Western, 2015
3 hours, 7 minutes (70mm Roadshow Cut)
Written and Directed by Quentin Tarantino
Rated R for "strong bloody violence, a scene of violent sexual content, language and some graphic nudity"
Starring
Samuel L. Jackson
Kurt Russell
Jennifer Jason Leigh
Walton Goggins
Tim Roth
Bruce Dern
Demian Bichir
Michael Madsen
"Looks like Minnie's Haberdashery is about to get cozy for the next few days."
This movie almost didn't happen. To recap: A couple of years back, the script, which was sent to some Hollywood executives, was leaked onto the internet. Tarantino was furious and refused to make the film. However, after one critically acclaimed live reading featuring several of his regular cast members, he decided to make the picture. Thank God he did.
Tarantino's latest yarn is set in Wyoming, many years after the Civil War. A blizzard is approaching quickly, and eight strangers on their way to the town of Red Rock find themselves trapped at an inn called Minnie's Haberdashery. No one is quite who they seem to be, and naturally violence and insanity ensue.
Oddly enough, The Hateful Eight might be the most Tarantino-esque movie he's released since Pulp Fiction. While the 1994 classic was only the director's second (and still, arguably, his most popular) film, he has come a long way since then. Don't worry; it still has excessive swearing, violence and gore. In fact, the special effects guys get second billing.
The acting from all eight central characters is worthy of Academy Awards, and that's not something I say lightly. Samuel L. Jackson, who has appeared in almost every Tarantino movie (his cameos in Kill Bill and Inglorious Basterds do count), is given a meaty lead role. Kurt Russell and his killer mustache do a fantastic John Wayne impression. Walton Goggins and Jennifer Jason Leigh are also outstanding and deserve a heaping amount of credit for their work. Aside from the cast, the dialogue is as sharp as a Hattori Hanzō sword. The film is expertly paced, the three hours going by faster than a jack rabbit.
And all of this takes place inside one little old haberdashery. Don't let the single location turn you away; this is filmmaking and storytelling at its absolute finest.
The big question right now is why this movie gets a perfect score. Well, honestly, I loved every sick and twisted second, nary an issue or gripe in sight. I expected to enjoy it, but I didn't expect to fall in love with what I think may be a master filmmaker's finest picture to date. Usually I like to give movies a day or two, maybe a second viewing. But, like last year's Whiplash, I just have a good feeling, that kind of feeling I can't shake off.
The film can be seen right now during the 70mm Roadshow run, which presents the film with an overture and intermission. It is only playing in three Chicago theaters, but will expand to a wide, digital release in a week or two. The cinematography is absolutely gorgeous. The interior shots are just as breathtaking as the exteriors and the detail of the film is unparalleled with perhaps the exception of 70mm IMAX. Most movies nowadays are show in an aspect ratio of either 1.85 or 2.39, but The Hateful Eight is shown in a wide 2.76. Talk about wide.
This is only the second film that I have guaranteed a spot on my Top 10 of 2015 list.
10/10
