In the Tarantino’s world, things have changed. But at the end they are always the same. Reach a big audience doesn’t necessarily know Pam Grier, the Grindhouse and seen the last movies, Sergio Leone and Sergio Corbucci, didn’t prevent him to remain what he is. A boy in love with a certain cinema. A director who care maniacally all the details from the photography to the scenography and who loves dazzling dialogue, well build characters a bit surreal, explosive violence and several citations. And these things are also in a difficult film as "The Hateful Eight". The fitful wait for the second western by Tarantino ends up with the surprise that this work is not a real western. But a film that uses the west (not even the dusty one) for a story based on locked-room mystery remembering the works of Agatha Christie and Hitchcock’s film. And there are some self-citations from "Reservoir Dogs" and a flash back that brings to mind "Pulp Fiction". The good Quentin make some social critics, talk about conflicts and racism and, above all, once again. He had fun, creating a film that starts from a point and in the course of production transformed into something else
Tarantino is the same of the past. He shot in 70mm, he has a big budget but tries to hide it wanting us to smell a b movie’s production. Of course it is not, the crew consists of Greg Nicotero from the "The Walking Dead" who collaborated on the make-up effects, the trust director of photography Robert Richardson and especially with Ennio Morricone, who wrote the first original score of a Tarantino’s movie. The interpreters are not taken from nowhere and as always there is a proven cast: Samuel L. Jackson, Kurt Russell, Tim Roth and Michael Madsen. To which are added Walton Coggins and Bruce Dern (already in "Django Unchained"), Jennifer Jason Leigh and Demian Bichir.
Tarantino is no longer himself. "The Hateful Eight" is not an easy work. It’s a long theatrical story from with infinite dialogues, especially in the first part, which put a strain on even the biggest fans of the director. The action is concentrated almost entirely in a cabin just outside a small town. Statics. Claustrophobic. A place where the viewer "arrives" after a good half hour when it starts to happen something. Inside there the story doesn’t move and we are seeing a story divided into chapters, with a flash-back in the second part and an introduction, odd and a bit 'useless, to one of these segments by the same director (in the original version).
In the second part "The Hateful Eight" satisfies the desire for action, with a dramatic crescendo that leads to a little not shocking violence.
Wyoming winter. A coach travels in the snow to the town of Red Rock. On board there is John "The Hangman" Ruth (Kurt Russell), a bounty hunter and his captive Daisy Domergue (Jennifer Jason Leigh), often abused and beaten, to be surrendered to the law.
In their way they met the Major Marquis Warren (Samuel L. Jackson) former northerner soldier and famous bounty hunter. And then meet Chris Mannix (Walton Coggins) self-styled new Red Rock sheriff. Because of the snowstorm, the group takes refuge in the Minnie and Sweet Dave’s cabin. The two owners, however, there aren’t, but there are four strange people, Bob the Mexican (Demian Bichir), Oswaldo Mobray (Tim Roth), Joe Cage (Michael Madsen) and General Smithers (Bruce Dern). From here there is a crescendo until the situation explodes when someone poisons the coffee. We discover the intricate plot that gives the certainty that salvation will not be easy for anyone.
"The Hateful Eight" has unleashed a kind of war between fans. Between those who approve it and those who crushes it. It is certainly not an easy movie and there are too many words, but they all work best with actors that make the good characters and as mentioned a production that leaves nothing to chance. And so it remains yet another interesting view of a director who does not conform to the canons.