The Hateful Eight

The Hateful Eight

Starring Samuel L. Jackson, Kurt Russell, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Walton Goggins

Directed by Quentin Tarantino

The Story:
Set sometime after the Civil War, bounty hunter John "The Hangman" Ruth (Kurt Russell) is escorting prisoner Daisy Domergue (Jennifer Jason Leigh) to Red Rock, Wyoming, to hang her for her crimes.  Along the way, driver O.B. (James Parks) sees a man on the road, who is also a bounty hunter and former slave turned Confederate war hero Marquis Warren (Samuel L. Jackson), who needs a ride to town.

After picking up Warren, they then proceed to pick up Red Rock sheriff Chris Mannix (Walton Goggins), and as a blizzard approaches, the crew takes refuge at Minnie's Haberdashery.  While Minnie and her husband are nowhere to be found, there are some strange inhabitants, including Mexican Bob (Demian Bichir), former Confederate general Smithers (Bruce Dern), British hangman Oswaldo Mobray (Tim Roth) and gunman Joe Gage (Michael Madsen).

As the storm rages outside, a stronger storm is unleashed inside, as the characters' pasts are revealed and intertwined in the most stunning and downright horrifying ways, and distrust and doubt are the least of the group's concerns.  Soon blood starts flowing, and the terrifying truth behind what likes behind the walls of Minnie's Haberdashery are revealed.

The Synopsis:
Quentin Tarantino has a unique directing and writing style all his own.  Some call it genius, other call it the ramblings of a madman.  "The Hateful Eight" falls somewhere in between, as his directing and writing style come into full frame, but also his tendency for gore and mindless violence are also very strong.

With a running time of 187 minutes (that's 3 hours, 7 minutes, to be exact), this is no ordinary film.  It is an epic opus, the father of the slow burn tale.  For the majority of the film, there's no discernible action, just character introductions, development and connections.  This Tarantino does to pinpoint perfection, as you know each character inside and out (well, at least the parts the character want you to see, or believe).  This adds a visceral element to the final hour, where all literal hell breaks loose.

Tarantino never holds back his viewpoints of politics and political correctness, as the "n" word is mentioned several times throughout the film, which adds to not just the realism, but also the brash hate that all the characters possess.  As the characters interact, many topics - including Union and Confederate rivalry, slavery, and equal rights - are introduced with heavy-handed heated debate, all of which culminates in a shockingly climactic showdown which, in true Tarantino fashion, features a lot...A LOT...of blood.  

Several of the main actors have worked with Tarantino before (Jennifer Jason Leigh, Demian Bichir and Channing Tatum are the newbies), so it's like reuniting old friends - except these friends are scorpions, with their hearts full of venom.  Samuel L. Jackson shines as Marquis Warren, delivering the best lines and given the most screen time.  Just like his previous pairings with Tarantino, Jackson gives a commanding performance that steals the screen every time he's on.  Kurt Russell equally commands attention as the no-nonsense, no-holds-barred bounty hunter who prefers keeping his captives alive.  Channing Tatum has a very supporting role, but it's something completely out of his element and showcases him in a completely different light than any of his previous films.  The secondary characters also give great performances.

However, the true standout is Jennifer Jason Leigh, who was already nominated for a Golden Globe and will more than likely hear her name come Oscar time for Best Supporting Actress as the villainous Daisy Domergue, a woman with more than a troubled past, and one that harbors the most deadly secrets.  She is a true gem in the film, as she undergoes the most brutal torture at the hands of her captives (she's repeatedly slapped, punched, had stuff thrown on her, and everything in between), where in the end she's transformed into someone completely different, and somehow emerges with more hate than even the beginning.  She is the true discovery in this film, and one that will go down in cinematic history.

The Summary:
If you can stomach the three hour runtime, and deal with a lot of gory fun, Tarantino's "The Hateful Eight" will satisfy your cinematic needs in true Tarantino form - with total shock and awe.

The Score: A