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The Hateful Eight

The Hateful Eight

No one comes up here without a damn good reason.

2015168 minRMidcredits score: 97th percentile of all films
Director
Quentin Tarantino
Starring
Samuel L. Jackson, Kurt Russell, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Walton Goggins

Bounty hunters seek shelter from a raging blizzard and get caught up in a plot of betrayal and deception.

Where to watch

Where can I watch The Hateful Eight?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists The Hateful Eight streaming on MovieSphere+ via Prime Video and Tubi (free) and to rent or buy on Apple TV and Prime Video.

Your rating, lists and review

Highlights

What stands out about The Hateful Eight?

The Hateful Eight earns 18 badges, led by Oscar Winner and Modern classic.

Show 10 more
  • Rank
  • Reception
  • Craft and mood
  • Awards and box office
  • Content
  • Cast

Reception

Is The Hateful Eight worth watching?

The Hateful Eight's Midcredits score is the 97th percentile of all films, from 2.1M ratings across 6 sources. 87% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

97th percentile

Better received than 97% of films

97th percentile among Crime97th percentile among 2010s
Acclaim (how much people like it)94th
Approval (how many liked it)96th

77 /100

94th percentile of all films

97th percentile among Crime94th percentile among 2010s

Critics 68 · Audience 78

Audiences liked it more than critics did.

Rating distribution

Most people land high, with a thin tail of low scores from those it didn't reach.

87% liked it

96th percentile of all films

96th percentile among Crime97th percentile among 2010s
87% rated it 7–1013% rated it 1–6

Critics 74% · Audience 77%

On Rotten Tomatoes, critics and audiences approve at similar rates.

Awards

1 Oscars won · 2 Oscar noms · 20 wins / 77 noms overall

  • WonAcademy Awards· Best Achievement in Music Written for Motion Pictures, Original Score
  • NominatedAcademy Awards· Best Achievement in Cinematography

99th percentile

2.1M ratings across platforms

99th percentile among Crime99th percentile among 2010s
TMDB popularity, last 155 days to Oct 26Down 7% in 30 days

Box office

Budget$44M
Opening weekend$4.6M
Domestic gross$54M
Worldwide gross$161M

Returned 3.7× its budget — 97th percentile earner in its genre.

What reviewers say

Common ground

Both camps agree the film is a slow-burn, dialogue-heavy chamber piece set almost entirely in a single cabin, driven by Tarantino's signature style.

Fans praised

  • Outstanding ensemble acting, especially Jackson, Leigh, Goggins
  • Claustrophobic tension built through dialogue and confined setting
  • Morricone's Oscar-winning score enhances atmosphere and dread

Detractors panned

  • Bloated runtime with excessive, self-indulgent dialogue
  • Gratuitous gore and violence overshadow storytelling
  • One-note, unlikeable characters with no moral center

What stands out

Sound and musicDivisive90

Morricone's tense, Oscar-winning original score

ActingDivisive85

Cast delivers top-notch performances, especially Jackson, Leigh, Russell, Goggins

CinematographyDivisive85

Stunning 70mm snowy vistas and cabin interiors

TensionDivisive80

Slow-burn suspense that explodes in second half

DialogueDivisive75

Witty and pungent but overlong and self-indulgent

CharactersDivisive60

Memorable but uniformly hateful and shallow; no one to root for

Plot and storyDivisive55

Simple whodunit stretched thin; predictable twists

PacingDivisive40

Very slow first half; rewards patience but drags for most

Preferred by

Women vs men

Preferred by Men

Men scored it 19 points higher than women.

No notable difference between the other groups: each pair ranks it within 10 percentile points.

  • Under-30s vs over-30s 8 points apart
  • Critics vs users 4 points apart
  • US vs non-US 5 points apart

Watch experience

What is The Hateful Eight like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Dark and unsettling: browse every movie of this kind

Watch this when you are ready to pay close attention and feel heavy feelings, and you want something dark that stays with you.

It is intense, takes its time and leaves you unsettled. Skip it when you want an easy night or you can only half-watch.

ToneFeelDemandwhat the answer rests onexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

Your full attention, room for heavy feelings and patience.

What it feels like

Dark and unsettling.

