Throughout the entirety of director Quentin Tarantino's career, certain groups of journalists and angered filmgoers have criticized and even boycotted his films for their explicit depictions (and supposed over-glorification) of cinematic violence. From "Pulp Fiction" to "The Hateful Eight," Tarantino's impressive repertoire of cinematic endeavors has never restrained itself in its inclusion of these horrific moments of extreme violence, and I personally believe his work is better off for it.
To be clear, Tarantino is certainly not the only director with a distinctly gory style of storytelling, but his level of fame and popularity among the film community is virtually unparalleled, thus providing the perfect scapegoat for the aforementioned mob of critics questioning the artistic value of onscreen violence.
The main factor behind Quentin Tarantino's particular appeal (speaking from personal experience) is the overt sense of grandiose style he injects into just about any scene from his films. Just about everything is blown out of proportion and elevated by its detachment from reality. Take "Kill Bill," for instance, in which the main character's sudden surprise and alertness are literally represented by the sound of an alarm ringing. And while it might seem odd to praise a filmmaker for a lack of realism, the appeal of surrealist art can be found in most other types of artistic mediums, even though Tarantino seems to have championed its popularity in the landscape of film.
Understanding Tarantino's reliance on surrealism is crucial to grasping the unclear motivations behind his plentiful graphic moments. Though the man's critics might claim that Tarantino's inclusion of violence only perpetuates the youth's violent tendencies in the real world, a more accurate assessment of the acclaimed director's work reveals the opposite effect. Tarantino's films grant viewers a chance at escapism, the kind of feeling that separates audience members from their personal lives and baggage for an entertaining pair of hours. Tarantino's usage of cinematic violence is simply an extension of this detachment from reality, with its absurdly exaggerated style providing entertainment along the way.