not without its flaws, though. The biggest flaw in this film is the seemingly random voiceover that pops up in awkward spots. It doesn’t add much to the story and is, quite frankly, a bit cheesy. That’s a small blemish, though, in an otherwise solid film.

Overall, The Hateful Eight provides exactly what we’ve come to expect from a Tarantino flick:  non-linear plot, chapter-style storytelling, cartoonish violence, unique characters, and outstanding dialogue. It’s one of his best since Pulp Fiction.