The answer rests on this: Moods
TenseAbsurd
Heaviest: late
Dark humor
Register
Cynical · 1% of filmsBrutal · 7% of filmsSardonic · 1% of films: Mocking with a bitter edge.
Told as
Chaptered · 1% of films: Told in titled chapters or clearly separate parts.Nonlinear · 6% of films: Events shown out of chronological order.Single location · 5% of films: Confined to essentially one place throughout.
ToneThe film maintains a bleak and cynical posture, with brutal violence and darkly sardonic dialogue delivered with theatrical flair.
The rideThe film builds sustained tension from the first act, with bursts of extreme violence, and the climax is the most brutal and emotionally draining stretch.
StructureThe story unfolds in titled chapters, with a key flashback revealing the conspirators' plan, and the vast majority of the runtime confined to one lodge.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Unsettled.

The answer rests on this: UnsettlingThought-provokingDevastating · 3% of films
Why it leaves you this wayThe film's brutal conclusion and its unflinching examination of racial hatred leave a lingering, disturbing impression that provokes reflection on America's history of violence.
How it ends · evidence
Bittersweet ending

Story archetype

where it sits among all films
Monster — 21% of films. A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated.Rags — 3% of films. A rise from lowliness to fortune, status, or recognition.Quest — 10% of films. A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles.Voyage — 4% of films. Into a strange world and back again, changed.Comedy — 11% of films. Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony.Tragedy — 9% of films. A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin.Rebirth — 13% of films. A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed.Mystery — 7% of films. A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered.No archetype — 22% of filmsPredator — 6% of films. A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).Tyrant — 6% of films. A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).Invasion — 2% of films. An external force attacks the home or world (Independence Day).Oppressive state — 2% of films. A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).Corporate villainy — 1% of films. A company or its bosses are the monster (Erin Brockovich).Institutional injustice — 1% of films. A court, prison, police force, school or church is itself the enemy (Spotlight).Class system — under 1% of films. The gap between rich and poor, or a rigid hierarchy, is the monster (Parasite).Technology turns — under 1% of films. Technology people rely on becomes the threat (The Terminator).Inner demon — 1% of films. The monster is within — addiction, illness, a dark double.Underdog triumph — 2% of films. Rise through competition or contest (Rocky).Social ascent — under 1% of films. A climb in class or status (Pretty Woman).Fame and fortune — under 1% of films. An artistic or showbiz rise (A Star Is Born).Rise and fall — under 1% of films. Wealth or power gained, self lost (Scarface).Hidden worth revealed — under 1% of films. The protagonist's true value finally recognized.Treasure hunt — 1% of films. Retrieve an object of value (Raiders of the Lost Ark).Rescue — 4% of films. Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).Mission — 5% of films. Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).Journey home — under 1% of films. The goal is getting back (Finding Nemo).Pilgrimage — 1% of films. The journey itself transforms; the destination is symbolic.Portal fantasy — under 1% of films. Transported into another world (The Wizard of Oz).Fish out of water — 2% of films. Displaced into an unfamiliar social world (Elf).Survival ordeal — 1% of films. Trapped in a hostile environment, fighting back (Cast Away).Time displacement — under 1% of films. Unstuck in time (Back to the Future).Descent — 1% of films. A night-journey into an underworld or subculture (After Hours).Romantic comedy — 4% of films. Lovers kept apart by confusion, united at last.Comedy of errors — 3% of films. Mistaken identity or misunderstanding drives the plot.Farce — 2% of films. Escalating absurd chaos and coincidence (The Hangover).Buddy comedy — 1% of films. A mismatched pair forced together (Rush Hour).Comedy of manners — 1% of films. Social codes and class satirized (Clueless).Hubris — 1% of films. Pride or ambition invites the fall (There Will Be Blood).Obsession — 2% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Corruption arc — 2% of films. Step-by-step moral decay (The Godfather).Doomed love — 2% of films. Love destroyed by circumstance (Brokeback Mountain).Crushed by fate — 3% of films. Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.Redemption — 3% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Healing — 5% of films. Recovery from grief or trauma (Good Will Hunting).Liberation — 2% of films. Breaking free of a confining life (Room).Second chance — 2% of films. A stagnant life re-opened to love or purpose (Groundhog Day).Puzzle — 1% of films. A clue-by-clue puzzle you can try to solve before the reveal (Knives Out, Clue).Investigation — 5% of films. A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).Enigma — 2% of films. The mystery is what is real, or what is actually happening (Mulholland Drive).Mystery
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 21%: Predator 6% · Tyrant 6% · Invasion 2% · Oppressive state 2% · Corporate villainy 1% · Institutional injustice 1% · Class system under 1% · Technology turns under 1% · Inner demon 1%
  • Rags 3%: Underdog triumph 2% · Social ascent under 1% · Fame and fortune under 1% · Rise and fall under 1% · Hidden worth revealed under 1%
  • Quest 10%: Treasure hunt 1% · Rescue 4% · Mission 5% · Journey home under 1% · Pilgrimage 1%
  • Voyage 4%: Portal fantasy under 1% · Fish out of water 2% · Survival ordeal 1% · Time displacement under 1% · Descent 1%
  • Comedy 11%: Romantic comedy 4% · Comedy of errors 3% · Farce 2% · Buddy comedy 1% · Comedy of manners 1%
  • Tragedy 9%: Hubris 1% · Obsession 2% · Corruption arc 2% · Doomed love 2% · Crushed by fate 3%
  • Rebirth 13%: Redemption 3% · Healing 5% · Liberation 2% · Second chance 2%
  • Mystery 7% (this title): Puzzle 1% · Investigation 5% (this title) · Enigma 2%
  • No archetype 22%

