The culprit is definitely not Cicero (Isaiah Mustafa), a former slave who ends up in Yellowstone City looking for a way to leave his past behind him. He’s an unknown individual, and it’s most likely that he’s not the one responsible for the vandalism or the destruction of property.
As the new suspect in the Robert Dunnigan murder case, Gabriel Byrne is quickly becoming a popular figure in town. He’s arrested and locked up for the crime, but as you can probably expect, further killings take place while he awaits punishment. The mystery of who killed Dunnigan deepens as more and more people in town start to die mysteriously.
As the mystery deepens, it becomes clear that greed is not the only motive for the murders. Some of the local townsfolk, including stable hand Violet Running Horse (Tanaya Beatty), clergyman Thaddeus Murphy (Thomas Jane), and saloon owner Edgar Blake (Richard Dreyfuss) become key players in the dark but not very complicated plot. The motives for these murders are unknown, but it is possible that they have something to do with Dunnigan’s claim to the gold.
The identity of Dunnigan’s killer is revealed around the midpoint of the movie, so if you’re expecting an Agatha Christie-type tale where the murderer is unmasked during the end game, you’re going to be a little disappointed. You might also be disappointed if you want a puzzle box of a movie, as it’s director (Richard Gray) and writer (Eric Balgua) spoil the mystery with a couple of overly-obvious clues. ..
The movie is enjoyable, despite some poor acting. The cast is good, and the story is interesting. However, the movie can be improved by better actors.
The town of Yellowstone City is a character in the movie. The strong acting and aesthetics make it feel believable. The special effects at the beginning of the movie are not realistic, but they are easy to forget when the plot takes hold.
The movie’s shootouts are convincingly staged and exciting to watch. There are several horseback chases in the movie too and these are also quite thrilling. So, if you’re looking for some good old-fashioned western action in the mould of the John Wayne and Clint Eastwood movies of old, you will likely appreciate what the director has pulled off here.
The movie has potential but there are some areas where it could be improved. For example, the mystery is too quickly solved and there is no development of the characters. The plot is also a little confusing and there are some inconsistencies. Overall, though, the film has potential and could be improved with more development.
I think the issue may be editing because scenes may have been cut to shorten the movie, but it could also be that the storytelling is bad. This is a shame because Belgau’s screenplay is generally quite intelligent, with some interesting dialogue and characters that aren’t written as stereotypes. ..
Despite its flaws, I think “The Hateful Eight” is a movie worth watching. My expectations were low going in, mainly because I thought it was a cheap western that had been stuffed with a few big-name players to draw in a bigger audience. Thomas Jane and Richard Dreyfuss are both actors who have slummed it in low-budget movies during recent years, which is partly why I thought this was yet another movie they had taken on strictly for the pay cheque. Despite its flaws, “The Hateful Eight” is an interesting movie worth watching. My expectations were low going in, mainly because I thought it was a cheap western that had been stuffed with a few big-name players to draw in a bigger audience. Thomas Jane and Richard Dreyfuss are both actors who have slummed it in low-budget movies during recent years, which is partly why I thought this was yet another movie they had taken on strictly for the pay cheque. ..
Thankfully, I was proven wrong. While Murder At Yellowstone City is no classic of the genre, it’s still a damn sight better than many of the straight-to-streaming cowboy movies that have sullied the genre in recent times.
This movie had some good things going for it, but some critics set their expectations way too high. If you can lower your expectations, you might enjoy it more. I thought it was quite good and if any mean-spirited critic wants to meet me at high noon for a critical showdown, I will happily turn up to meet them.
A murder at Yellowstone City has ended with the victim’s death and the suspect’s capture. The case is still being investigated, and more information is expected to come out in the coming days.
