REVIEW: THE HATEFUL EIGHT

4/5

I Like The Way You Direct Boy.

167 Minutes. Starring: Samuel L. Jackson, Kurt Russell, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Walton Goggins, Tim Roth, Michael Madsen, Demian Bichir, Bruce Dern & Channing Tatum. Director: Quentin Tarantino.

One. You can hang your stetson on acting legend Kurt Russell. The all-American icon is Western to the 'Tombstone' (whats up Doc? Can we get a wanted poster for Holliday?) He's done it all and this time the man from 'Little China' is bringing hell with him aswell as 'Big Trouble'. Not to mention one chopper of a 'Death Proof' handlebar moustache (different vehicle, same lane...still 'Fast and Furious' with new franchises). Snake slick, this man has escaped from New York and L.A., but can he and his $10,000 bounty find their way out from a blizzard of a snowed and literally nailed in stagecoah stopover, csbin in the woods during the American Civil War with eight strangers each as hateful as the last? Well either way a 'True Grit' dynamite Kurt is going to give us his best in years in a good or bad, whose who, clue mystery room tenser than the John Carpenter alienation of blood and brimstone. It's a hell of a thing! And we're talking about seeing Kurt back on the big stage in this movie that plays out like traditional theatre, gone west. Two. No matter that as the 'Family Guy' joke goes he's in practically every movie out there...especially those marked with a Q.T., it sure is great to see more of the ever cool as the other side of the pillow that he's turning back like the clock, Samuel L. Jackson. And motherf##### has he ever been better than this right now? Maybe only when fiction was pulp. He played it older, but more wearier than wiser in his crooked, classic cane turn in 'Django' two years back, but now he's truly unchained. Forget hell, he's all great vengeance and fury anger for anyone attempting to poison this brothers name. Three. The only thing more striking is the down trodden, but darkly upbeat damsel in, or causing all the distress, Jennifer Jason Leigh. Who almost steals this whole show and movie, bruised and battered and harrowingly hilarious in the face and neck of a helpless hanging but haunting like a grown up Exorcist child with a blood lust look that only a Leonardo DiCaprio injury improv could make. She'll leave you screaming...we'll leave it with you whether it will be with laughter or terror in the face of it all.

Four. Want more old favourites let off the leash and chain? Well Walton Goggins may not know how to pronounce 'Django' but the man who last had his hands on Jamie Foxx's bullets is anything but silent like the D here. Sure he's country like Tennessee, but boy is he accented hillbilly. And you're going to love the way he draws and drawls. Five. Just like Demian Bichir who has crossed the bridge from small screen success to blockbuster big-time as the Mexican actor joins this stopover store, standoff showdown to shoot stereotypes down in the face. Six. Just like great Brit Tim Roth who goes from the raw Reservoirs and the pulp of diner robberies to a situation where if any f###### p### moves than someone will have to shoot every mother####### one of them. Everybody be cool though, this is more than a robbery...its a takeover. Another Wild West classic, forget a 'Ridiculous Six'...Netflix can chill tonight. This is the 'Civil War' movie of the year, Captain like America in 'Revenant' raw beards and bison fur (but where's Leo? Or a Django cameo? Or last Waltz with Christoph?). Seven. How about the magnificent mad dog that is Michael Madsen? Another mutt from the Reservoirs, out for the kill like the bill that he is all for. Like the dollar of the American dream that back in the saloon days came in leather holsters that clicked like spurs. And now with a snap of the fingers and resounding clap Mike is back like the late 90's, forget Black Widow or an Iggy Azzalea video. This is an old mans game. Legends only in this iconic classic. Just ask Bruce Dern. It doesnt get much older (no disrespect) or better (all respect) than the man that was making Westerns back when both he and 'The Good' Clint Eastwood where young men with fists full of dollars and dreams. Now via the black and white of an Oscar gold shining 'Nebraska' and another 'Django Unchained' cameo he makes his way to Wyoming and a chess playing chair that is anything but easy for the final piece. Eight. Checkmate!

Room for one more? Than in this epic ensemble of bad and ugly how about a Billy the Kid? Or should we call him Jodie? Or even Channing? Because Tatum is a knockout in support here, bringing true magic like Mike, making this big pictute truly XXL. Straight off jump street and more than the 21 and 22 crowd like co-star Jonah Hill, who made a classic cameo himself in the last Quentin Western, Channing is compelling. Electric and chaismatic to the closing chapters he's an off the bench spark plug to this playbook after your snacks and shake intermission. But you best believe this Hollywood kid is more than popcorn here in this true grime and genuinely gritted, tooth capped performance. Even if this is all stranger and better than this leading mans director, against type coming to support him on prime time television, as Tatum dressed up as Elsa and Beyonce for a now legendary 'Lip Sync Battle' with his other half where he quotably "killed it"! Well read our lips and words...he straight murders and assasinates it here too, almost stealing the scenes he looks to save. There's more than eight wonders here and it all comes in classic, cinematic 70mm, six chapters and a Golden Globe and surely Oscar winning score from the legendary Ennio Morricone, for the perfect picture from the man that brought you the great gallery of 'Reservoir Dogs', 'Pulp Fiction', 'Jackie Brown', 'Kill Bill' volumes one and two, 'Inglorious Basterds' and 'Django Unchained' portraits. Quentin Tarantino completes his history trilogy in blood with his brothers. And between all the bullets and brains you'll be glad he had the mind over matter to not shelve this previously leaked script, because its classic, vintage and traditional Tarantino by the book, chapter by chapter. All the way to all the small things that if you blink you'll miss. Understand? How could you hate number eight? Now like each of his characters we can't wait to see Tarantino carry the nine. Soon we'll be able to see how this all fits into the top ten...his or that of all time. I count more than six shots. I count two of his of his best out West. Draw! TIM DAVID HARVEY.