Fun, violent, and different ... albeit a little long

Rating: 8/10 (8 January 2016)

It makes me happy to see Tarantino is growing and exploring as a filmmaker. I can't think of many other filmmakers who could have raised the money to shoot a film like this -- so, I commend Tarantino on that front. He's still taking chances and creating interesting and entertaining material.
The Hateful 8 feels more like an adapted stage play than a feature film -- and this isn't a knock -- it's just that there's only 2 real locations and it's completely dialogue driven. But, it's Tarantino, so don't be expecting 12 Angry Men here. There's blood and shock and "sex" (kind of). There are twists and turns and lots of unexpected moments -- so the less you know going into the film, the better.
Jennifer Jason Lee's performance is disturbing -- especially in the final act. She commits 100% and what she does in this film is pretty amazing.
Overall, a solid outing by Tarantino. The story felt a little long for my taste -- especially Chapter 2. Any movie pushing 3 hours better be EPIC ... and while The Hateful 8 is good and fun, it isn't epic, and would have benefited if it had been a few minutes shorter.