The Hateful Eight Review

Starring: Samuel L. Jackson, Kurt Russell, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Walton Goggins, Demián Bichir, Tim Roth, Michael Madsen, Bruce Dern, Channing Tatum

 Please listen to this score above as you read the following, in order to get the "full experience".
The Hateful Eight is (by no coincidence) the eighth film by Quentin Tarantino, the stylish director of critical masterpieces like Pulp Fiction, Inglourious Basterds, Kill Bill, and most recently Django Unchained. Tarantino is well known for his unforgettably quirky characters, sharp writing style, precise cinematography, and of course, copious amounts of blood. I admit, Tarantino is an acquired taste, but I've been a big fan ever since I saw Django Unchained. If you like that movie, you will enjoy The Hateful Eight. But it's very different. Django Unchained is a western, and The Hateful Eight is a mystery. Yes it has western elements, but it's, for the most part, a Tarantino take on a Hitchock murder mystery. This is not a mainstream movie that audiences will embrace. It's disgusting and delves into the depths of human depravity, which is something Inglourious Basterds and Django Unchained. Taking place in a stagecoach stop in a blizzard, this movie is about eight strangers, one a deadly prisoner, who befall tragedy when they realize one of them is trying to kill the others and escape with the prisoner. Veteran actress Jennifer Jason Leigh plays the aforementioned prisoner, and let me tell you, she deserves an Oscar, but she'll never get it. My first words as the credits rolled were: "What a disgusting woman."

This truly is an ensemble movie, and the small cast works well together. Samuel L. Jackson is obviously having the time of his life. His performance is so witty and funny, and I truly believe only Jackson could pull it off. Kurt Russell is great as "The Hangman" who is transporting Daisy Domergue to hang. He's very good for the type of role, but I wish I could have seen more of his acting chops. I mentioned Leigh already. Most of the awards attention has surrounded Leigh's performance, and it's deserved. She plays one of the most vile and disgusting characters I've ever seen. But somehow she completely owns this film. It's definitely a supporting role, but its interesting how her sometimes bombastic and sometimes nuanced performance drives the other characters. Leigh deserves an Oscar, but they'll never give it to her for something this disturbing. The script is also well written. Tarantino strongly relies on heavy dialogue, and with this mystery setting, his sometimes comedic and profanity-laden script butts heads occasionally. The tone of the movie is often confusing. While it's definitely a well-made movie, that's my only real criticism. It just doesn't have a steady tone, and it's not as big as some of the other movies this year. There is no huge setting or big plot. It's just eight people who can't figure out who is secretly helping Daisy Domergue kill everyone. While I enjoyed it, I can see why the movies 3 hour pace with this recurring theme would be a little uninteresting.

By far, the best part of this movie is its incredible score. This is one of the best movie scores I've heard ever. It feels like a classic horror movie score. Reminiscent of Halloween's iconic overture, Ennio Morricone's overture is able to pierce you, and it gave me chills. The music is so haunting, and having an overture focused on a slow pan of a crucified Jesus statue really sets the stage for the eerie film. The rest of the score is phenomenal as well, and I really hope Morricone can be rewarded for his work here. The music has just stuck with me since I first heard it. I really enjoyed this movie, though I'll admit it's not perfect. It's just a movie catered towards people like me. If you're a fan of Tarantino's style, I don't think you'll be disappointed.

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