It’s like a play, but in glorious 70mm format!
When a group of individuals come together over the arrest of a high paying bounty, things are bound to get interesting. At first, you might think that everyone is on their merry way toward town, but as the movie goes on, revelations are made. What you think might be happening, may end up being something completely different.
As we meet characters throughout the movie, we can only go on who they claim to be and stories that others may have heard through the grapevine. Throughout the movie, you begin to question who is telling the truth. When someone tries an attempt at poisoning the rest of the squad, you instantly start to question the role and motive of every character present. Eventually sides are formed and goals are created. How each character strives for that goal, it sure is a rollercoaster.
*** Warning: Spoilers ***
The movie starts a little slow, but as soon as characters start to die close to the intermission, the pace picks up and the tension rises. Until the plot unravels, I never guessed what happened would happen. When the lines are drawn, it pretty much becomes a bloodbath. I would have never guessed the way that Channing Tatum was introduced and how he was tied with people in the cabin. With that being said, the portrayal and contrast between all of the characters is what really makes this movie. Since most of the movie takes place in a cabin, it could have easily been a stage play about characters and unknown motives.
Watching it in 70mm was truly an experience. There is a featurette about how films like these were shown in the 50s era, as promotion for the roadshow. Opposed to a normal movie experience of this age, everyone received a souvenir program, and got to watch a overture and intermission. The overture helped set the mood of the movie before it started, and the intermission gave the audience a chance to talk about what they saw in the first half. The 70mm screen gave the movie a super wide shot, making the landscape scenes in the intro look wonderful! However, because most of the film is shot on a soundstage, the format wasn’t used to its full potential.
I enjoyed this movie a lot. The characters are what really make the film. The ending was a little lackluster for me. I was hoping for something, “epic,” but it was just a gorey revenge kill. I really liked the journey through the movie, but by the end, I fell off a little. I was hoping to see the theatrical release to see how the cut the movie, but I never got around to it.
Check out the movie if you want to. It is a little on the adult side with the language and imagery. This may not be my favorite Tarantino film, but it was still fun.