Mystery: A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered. · Investigation: A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).

7% of films fit this archetype

Why this archetypeThe narrative is driven by a central mystery of identity and betrayal among strangers trapped in a lodge, unfolding through investigation and flashback.

What it's about

7 groups · 53 themes
Bonds — 27% of filmsSelf — 22% of filmsPower — 7% of filmsMorality — 16% of filmsSurvival — 15% of filmsSociety — 9% of filmsIdeas — 5% of filmsRomantic love — 15% of filmsMarriage — 2% of filmsFamily bonds — 21% of filmsParenthood — 2% of filmsFriendship — 9% of filmsLoyalty — 4% of filmsIdentity — 14% of filmsComing of age — 5% of filmsAging — under 1% of filmsSelf-worth — 7% of filmsAmbition — 7% of filmsPurpose — 9% of filmsMemory — 3% of filmsObsession — 3% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Power — 2% of filmsCorruption — 3% of filmsGreed — 3% of filmsClass — 3% of filmsOppression — 4% of filmsFreedom — 5% of filmsJustice — 13% of filmsDuty — 2% of filmsRevenge — 4% of filmsGuilt — 3% of filmsRedemption — 6% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Forgiveness — 1% of filmsSacrifice — 4% of filmsBetrayal — 5% of filmsDeception — 9% of filmsSurvival — 17% of filmsWar — 1% of filmsViolence — 4% of filmsMortality — 2% of filmsGrief — 6% of filmsTrauma — 7% of filmsMental illness — 1% of filmsAddiction — 1% of filmsIllness and disability — under 1% of filmsCommunity — 14% of films. Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Isolation — 5% of filmsPrejudice — 3% of filmsDisplacement — 1% of filmsFaith — 3% of filmsTradition vs change — 2% of filmsFame — 3% of filmsLegacy — 4% of filmsFate — 1% of filmsFree will — under 1% of filmsTruth — 4% of filmsHope — 5% of filmsNature — 2% of filmsArt — 4% of filmsTechnology — 1% of filmsSelfSurvival
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 27%: Romantic love 15% · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 21% · Parenthood 2% · Friendship 9% · Loyalty 4%
  • Self 22%: Identity 14% · Coming of age 5% · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% · Ambition 7% · Purpose 9% · Memory 3% · Obsession 3%
  • Power 7%: Power 2% · Corruption 3% · Greed 3% · Class 3% · Oppression 4% · Freedom 5%
  • Morality 16%: Justice 13% (this title) · Duty 2% · Revenge 4% · Guilt 3% · Redemption 6% · Forgiveness 1% · Sacrifice 4% · Betrayal 5% (this title) · Deception 9%
  • Survival 15% (this title): Survival 17% (this title) · War 1% · Violence 4% · Mortality 2% · Grief 6% · Trauma 7% · Mental illness 1% · Addiction 1% · Illness and disability under 1%
  • Society 9%: Community 14% · Isolation 5% · Prejudice 3% · Displacement 1% · Faith 3% · Tradition vs change 2% · Fame 3% · Legacy 4%
  • Ideas 5%: Fate 1% · Free will under 1% · Truth 4% · Hope 5% · Nature 2% · Art 4% · Technology 1%

Survival

SurvivalJustice · 13% of filmsBetrayal · 5% of films
Interrogates its theme: Questions its theme without settling the answer.Intimate stakes: Consequences reach a person or a household.Single lead
How it treats its themeThe film explores survival under extreme conditions—both the blizzard and the violent standoff—while questioning whether justice exists in a lawless frontier.
StanceThe film questions whether justice can exist in a world of survival and betrayal, focusing on Warren's perspective as he navigates the lodge's danger.

