The Hateful Eight (2015)

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nThe Hateful Eight (2015)

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nDirector: Quentin Tarantino

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nCast: Kurt Russell, Samuel L.nJackson, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Walton Goggins, Demian Bichir, Tim Roth, MichaelnMadsen, Bruce Derns, James Parks, Zoe Bell,  

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nRight after I finished watchingnThe Hateful Eight, I immediately tried pinpointing the films that influenced Tarantinonwhile writing this one. I mean, most of his films are a smorgasbord of othernfilms put together and blended into Tarantino’s own brand of storytelling. So anyhow,nI swear to god, the two films I mentioned to my friend were John Carpenter’snThe Thing (1982) and Tarantino’s own Reservoir Dogs (1992). I couldn’t seenother influences other than those two. I mean, in general, sure The HatefulnEight is influenced by Sergio Leone’s westerns and also The Magnificent Seven (1960),nbut the two films that came to mind the most were The Thing and Reservoir Dogs.nI haven’t seen enough Western’s to know exactly all of the films he wasninfluenced by, but I’m sure there are a zillion of them. Funny how normally Tarantinonborrows from other filmmakers to make up a new film, yet this time, he’snfeeding on himself for inspiration! He’s turned into an Ouroboros, eating hisnown tail! But more on that later. 

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nWhile researching The HatefulnEight for this review I discovered that Tarantino himself quoted The Thing andnReservoir Dogs as his main source of inspiration. I think it’s so eclectic and fantastic,nthat Tarantino is inspired by a science fiction horror film to make his newnWestern! In fact, John Carpenter’s The Thing was the only film that Tarantino showednthe cast and crew to give them an idea of the kind of isolation that he wantednto capture with The Hateful Eight. Tarantino loves The Thing so muchnthat he cast Kurt Russell and had the musical score composed by Ennio Morricone!nI love the fact that Tarantino recognizes the awesomeness of Carpenter’s The Thing; it’s always been a favorite of mine. What Tarantino distilled from that picture was that dreadful feeling that you’re in the middle of nowhere and no one can save you. You can literally cut the tension in ThenThing with a knife. I have to say Tarantino nailed it. During The Hateful Eight,nyou truly feel like you are in the middle of nowhere with these characters.nShooting the film in the middle of these lonely mountains, and having the story take place in thenmiddle of a raging blizzard was a brilliant idea! It’s a successful setting fornthe sort of tension filled story Tarantino wanted to tell with this film. 

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nThe Hateful Eight is all about thisnbounty hunter called John Ruth. He is on his way to a town called Red Wood,naccompanied by his prisoner, an evil lady named Daisy Domergue. He’s taking hernto town to collect his money and to see her hang. Unfortunately, on his waynthere, a raging blizzard makes him take refuge in a cottage called ‘MinniesnHaberdashery’, a place where you could come in, warm yourself, get a drink andna bite to eat. When he gets there, the place is populated by a group ofnindividuals apparently seeking refuge from the storm as well. Who wants to killnwho and why? Will they all survive the blizzard?

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nTarantino’s idea for this filmnwas locking up a bunch of mean bastards in a cabin in the middle of a raging blizzardnto see what sort of situation develops. This being a Tarantino film, you cannbet your ass, whatever is going to happen is going to be some fucked up crazynass shit. First things first my friends, when you go watch The Hateful Eightnyou have to be ready for a film that takes its time in setting up charactersnand situations, this film is in no hurry to end. But trust me, you can benassured all the set up will pay off by the time the film ends. You know hownfilm critics are always bitching and moaning that there’s not enough characterndevelopment in films today? Well, you don’t have to complain about that here becausenthere’s plenty of it. In fact, every single character has a back story, andnevery single one gets their chance to tell it, with all the detail and set upnin the world. So be ready for that. But trust me, once things get rolling, wellnthere’s no stopping this gravy train. Things get bloody and nasty, quick! Innfact, I know Kill Bill (2003) was practically filmed in blood, but damn, The HatefulnEight has to be one of Tarantino’s bloodiest affairs! It certainly is extremelyngraphic. Kudos to the guys at KNB Effects group for supplying that good oldnfashion gore! It blew my head clean off!

