The Hateful Eight

A film from Quentin Tarantino is always a special thing. 

Once thought to be a film that would never get made for a multitude of reasons, The Hateful Eight is the eighth film on his resume. Many things are unique about this film, my favorite two being that it was filmed in Telluride, Colorado -- probably one of the prettiest places on earth, and the second would be the limited presentation of it I was lucky enough to partake in. 

As part of the 70mm roadshow, which references the style of camera/film used to capture the film, I was treated to a packed theater, a cool little booklet with set and cast photos, a beginning overture, an intermission, and an extended version of the film by about 15 minutes. It was a nifty experience that really made it all the more memorable. 

Though I do have a confession to make. 

Despite the roadshow-style limited release, The Hateful Eight is not my favorite Tarantino film. Depending on which day you ask me, it would be either Django Unchained or Inglorious Basterds, but that shouldn't really discredit this film from being great in its own right. To me though, as much as I enjoyed The Hateful Eight, and as fantastic of a film as it is, it's really just overdone in many ways (though I suppose you could argue that for many of Tarantino's films). The dialogue is great, but a few scenes are overlong. The n-word is dropped many times, most of which are unnecessary. And the violence, while entertaining, felt forced at times just for the sake of having Tarantino's bloody signature on the thing. And I don't mean "bloody" in the British sense there.

By now I'm sure that Tarantino faithful have already clicked the "Close" button on their browsers, but I do have a lot more film to review, and a lot of praise to heap on this Christmas released film. 

Jesus looks cold! Get him a blanket!

"I need that blanket for Jesus!"

The Hateful Eight is a mystery mixed with a western where bountyman John Ruth (Kurt Russell) is taking murderer Daisy Domergue (Jennifer Jason Leigh) to be hung in Red Rock, Wyoming. A blizzard strikes, forcing them and two stragglers they pick up along the way, Major Warren (Samuel L. Jackson) and Chris Mannix (Walton Goggins), to hole up in a cabin until the storm passes. Up until my version's intermission, there isn't a single shot fired (odd for a Tarantino film) and the film is full of that classic, witty dialogue from Tarantino himself. I rarely found the script as sharp or entertaining as the other two Quentin films I mentioned, but that still makes it better than a decent amount of what else is out there. We get moments where we learn about these characters, their pasts, and their behaviors. The film as a whole has something to say about race and racial relations right after the end of the Civil War. Sometimes it works, other times it doesn't, but the stories that are told from these characters are engaging either way. Post intermission is when the film gets much more exciting as a mystery unfolds an the tension rises significantly. I enjoyed the second half much more than the first, but that shouldn't discredit the first portion, I just think it took a little too much time to say and do what it had to. The beefy (read: talented) cast does great here and you can always tell that everyone's having fun on a Tarantino set, especially Sam Jackson. He's the star here and this might just be another case of Sam Jackson being himself, but his co-lead, Russell, and he do a awesome job anchoring the film. Everyone else does equally as great that I can't really pick one that stands out. 

"That coat looks warm...I need it! For Jesus! And I'll take the hat too!"

Eventually the mystery plays itself out through some of the film's best dialogue and what I'd vote for as my favorite scene (out of several ample candidates). All the way through to the end it's a bloodbath which is always fun coming from Tarantino, but it's here that it felt like it got to be too much after a certain point. Not too much in the sense of "Oh there's so much blood I can't even look at it" but more in the sense, "Ok we get it.". Even still, it's a raucous trip to the finish line that's full of some laughs, a lot of brain -- in many senses of the word -- and some great conversation. 

As I'm sure you could guess, assuming you've seen a Tarantino film, it's marvelously crafted. The Telluride landscape is breathtaking with the 70mm camera being able to capture some gorgeous wide-angle shots. Given that much of the film's outdoor portions were shot in a snowstorm, I'm impressed by the cast and crew's dedication to working in some really harsh environments. The soundtrack and original score are also well crafted, though I would liked to have heard more of the original score. The "effects" (mainly blood/guts) are typical Tarantino meaning they straddle that line between hilarious, grotesque, and completely unrealistic and I wouldn't want it any other way. 

"Do you think Jesus needs my gloves?!"

While The Hateful Eight wasn't my favorite Tarantino film, that still means it's a great deal better and more entertaining than many other films that make their way to theaters. I had my issues with it, ones that you could argue are rather insignificant, but by the time the credits role I was happy to have seen it, thoroughly entertained, and thankful for the thoughtful and special 70mm roadshow presentation. It's further proof that Tarantino is a artist who is deeply affectionate for his medium and if every director in Hollywood had as much passion as he did, we'd all be spending a lot more [memorable] time at the movies. 

CONS:

• You know the saying "too much of a good thing"? I think The Hateful Eight balances on that line and for me, tipped into the "too much" side of the pond on a few occasions
• It takes a good long while to get to the meat and climax of the film. Probably a little too long
• Some of the race relation dialogue fell flat
• It could just be the extended road show edition, but a small handful of scenes felt unnecessary, adding on to an already lengthy runtime

PROS:

• Marvelous cast, each of whom delivers some great performances. Samuel L. Jackson is himself here, but I'm not sure I'd want it any other way
• Their performances are helped along by another great script from Tarantino. While some of the race relations dialogue didn't work, there is a lot of it that did, and the conversations between characters are both interesting and entertaining. 
• After the intermission, the film picks up significantly and I found the "mystery solving" scenes to be my favorites
• Great soundtrack and original score
• Phenomenal cinematography of the beautiful Colorado mountains
• Classic Tarantino in many regards...he really enjoys his craft
• The 70mm roadshow presentation was awesome
• Memorable, enjoyable, and thoroughly entertaining. Just what we come to expect from Tarantino

Rath's Review Score: 8/10