This is a movie that had leaked out early causing Quentin Tarantino to declare that he wouldn’t release the film. However, after a couple of months and a table read of the script with some celebrities he came back around and it was released. Considering all of the hype around this film, I was pretty disappointed with the outcome. After Django Unchained, I was looking forward to seeing another western from Quentin Tarantino. This did not live up to my expectations.
This story-line is the foundation for a great film. What I have the most problem with was the way he converted this story from script to screen. The movie is a slow burn if there ever was one. The film is two hours and 47 minutes long and the action of the film doesn’t kick in until the last 47 minutes. The rest of the film is some great dialogue to develop the characters we meet but over half of what is being articulated has nothing to do with the story at hand.
This film has an all-star cast of actors and actresses who are all typically impressive to watch. But, with the dragging plot they just get boring to watch and your mind starts to wander. The person that had joined me for this viewing ended up falling asleep in the middle of the movie and woke up in time to see the end. During our discussion afterwards, I realized that even though they took a cat nap, they walked away still understanding the entire movie.
The Hateful 8 is a slow, dialogue-filled story with very little action to sustain your interest. This is a film that you should definitely let slide by in the theater and on DVD. But, if you find yourself with nothing to watch on TV or Netflix, you might give it a shot then. Cinema Wise gives The Hateful 8 a 2 out 5.
This Review is by Ryan Wolfe
Cinema Wise 