The Hateful Eight

A new Quentin Tarantino film is never just another film — it's an anticipated event showcasing his nostalgic love of old-school cinema. After two epic/bloody revisionist flicks — Inglourious Basterds and Django Unchained — Tarantino creates another fresh take on westerns in The Hateful Eight.

The film follows a group of disparate individuals after the Civil War, including bounty hunters, a criminal, a hangman and a confederate general, whose true natures remain ambiguous as they are forced to shelter together from a blizzard.

The Hateful Eight reasserts Tarantino's love of westerns through classic style mixed with his boldly fresh execution, adding a delicious element of murder mystery. Despite the outstanding scope (particularly resonant in glorious 70mm), the film is insular, utilising confined spaces for hours of engaging conversation and graphically violent thrills. His characters are rich and dialogue is second to none, making this his most theatrical film since Reservoir Dogs. Beyond immaculate set/costume design, the (mostly) original score from legendary composer Ennio Morricone is an atmospheric masterstroke.

Tarantino's casting is impeccable. Everyone is excellently nuanced, from his seasoned players like Samuel L Jackson, Kurt Russell, Tim Roth and Walton Goggins to newbies like comeback girl Jennifer Jason Leigh, who makes an astonishing impact.

The Hateful Eight is a provocative melding of the historical whodunnit crime fiction genre and spaghetti westerns, as only Tarantino can deliver.