The Hateful 8 - Box Office Review

Quentin Tarantino continues to thrive where violence, racism and character development are key to story telling. “The Hateful Eight” is a western that attempts to bring a sense of mystery into a story driven primarily by dialogue and the characters present on screen. It’s a lengthy film that makes zero apologies for moving at a more relaxed tempo. If long movies are key to you feeling like your money was well spent, it’s well spent on this movie. 

Overall, the characters in this story were engaging and for different reasons entirely. It is always good story telling to have 2 or more people on screen and they each depict unique personalities, driven by individual needs/circumstances. The story might require characters to share a common interest, temporarily, as this film does, but eventually those unique backgrounds drive the characters forward. The story develops nicely and by the end of the film it’s clear that this film shares the concept of Greek Tragedy over Comedy. 

There was one character in particular I wasn’t clear on. The actor is listed in the opening sequence which implies he is important but he doesn’t appear until the 3rd act of the film. It’s at this point he also proves to serve as a plot device more than an actual character and he clears up some of the questions that were in my mind as I watched the film. So, it’s unclear whether this individual character was actually a character for the story or a MacGuffin. 

The run time on this film was excessive in my opinion. Delivering the finale at 167 minutes (almost 3 hours) the film could’ve been 30 to 45 minutes less and I would’ve enjoyed it more. I don’t need to see characters walking back and forth on screen to drop things off if it does nothing to help move the plot along or develop characters. There was a great deal of screen time spent on things that could have easily been cut to make the speed of the film more entertaining. 

“The Hateful Eight” is in theaters now! I give this film 3 out of 6 bullets required for a  cowboy six shooter. If you enjoy Tarantino films you might appreciate this latest addition to his filmography. I’m not sold on recommending a theater viewing for this film but certainly a Redbox pick up wouldn’t hurt. The characters are rich and developed but the story is time consuming.

Comment below if you’ve already seen it and share your thoughts! Join in on the fun of movie watching and share this post with anyone who you feel would enjoy another one of my Box Office Reviews.

Click here to listen or right click and choose "Save As..." to download.

Maskerpiece Theatre is sponsored by MoviePass. See unlimited movies at a theater near you for a low monthly rate.

You can also support our show by using our Amazon banners or donating on our Support Us page.

Movie Review: The Hateful Eight (2015)

The eight film from Quentin Tarantino brings yet another all-star cast filled with incredible performances.  Along with great dialogue, the violence was definitely not lacking.  I was originally going to see this movie as part of the 70mm Road Show.  There were about 100 movie theaters across the United States that were showing The Hateful Eight on actual film as opposed to the digital projectors.  I was excited to enjoy the viewing experience but the cost was double what I ended up paying a week later to watch it digitally.  The film is still beautiful, and I had a great time.

The Hateful Eight takes place in the state of Wyoming where a blizzard is sweeping through. Throughout the movie, you find yourself trying to figure out who the bad guy, or perhaps bad guys, are.  This proves difficult as all of the characters are more sinners than they are saints.

Kurt Russell is the bounty hunter John Ruth and he aims to collect when he delivers Daisy Domergue who is played amazingly by Jennifer Jason Leigh.  With their stagecoach driver O.B.(James Parks) hey cross paths with Samuel Jackson who played the part of Major Marquis Warren and later run into Walton Goggins' character, Chris Mannix.  These four characters have reputations that proceed them, so everyone has an idea of who they're dealing with and it's explained why everyone is on edge.

The majority of the film takes place in a cabin where nothing seems to go as planned.  This is where we meet the characters played by Tim Roth, Michael Madsen, Demian Bichir and Bruce Dern.  The rest of the film is spent figuring out who is who and if anyone is truly on the up and up.

Also starring Channing Tatum, Zoe Bell, Dana Gourrier, Gene Jones, Keith Jefferson, Craig Stark, Lee Horsley and Belinda Owino.

The Hateful Eight is in theaters now and I highly recommend seeing it if you enjoy a film with gratuitous violence, remarkable banter between characters and the all around movie-going experience.  Tarantino has an eye and ear for what makes movies such an enjoyable pastime.

What are your thoughts on The Hateful Eight?  What other reviews or content would you like to see from Maskerpiece Theatre?  Please leave your comments below.

Maskerpiece Theatre is sponsored by MoviePass. See unlimited movies at a theater near you for a low monthly rate.

You can also support our show by using our Amazon banners or donating on our Support Us page.