The Hateful Eight, written and directed by Quentin Tarantino, tells the story of John Ruth, a bounty hunter in post-Civil War Wyoming, who is on his way to deliver Daisy Domergue, a fugitive, to the police of the city of Red Rock. Along the way Ruth, nicknamed “the Hangman,” picks up Marquis Warren, another bounty hunter, and Chris Mannix, both of whom have the shared goal of getting to Red Rock.

When a blizzard hits, they are forced to take a stagecoach stopover at a lodge, Minnie’s Haberdashery, where they meet a new collection of characters. The plot quickly takes a turn to an exceedingly dark place as the group deal with differences and prejudices, while their extensive backstories unfold.

Until the last third of the movie, the story progresses pretty slowly until it eventually crescendos to a crazy peak that pretty much outdoes Tarantino’s previous feats featuring blood and and gore in his films.

Although the first two-thirds of the film involve many characters and primarily dialogue in one place, the conversations are well written and interesting–enough to engross a viewer anticipating the impending brutal climax.

Although it takes place in a post-Civil War landscape, the film integrates some timely and important commentary on current topics like racism and sexism in the United States. The characters, through their relationships and political and social stances, are clearly engaging key crises in contemporary American society.