"The Hateful Eight" is the eighth full-length feature film released by acclaimed director Quentin Tarantino, a filmmaker known for his graphic use of blood, gore and vulgarity at large. In this film, we find Major Marquis Warren, portrayed by Samuel L. Jackson, a Civil War veteran turned bounty hunter in the snowy mountains of Wyoming. The bounty hunter crosses paths with several characters from his past, including John Ruth, a bounty hunter otherwise known as “The Hangman,” portrayed by Kurt Russell and Chris Mannix, a former “Lost-Causer” rebel during the Civil War, portrayed by Walton Goggins. This unlikely bunch is on its way to Red Rock, Wyoming, for one reason or another, but a dreadful blizzard puts the group in the only safe cabin for miles, where they meet the rest of the film’s characters. A bloody evening ensues, full of betrayal, deception, and (you guessed it) a ton of killing.

This movie represents both the good and the bad of how Tarantino makes his films. We can easily find the good in how well each character is portrayed, the way the film was shot, and the storytelling. For everything that any critic can say about the director, he is, and has always been an expert story teller. The fans of his work will rave over the usual, a ton of foul language, over-the-top blood and gore, and the usual violence that runs rampant in all of his previous films. This film used a particular style to convey Tarantino’s vision, a style that he has used before, but not one so easily mastered. This technique is the use of one “stage” or setting for the majority of the movie, almost like a theater play of sorts; actors upon the stage and whatnot. The movie only takes place in the cabin for the most part, which creates the risk of isolating the plot and making the setting boring or dull.

Somehow, Tarantino replicated the genius that made "Reservoir Dogs" the masterpiece it became in this film, showcasing that this director can really do an amazing amount with very little to work with. Other high notes of the film include Samuel L. Jackson’s performance of a lifetime, the obvious chemistry of the actors who have worked with Tarantino in the past, and the bone-chilling suspense that only this director brings to his work, creating a psychological thriller out of a blood and gore shoot-em-up movie. Oh, and how could I forget the monumental soundtrack composed by none other than the great Ennio Morricone, who came out of retirement to write the music for the film.

Now for the bad. Most of this is nit-picky, but objectivity is key. When considering a film for a critique, we look at the film for core foundations of what constitutes a good piece of cinema. Plot development, character development, script, cinematography, etc. "The Hateful Eight" knocks most of these fundamental requirements out of the park. But a glaring weakness of the film is found in the character development, or the lack thereof. While I may have been sitting on the edge of my seat throughout the film, I left feeling unmoved. I didn’t feel connected to any of the characters on a more than surface-level basis, and honestly, that means that the character wasn’t strong enough to connect to. The characters in the film were very centered around the action of the film, revealing little to no detail about themselves or their motivations. In fact, the only details revealed of the characters’ pasts serve the mere purpose of pushing the plot forward, rather than creating ties to an audience. I suppose I’m being unfair in requesting to feel close to a character in an “action” movie, but I have to say that Tarantino sets the bar quite high in his films, and this is the expectation that his standard creates. With this said, the characters are all astounding in their own light, just not characters that viewers can easily connect to.

With everything considered, the film was absolutely worth seeing as a whole. I highly recommend it. Just be prepared for blood, because there will be a lot.