Ohhhhhhhh boy.
This is only the second Quentin Tarantino film I’ve actually seen (Inglourious Basterds was the first) and I still don’t know exactly what to think about it. I knew from Inglourious Basterds that I was in for a bloody and violent experience, but that still didn’t prepare me for what I saw.
The Hateful Eight is set in the Old West, at a stagecoach lodge during the height of a blizzard. Eight characters are holed up in the lodge until the storm breaks, and the story gets more complex from there. There’s a killer loose, and one by one characters start dying.
Putting aside all of the graphic bloodshed and swearing, there’s one thing in this film that really bothers me. Call me old fashioned, call me missing the point, but I’m really bothered by how John Ruth (Kurt Russell) treats Daisy Domergue (Jennifer Jason Leigh). I get that Daisy is a wanted outlaw and dangerous in her own right, but sometimes she gets punched for no reason and that really, REALLY bothers me.
I suppose I enjoyed this film in the end, but it was almost too violent for my tastes. I especially didn’t like the reveal of what happened to Minnie and her family, that almost made me turn the movie off on the spot. And the reveal of a hidden character who’s actually been present the whole time…I want to like it, but it’s so out of nowhere. Literally, there’s no sign this character exists until the reveal, and when it comes I was more like “Huh?” then “Oh my gosh!”
I really tried to keep an open mind while I watched this film, but the simple truth is I didn’t like The Hateful Eight as much as I liked Inglourious Basterds. It’s not a terrible film by any means, it just doesn’t mesh with my personal tastes.
Let me know what you think about The Hateful Eight in the comments below and have a great day!
See also:
My thoughts on: Inglorious Basterds (2009)
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Oh, I think Jackie Brown would be the Tarantino film to see next, as it’s his best film (in my opinion). Most of the violence is off-screen and it has what could be called a happy ending (well, for a Tarantino flick).
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Hateful 8 was a real return to form for me, I was a massive Tarantino fan in the 90s but thought he had lost his way a bit. Go back to the start!! Reservoir Dogs is in my all time top 5. Only 90 mins-ish too. Great soundtrack, great cast and those black suits. Damn, I think I am going to go back and watch it myself.
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I think this is one of those films that you have to ‘get’ in order to enjoy it. Tarantino has spoken out about Daisy’s character and I suppose I get his point, and as for Jody’s character being there the whole time, I actually quite like the way the screenplay is structured, making it easier for us to understand how it all came about. I guess this film grows on you and it grew on me, personally.
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I didn’t think it was one of Tarantino’s best works, but I enjoyed it when I watched it.
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