Brutally Entertaining

Rating: 9/10 (1 January 2016)

Quentin Tarantino's 8th film involves eight strangers stuck in one cabin during a harsh blizzard. What could possibly go wrong? After his script leaked for this film in 2014, Tarantino decided to shelf the project indefinitely. I'm glad he changed his mind. The Hateful Eight is a brutally entertaining film that gives a gruesome look at racial tensions and life on the 19th century western frontier.
Since The Hateful Eight is set in only a few locations, the characters and their interactions need to be interesting and entertaining. The eight strangers are all very different, featuring unique backstories and intriguing character qualities. The dialogue between the characters is appropriately hilarious and hard-hitting, whichever the particular moment is calling for. Playing detective and trying to decipher who is telling the truth makes for an active and engaging time at the movies. This quality of the movie felt very reminiscent of Reservoir Dogs, Tarantino's first film.
There are some very gory and shocking moments in The Hateful Eight, which many have come to expect from a Tarantino film. One of these shocking moments in particular makes me think very differently about Samuel L. Jackson. This very easily might be Tarantino's most violent film (that's saying something). Tarantino haters might argue his films are style over substance, but that is simply not the case with The Hateful Eight. The portrayal of how different races treated one another during the post-Civil War era and the sheer brutality on the western frontier more than justifies the onslaught of on screen violence.
Another staple of a Tarantino film is a longer runtime, and that is still the case with The Hateful Eight. It's nearly 3 hours long, but due to the fast and dynamic dialogue and the mystery behind the eight strangers, the pacing works in the film's favor. Nothing about the film feels bloated or unnecessary to the core story being told.
My favorite performance outside of Samuel L. Jackson's was Jennifer Jason Leigh as Daisy Domergue. She's absolutely hilarious and completely loses herself in the role. She was nominated for this supporting role at the Golden Globes, for which she is very deserving. There's one performance that I am still not sure how I feel about, but due to the 'spoilerish' nature of the role, I won't name a specific actor/actress. It was just weird and kind of out of left field (if you've seen the film you know exactly who I am talking about).
The Hateful Eight is one of my favorite films of the year, from one of my very favorite directors. It's an entertaining ride from start to finish, filled with intrigue and features one of the best scripts of the year. A violent movie with a violent message, what better way to celebrate the new year?
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