2015 Films: #26. The Hateful Eight

December 29th in Chicago, IL. This is the 8th film from writer/director Quentin Tarantino. Shot in 70mm format, which in a digital world is a throwback to the old days that helped shape him. Tarantino doesn't venture far from the things that made him famous; strong dialogue, great soundtrack, great score, Red Apple Cigarettes, coarse language and violence. As usual, Tarantino assembles a top notch cast of actors for this film. There are Taratino veterans like Samuel L. Jackson (6 films), Zoey Bell (5 films), Tim Roth (4 films), Michael Madsen (3 films), Kurt Russell and Bruce Dern (2 films each). He's even got pretty boy Channing Tatum as his newcomer and Jennifer Jason Leigh as the career resurrection. Here's the character line-up...

L to R: Major Marquis Warren, John Ruth, Daisy Domergue, Sheriff Chris Mannix, Bob, Oswaldo Mobray, Joe Gage and General Sandy Smithers. Not pictured, Tatum. He's not quite as hateful as the others.

The film is made up of six chapters and of course, they're not quite in chronological order. Things open up in a post Civil War Wyoming blizzard. A lone stage is driving through the storm and is barely ahead of it. The stage runs into Major Warren, who's own horse died while transporting 3 bounties for collection in Red Rock. John Ruth booked this stage and is very wary of strangers, especially those out in a brutal blizzard. Ruth is transporting Daisy Domergue to Red Rock for a date with the hang man and a $10,000 bounty. No one is going to get in his way. Inconceivably, Ruth and Warren know each other and Ruth reluctantly let's him. Daisy isn't thrilled with this since she's not a big fan of Black Civil War veterans regardless of rank. The goal is to get to Minnie's Haberdashery, a kind of 19th century truck stop, and wait out the storm.

As the storm is catching up to them (they're making good time on the seemingly plowed road), they run into another horseless traveler in the form of Chris Mannix. Mannix claims to be en route to Red Rock to become it's sheriff. Ruth is a bit skeptical because he knows Mannix by reputation; a member of a guerrilla Confederate militia that kept fighting after Appomattox. Of course, Mannix happens to know Major Warren by his reputation and the ride to Minnie's is a bit uncomfortable. When they arrive at Minnie's the blizzard is only getting stronger. They're greeted by Bob who was just hired by Minnie. The same Minnie who just happens to be with Sweet Dave visiting her mother. Since Major Warren is a frequenter of Minnie's, he's instantly suspicious. Waiting inside Minnie's are fellow travelers Oswaldo Mobray, Joe Gage and General Sandy Smithers, a "retired" Confederate general.

Once everyone gets together, it turns out that Mobray is a contract hangman who is also on his way to Red Rock. Joe Gage doesn't say much of anything and General Smithers is looking for his son. As fate would have it, Warren and Smithers know another by reputation and the tension ratchets up a bit. setting in motion a deadly chain of events.

Since the picture was shot in 70mm format, there are no trailers, just a 3 minute overture and there's an intermission in it's 167 minute run time. Tarantino had legendary Ennio Morricone compose an excellent score and got great acting out of the cast. The picture plays out as a bloody "who done it." By chapter four, you've got a good idea of what's going on and more light gets shed on the plot during the backstory in chapter five but Taratino doesn't disappoint with the ending.

Tarantino does a good job of building the tension and making the audience get a feel for the claustrophobic conditions of the room (the Haberdashery is just one large room). The dialogue is witty and spot on. There's even some modern day critiques of American society. Warren mentions to Ruth that Black people only feel safe when white people are disarmed. Smithers tells Mannix something to the effect that being armed, keeps black people scared and white people safe. I thought that was a nice touch considering current events.

I rate Tarantino as a must see director. If you enjoy his work then please see this film in the theater. It is worth it. It's also worth mentioning,this is not a news flash by any stretch, that Tarantino's films take place in the same universe. It should be interesting to see how that pans out in any of his future work. It's hard to rate this picture against his filmography due to the fact that Tarantino seems to always make a solid film. This picture is no different.