A more serious addition to the Tarantino Collection

Rating: 7/10 (20 December 2015)

At start, I'll say that my favourite films by Quentin Tarantino are Pulp Fiction and Kill Bill. I also liked his part in Four Rooms as well as the iconic scenes in Jackie Brown or Reservoir Dogs. I consider the dialogue in True Romance to be a masterpiece. Therefore, it can be safely said, I am a fan of Tarantino's more humorous, more pop-culture-oriented films.
The Hateful Eight did not fall into that favourite category of mine. It was a serious and brutal film, where the more humorous moments were provided mainly by the gruesome death scenes. The characters were incredibly vivid and real, but not particularly memorable. Over two hours of the 160 minute film takes place in one room. The focus is on the character interaction, with a lot of attention devoted to highlighting racial differences. The plot driving the film forward however, is quite limited.
The film is very well made. The beautifully shot harsh environment, the music by Ennio Morricone, the costumes perfectly fitting with the portrayed characters, all make for a very captivating watch. It does not quite feel like a Tarantino film though, at least not in the sense I was used to. It is definitely worth watching, for the grit and character interaction, but I missed the incredibly quotable dialogue and the pop-culture icons of Tarantino's other works.
7.5/10 from me.