Movie Review: "Hateful 8" is the Full Stew from Quentin Tarantino

With a fierce blizzard nipping at their heels, and a fulsome bounty awaiting them in the next town, bounty hunter John Ruth (Kurt Russell, in a definite return to form) and stagecoach drive OB (James Perks) whip through the Wyoming country, Ruth cahined to convicted murderess Daisy Domergue (Jennifer Jason Leigh, more on her later).

The chance to encounter a Black Union officer (Samuel L Jackson), himself now occupied as a bounty hunter but favouring his paycheques on the "Dead" variant of the old "Wanted: Dead or Alive" rubric, and a die-hard Confederate (Walton Goggins ) also claiming to be th new sheriff of the town where Daisy is to be presented for justice.

They agree to a pit stop at Minnie’s Haberdashery, a local watering hole, known to both bounty hunters,  where Ruth, known as "The Hangman"  intends to wait-out the storm. However, Minnie is nowhere to be found; instead, the Haberdashery is inhabited by four polite strangers: Oswaldo Mobray (Tim Roth), Bob “The Mexican” (Demián Bichir), Joe Gage (Michael Madsen), and Confederate General Sanford Smithers (Bruce Dern). 

Suspicious of his acquaintances, both new and old alike, The Hangman digs in and prepares for a two-day stay surrounded by dangerous men with unknown intentions.
The inventive, swaggering dialogue is what drives it onward: quintessentially American. 

Instant mistrust, rampant racism (reinforced with a barrage of N-words) and conflicting loyalties — mostly to one's self — play out amid delicious tension as cabin fever grips the group.

Juggling this many players is a mighty task. Tarantino's winding script establishes their roles in fits and starts, never putting too much pressure on any one scene or piece of dialogue. Jackson and Jason Leigh dominate every frame they're in, but everyone gets a chance to shine.

But it is Leigh, not seen in a mainstream production of this magnitude for some time, who shines brightest. Her Daisy, by turns feral, sardonic and sweet (listen to her sing and play guitar), has to rank as one of the THE performances of the year, regardless of who is considering such things.

The Hateful Eight is a quality production full of unforgettable performances, cheeky banter, and a gripping storyline packed full of fun twists and shrewd drama – limited only by violence and profanity that won’t be of taste for easily offended filmgoers.