The Hateful Eight
In the dead of a Wyoming winter, a bounty hunter and his prisoner find
shelter in a cabin currently inhabited by a collection of nefarious
characters.
Director:Quentin Tarantino
Writer:Quentin Tarantino
Stars:Samuel L. Jackson, Kurt Russell, Jennifer Jason
Storyline
Some time after the Civil War, a stagecoach hurtles through the wintry
Wyoming landscape. Bounty hunter John Ruth and his fugitive captive
Daisy Domergue race towards the town of Red Rock, where Ruth will bring
Daisy to justice. Along the road, they encounter Major Marquis Warren
(an infamous bounty hunter) and Chris Mannix (a man who claims to be Red
Rock's new sheriff). Lost in a blizzard, the bunch seeks refuge at
Minnie's Haberdashery. When they arrive they are greeted by unfamiliar
faces: Bob, who claims to be taking care of the place while Minnie is
gone; Oswaldo Mobray, the hangman of Red Rock; Joe Gage, a cow puncher;
and confederate general Sanford Smithers. As the storm overtakes the
mountainside, the eight travelers come to learn that they might not make
it to Red Rock after all...
User Reviews
OK - if you've already
seen the movie and hated it, my review won't change your mind, so move
along folks, move along, there's nothing to see for you here, thanks.
Now
for you, dear film fan, who is about to watch 'The Hateful Eight', but
who is now slightly worried because of some very mixed critical
reactions - for YOU I'm writing this 100% spoiler-free review.
Judging
from many comments here on IMDb and other forums, I gather that many
long-time Tarantino fans apparently don't like his newest film. I had
feared such a reaction as soon as I had finished watching the movie.
It's obviously Tarantino's least accessible effort yet, and there's a
number of reasons for that, not the least of which being that this is
simply not the film most people expected (or felt they were promised).
So if you haven't seen it yet and you're a bit doubtful because of the
negative reviews, let me tell you: you'll likely end up loving it - as I
did - IF you prepare yourself juuuust a little. And because I really
liked the movie, I would like to help you do that via a short list of
recommendations. Ready? Here it goes:
1. Don't go watch 'The
Hateful Eight' expecting a "classic" Western. It might belong to the
Western genre, but if all that talk about Ultra 70mm Panavision had you
thinking of lush outdoor scenery, vast landscapes or anything resembling
a Sergio Leone movie, you'll end up disappointed. There are a few nice
shots showing snowy mountains, but 95% (perhaps more) of the story
unfolds indoors (in one single room) - which isn't to say that the
cinematography isn't absolutely fantastic. In fact, it's more than
fantastic: it's stunning and worthy of an Oscar.
2. Don't expect
any exciting "action" scenes (for lack of a better word: I don't mean
the 'Fast & Furious' kind of action scenes) every 10 minutes or so;
in fact, don't expect anything other to happen between the characters
than dialog for a loooooong time. Unlike in Tarantino's previous films
where we got almost "spoiled" by unexpected over-the-top moments in
nearly every scene (except maybe for 'Jackie Brown' and 'Deathprooof'),
this film has a very, very slow build. But: that's not to say it ISN'T
exciting (or that nothing does happen) - it's just that the excitement
and tension result mainly from the dialog and the excellent performances
by the cast (at least for roughly two thirds of the movie).
3.
Best approach this film as you would theater; for that's what 'The
Hateful Eight' really is: a stage play disguised as a movie. A stage
play of a "Who-Done-It" murder mystery with a touch of Agatha Christie.
But then again, that's also a disguise, for the murder mystery is just a
ploy to cast a look at a torn society rife with racial tension after
the civil war. Which, of course, again serves as an allegory for racial
relations in modern-day America and as the director's angry commentary
on how hateful that situation still is today, on all sides. Now that
sounds awfully serious, but don't worry; despite some hard-to-stomach
ugliness and the highly political undercurrent, there is plenty of
Tarantino's trademark humor throughout the whole film.
4. Don't
expect to find a likable character you can root for. There's a reason
for the film's title, and unlike in all his previous films, there is not
a single person in Tarantino's latest movie you'll feel any real
sympathy for. All the main characters have committed despicable, hateful
acts, and they're all beyond redemption - but that doesn't mean they're
not compelling to watch (especially given THIS cast: everyone is
fantastic, but Jackson, Russell, Jason Leigh and Goggins are just a joy
to watch).
5. Don't expect a complex plot. In my opinion, among
Q.T's films this is the one with the most straight forward and most
simple plot to date, yet at the same time it's arguably his most complex
- and most ambitious - film.
So, dear film fan, that's it:
adhere to these here 5 "commandments", and there's a big chance you'll
end up loving Mr. Banana Chin's latest oeuvre as much as I did (mind;
you might love the film just as much without taking any of the above
advice). I admit, it took me a while to get into this dialog-heavy stage
play and would-be Western, but once I did, I never looked back (and I
can hardly wait to watch it again).
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