Movie Review: The Hateful Eight

Movie Review: The Hateful Eight

Rated: R18+

Score: 7.5/10

Quentin Tarantino is known for injecting two things into his films - humour and violence.

His latest film The Hateful Eight serves up a healthy dose of both in an entertaining but at times longwinded outing.

At more than three hours long, the film is a bit of a chore but with long-time Tarantino collaborators Samuel L. Jackson, Tim Roth and Michael Madsen there is a sense of familiarity.

Set sometime after the Civil War in the wilderness of Wyoming, the film opens with Kurt Russell's character taking outlaw Daisy Domergue, played by Jennifer Jason Leigh, to the fictional town of Red Rock.

On his way he encounters fellow bounty hunter Major Marquis Warren, played by Jackson, but a blizzard forces the characters to take shelter with a number of mysterious characters.

Each of the characters has a unique personality and back story and memorable characters include Roth's English hangman and Sheriff Chris Mannix, a "lost-causer", who has many humorous lines.

There are shades of Reservoir Dogs as the characters are forced into a small space, where each of their personalities collide.

There is the trademark banter between characters and the usual tension but at times it is quite tedious and Tarantino's extended scenes can be difficult to stomach.

The outside scenes of Wyoming, although the film is actually shot in Colorado, are cinematic and actually quite beautiful but contrast with the brutality of the characters. As always, the filmmaker enjoys playing with time as he moves back to reveal a critical part of the plot before coming back into the present.

If you bear with the movie, the payoff at the end of the film is worth it but be warned - the last hour of the film is extremely violent.

For people who can handle blood, the final stanza is a much-needed release as the film hurtles towards its climax.

The Hateful Eight is not as iconic as his '90s classics or the Kill Bill franchise but it still packs a punch.