The world

19th centuryRuralInstitutionalStylized realism
Orchestral modernFolkSupportive music · original score
Settinga remote stagecoach lodge in Wyoming during a blizzard, shortly after the Civil War
MusicMorricone's score won the Academy Award for Best Original Score, blending suspenseful orchestral pieces with haunting folk motifs.

Content guide

Is The Hateful Eight okay for kids?

R

The Hateful Eight is rated R: “Rated R for strong bloody violence, a scene of violent sexual content, language and some graphic nudity” (MPAA). As of August 18, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at severe (96/100), sexual content at intense (61/100), language at severe (92/100), drug and alcohol content at moderate (39/100) and frightening material at intense (78/100). Overall it is heavier than 93% of R-rated films.

Ratings in 28 other countries
  • UK18
  • AustraliaR 18+
  • Germany16
  • France12
  • Ireland18
  • New ZealandR18
  • JapanR15+
  • South Korea19
  • Brazil18
  • Belgium16
  • BGD
  • Czechia18+
  • Denmark15
  • FinlandK-16
  • GreeceΚ-18
  • Hungary18
  • LTN-16
  • MexicoB-15
  • Netherlands16
  • Norway15
  • Poland15
  • PortugalM/16
  • RO18+
  • Russia18+
  • SK15
  • Spain18
  • Sweden15
  • Switzerland16
Overall
Intense · all five categories
Heavier than 95% of all filmsHeavier than 93% of R-rated films
Violence & Gore
Severe
heavy for an R-rated film
heavier than 97%
Sex & Nudity
Intense · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
heavy for an R-rated film
heavier than 76%
Profanity
Severe
heavy for an R-rated film
heavier than 94%
Alcohol & Drugs
Moderate
typical for an R-rated film
heavier than 45%
Frightening / Intense
Intense · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
heavy for an R-rated film
heavier than 76%

Point along a line to see a well-known title at that level.

Heavy almost across the board: violence, language, frightening material, and sexual content. Everything else sits at or below what R-rated films usually carry.

Source: Midcredits content scores, 0 (none) to 100 (severe) per category, with each standing ranked against other films that have them.

What content warnings does The Hateful Eight have?

MovieCove's classifier found 3 depicted content warnings in The Hateful Eight: Gun violence (severe), plus 2 withheld here because they would spoil the plot. 2 more are mentioned only, in dialogue or backstory (behind the spoiler gate). Each is backed by a verbatim quote from the parents' guide notes; a missing warning is not a guarantee of absence.

SevereGun violence

Mentioned: referenced in dialogue or backstory, not shown in the story’s present.

Cast and crew

Who is in The Hateful Eight?

Cast

6 of the cast already had the standing of a top-10% working actor.

Samuel L. Jackson
as Major Marquis Warren
Career best: Their highest-reaching film role by billing, audience size and rating.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Kurt Russell
as John Ruth
Established: A standing when this film came out that a top-10% working actor has today.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Jennifer Jason Leigh
as Daisy Domergue
Oscar nominee: Academy Award nomination — Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting RoleTop draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Walton Goggins
as Sheriff Chris Mannix
Veteran: 15 or more years in, with as much work as the typical long-career actor.
Demián Bichir
as Bob
Tim Roth
as Oswaldo Mobray
Established: A standing when this film came out that a top-10% working actor has today.
Michael Madsen
as Joe Gage
Established: A standing when this film came out that a top-10% working actor has today.
Bruce Dern
as General Sandy Smithers
Established: A standing when this film came out that a top-10% working actor has today.
James Parks
as O.B.
Career best: Their highest-reaching film role by billing, audience size and rating.
Dana Gourrier
as Minnie Mink

Crew

More like this

What are movies like The Hateful Eight?

Movies like The Hateful Eight include Django Unchained (2012), The Unholy Trinity (2024) and Inglourious Basterds (2009). Of the 12 closest matches, several are films by Quentin Tarantino, and most are films set in the 19th century.

Balanced: every group counts the same, and production only breaks ties.

7 of these 12 share its world: western. Those cards say what else they share.

Explore by

What else shares a premise, people or place with The Hateful Eight?

932 other films share the rarest tag below, premise: closed circle. Each tag opens Browse with the films that share it.