Tarantinos best since Pulp Fiction, but probably not for everyone

Rating: 9/10 (28 December 2015)

I personally don't understand the people calling this "slow" or "boring", did we see the same film? It's a suspense thriller kind of film with a who-done-it plot, it starts off slow but builds to a grand finale. It's an artistically very pure film, all shot in 70mm, and more akin to watching a play in a small theater than going to the movies. It's also about as far from The Avengers as you can get, and for me that's a good thing. Don't expect non-stop mindless action, but if you have a brain between your shoulders chances are you'll find yourself glued to the edge of your seat.
It's not perfect. Some plot elements were added for that typical Tarantino off-kilter comical effect, but about half of them end up feeling a bit forced and staged rather than organic. I also feel that while the cast is excellent not all of them fit the setting or the tone of the story. The diversity between the on-screen characters is so great that you wonder if all of them really could exist in the same universe and at the same time, it feels like some of them are trying to do classical western while others are trying to do spaghetti western with hints of western satire. But maybe this was the effect Tarantino wanted? He does like to polarize and create tension between extremes whenever he can. I'm personally not convinced it actually adds to the film though.
As for individual performances people have been praising Jackson, and he does indeed perform his usual Jackson repertoire to great effect. But for me the real star of the show is Kurt Russell, this may be the best performance of his entire career. He is absolutely fantastic as the practically minded frontier bounty hunter John Ruth. A real star performance that binds the movie together, and the frontier look suits him.
All in all I highly recommend this film. It's a fine work by Tarantino, definitely one of his best. But it's also one of his more artistic films and set in a very morally grey world, don't expect non-stop mindless action and don't expect a clear sense of right and wrong. Do expect a thriller with a focus on narrative tension. If it sounds like your kind of film it probably is.