The Hateful Eight (70mm) Review

Brandon Thompson
Jan 16, 2016
3 min read

If dialogue was cheese, movies like The Room and every line Adam Sandler has written would be the type wrapped in plastic and full of preservatives, however Quentin Tarantino would be the mature blue cheese that you need to find in France to try. Lucky for us we don't need to go to France, we just have to head to a cinema.

In QT's latest movie we are taken back to a time when movies were movies and not hard drives. You've probably heard of the 70mm presentation for this film and if you haven't I'll link a video below so you know what I'm taking about. We get a booklet, overture and an intermission. All our these factors help make the movie an event, not a Sunday afternoon at the movies and it's amazing. I can't wait to see another film in 70mm.

One factor of the 70mm apart from it being used in the first place is that of the framing and it's most noticable when two characters are talking to each other, just framed in the shot together or when they both walk into frame. Tarantino has always done framing well since the get go and here is no exception.

This brings me to a quote from QT's friend Paul Thomas Anderson, "the best special effect you can have is an actor/ess. And even with the 70mm here it's true. Each member of the so called hateful eight are Oscar worthy. Respectively each cast member delivered their lines like no one else could. However the two standouts are Samuel L. Jackson and Jennifer Jason Leigh.

Now to a quote/thought of mine "all music in a film must not only add to it but it needs to make the images pop". With Ennio Morricone doing the score (marking the first original score for a QT film) it's no less than true, even if some of the music was unused music from The Thing back in the 80s. I would have liked more Morricone music in the movie but there isn’t tons of it, but still plenty.

When it comes to atmosphere music makes a difference but so does the location itself. With most of the film taking place in one building QT builds suspense like other screenwriters could only dream of. The set designer whom of which worked with QT in Kill Bill managed to design a room so well that the room itself becomes a character and it's always working for and against the actual characters.

One major part of a Tarantino film is the violence. The movie starts slow but when it comes she'll be coming around the mountain when it does and it doesn't disapoint.

My only criticism of the movie is that some of the characters aren't utilised as well as I hoped but when they are they leave an impression on you.

Overall you will find everything you expect from a QT film violence, dark humor and stuff I won't tell you about because you need to see the movie. It also contains plenty of references to other films in Tarantino's films. If you can watch the film in 70mm which is the way to see it but be quick about it as it ends on Wednesday for 70mm before it opens digitally on Thursday. I have trouble ranking Tarantino's films so I won't tell if you it's better or worse then any of his other stuff. Not only is another great movie for Tarantino's portfolio but also for the western genre.

Overall Score: 9.5/10

What are your thoughts on this film if you have seen it? Did it make you want to buy a big kahuna burger or become a bounty hunter? Yes? No? Maybe?