Long but Entertaining

Rating: 9/10 (27 December 2015)

The three hour running time is a bit much, but every shot is interesting in this marathon of a western. Quentin Tarantino uses his usual sarcastic language throughout, giving a great cast, led by Samuel L. Jackson great lines to spew out with sneering venom at each other. Jackson and Jennifer Jason Leigh are particular standouts, and Kurt Russell, Michael Madsen, Tim Roth and Bruce Dern make for the ensemble who shine brightly, and viciously reading Tarantino's badass vernacular which we have heard before. The story is the basic western one, with influences from Bonanza on the small screen to Sergio Leone's from the big screen; particularly "The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly; Tarantino's favorite movie. Major Warren hitches a ride with John Ruth(Russell) who is handcuffed to his $10,000 bounty, Daisy(Leigh), on their way to Red Rock and payment for delivery to the hangman. A blizzard forces them to stop at Minnie's Haberdashery, where the eight come together for intrigue and a bloody finale very similar to "Reservoir Dog's", Tarantino's directorial debut from 1993. The Hateful Eight is one of the best movies of 2015.