"One of them fellas is not what he says he is..."

Rating: 8/10 (7 January 2016)

Breathtaking cinematography presents a great contrast, in the vast, open, desolate land (Colorado, standing in for Wyoming) in the first 45 minutes, and even in the confines of the haberdashery. The relatively small space is still photographed to appear massive, and in great detail. We're sealed in there, by the nearly blinding snowstorm, these eight disparate characters, and remarkably beautiful lighting.
The dialogue was sharply written and delivered impeccably by all involved, especially the under-used Bruce Dern. Some of Kurt Russell's lines quotes, nearly verbatim, lines from The Thing (a film which I enjoyed when younger, but upon rewatch last year, I hated, and didn't even bother finishing) Even the basic premise of grumpy people trapped in one location during a blizzard, while facing certain death from an unseen enemy, recalled that film's same basic idea.
For the first two hours, this film is a great, wild ride, some of the most fun I've had in the cinema this year. Unfortunately, the film goes on for an hour too long, presenting a couple of twists which make the entire ordeal seem pointless. If Captain Cupcakes was in the cellar waiting to shoot them all along, why didn't he do it when they walked in the door at the start? Was he just waiting to hear Jackson's story about (allegedly) forcing Dern's adult son to blow him, and listen to Leigh serenade them on acoustic guitar?
That odd twist made the film largely seem pointless, and made me wonder why this basically eight-act film was going on for three hours, when it just spiralled further and further out of control in the final 45 minutes or so.
Highly recommended for its writing, cinematography, and acting, but just be prepared for an absurd, blood-drenched just for the sake of being blood-drenched final third.