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nTarantino has always made meaningful films with “something to say”, I kept wondering what The Hateful Eight was going to be really about. You know, in the midst of all the blood and guts, was it allngoing to be worth it in the end? Or was The Hateful Eight just going to be anlot of senseless violence for violence sake? Of course it was all going to meannsomething! Tarantino isn’t about making empty movies, I don’t think he’s evernbeen about that. When I go and watch a Tarantino movie I always expect them tonbe about meaningful subject matter or at the very least fun and entertaining. I mean, even Death Proof (2007), whichnseems like simple, yet fun homage to car movies from the 70’s said somethingnabout female empowerment. His earlier films had more of a fun vibe to them, but from Inglorious Bastards (2009) onward, his films have taken on an even more meaningful tone. On The Hateful Eight, Tarantino revisits his favoritentheme, the theme that has reigned supreme throughout his entire career; thatnold demon humanity can’t seem to exorcise just yet: racism. I have to say thatnhe does so in an indirect manner, it’s subtle. You’ll almost come away from thenfilm thinking it was simply ‘a fucked up tale’, but it’s only after the filmnmulls inside your skull for a couple of days that you realize that racism is atnthe very core of the film! While many object to Tarantino’s repeated use of thenword ‘nigger’, I think its honest filmmaking. What’s the problem with showingnthings they way they were? In fact, if it bothers you every time you hear the wordnor every time they treat a black person unjustly in his films, then I thinknTarantino is doing his job right. It shocks you because it’s wrong, but it alsonshocks because there’s no denying these things happened and continue to happennin our world. So put that in your pipe and smoke it next time you want toncriticize Tarantino for using the word nigger.

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nTechnically speaking, this filmnis beautiful. It gets extra points for going the old fashion way of shooting onnlocation! In fact, it gets bonus points for doing everything old fashion, likenusing actual film and shooting on 70 millimeter. Hell, it gets extra points forntelling an intriguing yarn, filled with characters that seem alive, intense andnraw. The drama is there, so much so that the film, much like Tarantino’s ownnReservoir Dogs (1992), feels like a theater play. Most of the film takes placenin one location, just like Reservoir Dogs, and both are about questioningnloyalty and spilling your guts…both literally and metaphorically. This is notnto say that The Hateful Eight is a carbon copy of Reservoir Dogs, but thensimilarities are there. But with the old, there’s something new and the newncomes in the form of new actors appearing for their first time in a Tarantinonfilm, for example, Jennifer Jason Leigh who just chews the film up. I loved hernintensity, her craziness and her willingness to just go nuts with herncharacter. She really chews up the screen, same as everyone involved. And wow, you’ll love Walton Goggins after this movie. KurtnRussell works like magic here, he aint the good guy, in fact, nobody here isnthe good guy. Everybody is freaking despicable, hence the title.

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nFinal words on the whole thing isnthat this is very much a Tarantino film, you’ll hear that dialog and you know it’sna Tarantino film, you’ll hear his voice both through his dialog and literally,nbecause at one point Tarantion actually becomes the narrator of the film! Ha! Brilliant!nI loved that! I love it when Tarantino breaks the rules! He’s like “I’m tellingnthis story!” I’m glad that Samuel L. Jackson convinced Tarantino to make thisnfilm even though the script leaked before the film was made. You see, once uponna time Tarantino was furious that his script was out there for all to seenbefore he had even shot the thing, so he swore he wouldn’t shoot the film. Butnhis cast convinced him otherwise and voila! We got another masterpiece fromngood old QT. The thing about Tarantino is that he wants you to remember thatncinema is a place to hear stories, to talk about ourselves, to get lost in thenreflections of humanity. There’s no rush here. You came to the cinema? Youndragged your ass out to the movies? Then here’s a film to make it worth yournwhile. I will always love Tarantino for making films that you don’t immediatelynforget the minute you walk out of the theater, please, Mr. Tarantino, keep itngoing kind sir! Keep reminding us why films matter!  

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nRating: 5 out of 5         

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