Movie Review: “The Hateful Eight”

The spaghetti western lives on in Quentin Tarantino’s “The Hateful Eight,” which weaves together the lives of eight enigmatic characters who are forced to share a house during a vicious blizzard. 

The film is set in post-Civil War Wyoming during a particularly frigid winter. Kurt Russell’s John Ruth is transporting outlaw Daisy Domergue, played by Jennifer Jason Leigh, to be hanged. Along the way, Ruth picks up Major Marquis Warren (Samuel L. Jackson) and Sheriff Chris Mannix (Walter Goggins) who need help to escape the bitter blizzard. The group arrives at a stagecoach haberdashery, where they are greeted by other strangers, played by Michael Madsen, Bruce Dern, Tim Roth and Demian Bichir. Ruth suspects one of the men is an ally of Domergue’s. The film turns into a cat and mouse game as Ruth tries to uncover the mole.

Tarantino’s talent as a screenwriter is on display in this film. The director exceeds all expectations by assembling a talented cast and providing each of them vivid, intriguing background stories. The film tackles multifaceted issues of race relations and crime in post-Civil War America. Leigh delivers a stellar performance as a desperate outlaw, which have resulted in a Golden Globe nomination.  Though the film is shot in a single location, the eight characters bring the film to vibrant life.

Ardent Tarantino fans won’t be disappointed by this film, neither will fans of violence and gore. Furthermore, Tarantino’s Golden Globe nominated script is a worthy mystery, bound to intrigue moviegoers of all tastes.

4/4 stars