Much of the press of Quentin Tarantino’s new film is about how he wants you to see it, not so much what you’re going to see. But I’m happy to say that once the lights dim and the movie begins - The Hateful Eight is one of Tarantino’s strongest (and harshest) films.

Set shortly after the Civil War, The Hateful Eight starts as the story of two bounty hunters. The first, Major Marquis Warren (Samuel L. Jackson) is looking to bring the bodies of three outlaws to collect his earnings in Red Rock, Colorado. Unfortunately for him, he’s stuck in a brutal Wyoming blizzard that’s only going to get worse. His luck picks up when a stagecoach crosses his path. Inside that stagecoach? John “The Hangman" Ruth (Kurt Russel). He’s also heading to Red Rock, looking to see that his alive prisoner - Daisy Domergue (Jennifer Jason Leigh) - hangs for her crimes. They strike up a deal, with Warren paying Ruth for his troubles, ensuring easier passage to Red Rock.

On their way to Red Rock, the storm intensifies, so too does their carriage load, as they come across Chris Mannix (Walton Goggins), who claims - to Ruth and Warren’s skepticism - he’s the new sheriff in Red Rock. As the storm gets even worse, the crew decides to stop in Minnie’s Haberdashery, a local lodge, where they find an even more motley crew. It seems Minnie left to visit her mother, leaving Bob (DemiÁ¡n Bichir), a Mexican worker; Oswaldo Mobray (Tim Roth), Red Rock’s new hangman; Joe Gage (Michael Masden), a cowboy; and Sanford Smithers (Bruce Dern), a former Confederate general. They’re all stuck in this cabin for the next few days. The blizzard is too strong. And no one can trust anyone else.

In an odd twist, Tarantino’s second western adventure (following D’jango Unchained) in many ways is similar to The Thing. It’s an intense disagreement among angry men where, clearly, multiple parties are not telling the truth. Taking from his incredible opening scene in Inglorious Basterds, Tarantino writes the movie with deft control of intensity. On paper, this is just a room filled with actors speaking to each other. In delivery, it’s an intense, dark, rage-filled film plastered with incredible performances.

Every actor in this film gives their all - Kurt Russel bringing his best John Wayne to the film, Samuel L. Jackson monologuing as only he can, Tim Roth delivering the world’s greatest Christoph Waltz impression - but the one who shines above all? Jennifer Jason Leigh. For the first two thirds of the movie, Leigh’s role is thankless - one of brutal physical humor. In the end? She might be the most vile and unstoppable of the crew.

As one would expect from Tarantino, The Hateful Eight is full of his tropes: chapter titles, unique chronology, a fetishistic love of old-school credits, in-depth discussion of race, brutal violence. But it somehow rises above much of his prior work by focusing only on human relationships. The film may last 3 hours, but it zooms by due to the incredible construction of each conversation and conflict. It’s been said that this film could work just as well as a play, and I’d love to see it hit the stage: it’s arguably Tarantino’s finest work as a writer.

One additional note: I had the luck of seeing the film in the 70mm Roadshow edition. If you can see it this way, I can’t recommend it enough. Touches such as the musical overture from Ennio Morricone really set the stage for the film, and having an honest-to-God program in hand made the screening feel like a premium experience. Is this why the audience I saw the film with was so respectful, with little conversation and no cellphone use? Perhaps. It’s amazing what happens when you can treat the theatrical experience as a privilege. It’s also worth noting that the extended 70mm frame did add to the film: it added an incredible sense of geography and depth. While many conversations were one-on-one, you could see what each of the remaining “eight" were doing in the corner. By the end, I felt like I could describe every nook of that room.

While by no means an uplifting holiday experience, The Hateful Eight delivers what Quentin Tarantino has done best since Reservoir Dogs - unique characters, incredible dialogue, and a film going experience that only he provides. Absolutely recommended - especially if you can see it as the Roadshow.

The Hateful Eight is in theaters now.