The Hateful Eight
Director: Quentin Tarantino
Stars: Samuel L. Jackson, Kurt Russell, Jennifer Jason
Duration: 187 mins
Class: 18
KRS Film Releasing Ltd

The release of a Quentin Tarantino movie is always a highly-anticipated event. Ever since he exploded on the scene in 1992 with the king of cult classics that Reservoir Dogs has become, he has provoked and entertained in equal measure. The director has churned out films, every few years, that have effortlessly combined meaty characters played by extensive, ensemble casts, intricately-layered storytelling and sublime and expletive-riddled dialogue. He also inevitably fans the flames of discourse about violence in movies with every release with his distinctive brand of relentless blood-letting.

His movies have, for the most part, been character-driven crime capers or revenge flicks, although he pulled no punches in depicting the horrors of slavery with his 2013 hit Django Unchained. His more ‘serious’ side is also evident in The Hateful Eight, with issues like race, revenge, and justice all brought into sharp focus as the film plays out. And yet, the whole does not quite reflect the many parts that make up The Hateful Eight.

Following the colourful, retro-style opening credits reminiscent of old Hollywood westerns – clearly Tarantino’s influence here – the film opens on a breath-taking Wyoming landscapes. A stagecoach dashes through the snow, attempting to reach its destination before a threatened blizzard hits. Inside, is bounty hunter John ‘The Hangman’ Ruth (Kurt Russell) who is taking fugitive Daisy Domergue (Jennifer Jason Leigh) to face justice in the town of Red Rock. On the way they encounter another bounty hunter, Major Marquis Warren (Samuel L. Jackson), and, further along the path, Red Rock’s new sheriff, Chris Mannix (Walton Goggins).

After carefully negotiating with them both, Ruth agrees to give them a ride to Minnie’s Haberdashery, where they will shelter until the storm has passed. In the store, also seeking shelter, are Bob (Demian Bichir), a friend of Minnie’s; Oswaldo Mobray (Tim Roth), the articulate hangman of Red Rock; taciturn cowboy Joe Gage (Michael Madsen), and the proud General Sanford Smithers (Bruce Dern). The blizzard intensifies, with the titular octet holed up inside and, as time passes and it becomes evident that not everyone is who they seem, it’s not long before cabin fever sets in, with a predictably violent prognosis.

Suffered, somewhat, from its rather long running time

Let’s tick off the good stuff: its production values are high with its stunning visuals, elaborate set and costume design that effectively setting the grim and gritty scene in post-Civil War America.

Tarantino’s juicy dialogue, which coupled with his penchant for long takes, makes for some delicious moments for his cast. Said cast is the top of its game and each member is given a chance to shine. They are uniformly excellent; from Tarantino stalwart Jackson – with one integral speech which will make you shudder in revulsion while simultaneously applauding his flawless delivery – and frequent collaborators Roth, Madsen, Russell, Dern and Goggins to newcomers Bichir and Jason Leigh all excellent. The latter stands out as the bloodied, but unbowed, fugitive who gives as good as she gets. That said, I haven’t yet decided whether the film is condemning or condoning the misogyny that drives the horrific treatment meted out to the character.

Legendary composer Ennio Morricone underscores all this, adding much to the overall tone of the movie.

And, of course, you just know there is going to be a big climactic confrontation and all hell will eventually break loose. And, when it does, it’s as bloody brutal as you’d expect.

On the minus side, to get to that climax Tarantino adopts the same leisurely pace he did with Django Unchained, a film I felt suffered somewhat from its rather long running time. Similarly, The Hateful Eight could have lost half an hour somewhere for, although this allows more time with the characters, there are more than a few moments when it begins to feel static and talky; slowing the action down and coming across as a tad self-indulgent.

I confess I began to feel a little impatient and restless, and longed for the non-stop and kinetic and combustive action that characterises the director’s earlier output.

Furthermore, the irreverent exuberance that normally peppers his work both in terms of character and narrative is missing, its absence underscoring a very vicious side that has hitherto never surfaced in his films.

That omission may be deliberate – after all, the film is called The Hateful Eight.

But, it must be said that by the end I cared little for any of them, which adversely affected my overall enjoyment of the film.

Sylvester Stallone in Creed.

Also showing

Creed, Class: 12: Adonis Johnson (Michael B. Jordan) never knew his famous father, boxing champion Apollo Creed, who died before Adonis was born. However, boxing is in his blood, so he seeks out Rocky Balboa (Sylvester Stallone) and asks the retired champ to be his trainer.