Ranking Quentin Tarantino's Films: From Reservoir Dogs to Once Upon a Time in Hollywood

Over the past month, I have been watching all of Quentin Tarantino's movies and wanted to share my thoughts and ranking of his filmography. Quentin Tarantino is one of my all-time favorite directors. He has a unique style to his filmmaking with dialogue-heavy films filled with witty writing while throwing in lots of gruesome violence. He is not afraid to tread the line and has lots of risky and controversial subject matter in his films. Even though he has some fine line topics, his movies are universally beloved with not a single flop in his filmography. This list was a bit tough to make as I don't think he has made a bad film so all of my ratings are at 7.5 or above. In most of the films, I don't have anything negative to say but something needs to go at the bottom of the list. With all that said, here are my thoughts and ranking of the nine Quentin Tarantino films.

9. Death Proof

Death Proof is the weakest of Tarantino's films but even the bottom of the list still makes for a very good movie. This movie is Tarantino's take on the horror/thriller genre while also being a tribute to stunt people. Kurt Russell steals every scene he is in as the mysterious Stunt Man Mike. He so charming and seemingly innocent in the first half but then flips a switch to becoming a serial killer in the later half. The first half of the movie feels like an 80s horror film in the vein of Friday the 13th with its intentionally gritty style and slow-burn horror payoff. The point where Stunt Man Mike reveals his true character is legitimately frightening and completely changes the tone of his presence in the second half of the film. The second half of the movie is this great little car chase with all of these practical car stunts. The thing putting Death Proof at the bottom of the list that that there is very little connectivity between the two halves of the film. Stunt Man Mike is present throughout the film but the stories themselves are completely separate. All of Tarantino's other films are better connected. Overall, while this is the weakest on the list, Death Proof is still a good film and would probably be near the top of any filmmaker's list.

Score: 7.5/10 Grade: B

8. Once Upon a Time...In Hollywood

Once Upon a Time...In Hollywood is Quentin Tarantino's love letter to Hollywood and movie making. This movie is less narrative-driven and more character-driven as it essentially tells the story of the day in the life of movie stars. The movie does a great job of showing the lives of three different aspects of stars, the rising star, the fading star, and the stunt double. Leonardo DiCaprio and Brad Pitt have this great bromance throughout the film. Leonardo DiCaprio also does a great job as this fading star who is struggling to make his career stay alive. There is a particular scene where his character is so hard on himself for making a mistake that really showcases DiCaprio's acting skills. I like that this movie is essentially a time capsule-type story as it shows what life was like in 1969. From the music to the sites, it feels like you are in this time and place. The movie also does a great job of building things up for a big payoff in the third act. Several throw-away lines and moments make for fun aspects in the final 20 minutes of the movie. The main thing keeping this film back is its lack of a driving narrative. It feels a bit slower than any of Tarantino's other films. I also felt like you needed to have some basic understanding of the Manson family murders to appreciate what goes down in the third act. In the end, this is still a great film and proves that Tarantino is an extremely consistent director.

Score: 8/10 Grade: B+

7. The Hateful 8

The Hateful 8 is Tarantino's whodunit film. The movie has a stacked cast with Samuel L Jackson, Kurt Russel, Tim Roth, Walton Goggins, and Michael Madsen. Much like Reservoir Dogs, this movie relies significantly on the great Tarantino dialogue as a majority of the film takes place in an isolated cabin. The whole movie conveys so much tension as the audience has to sit and wonder which person isn't who they say they are. Nobody in the movie knows each other, so we get to see the characters learn about each other at the same time we do. I like how the movie takes place after the Civil War and puts people on opposite sides of the war in the same room. It makes for some very interesting interactions as you see the people who have completely different ideologies have to survive together. The movie is based on deceit as everyone there is either an executioner or a bounty hunter which makes it interesting to see who can trust whom. The main issue with this film is that it is the longest movie with the least amount of substance. This movie feels the most drawn out. I think it could have been tightened up just a tad. Overall, this is another solid Tarantino film but could have been a little shorter with a little more substance.

Score: 8/10 Grade: B+

6. Jackie Brown

Jackie Brown is Tarantino's version of a caper film. The standout of this movie is its subtly stacked cast. The movie has Samuel L Jackson, Robert DeNiro, Michael Keaton, Christ Tucker, and Pam Grier. It is subtle in the way that most of the big names are set as side characters instead of the stars of the movie. Samuel L Jackson is great as this villain arms dealer. He has his typical charm but still comes across as someone incredibly intimidating. I like the way the movie handles the actual caper in the third act of the film as we get to see three different versions of the same events with each adding revealing something new about who ended up with the money. As with most other Tarantino films, Jackie Brown features two acts of effective build-up that establish these characters and make the third act even more satisfying. Jackie Brown is great as the lead in the film as a woman who can outsmart everyone around. Just like every other Tarantino protagonist, she is incredibly likable and well-written. Overall, this is a great early entry in Quentin Tarantino's filmography and shows that he can do any genre well.

Score: 8.5/10 Grade: A-

5. Reservoir Dogs

Reservoir Dogs is Tarantino's first film and proves he is a quality filmmaker right from the get-go. This movie is essentially a heist movie but without showing the actual heist. The whole movie is about developing these characters before their job and then showing the aftermath of the heist gone wrong. Reservoir Dogs takes place almost entirely in an isolated location which really gives the characters time to banter but still manages to keep the story interesting and intense. The movie does a great job of slowly revealing information about the heist, how it was planned, and how it goes wrong until we get a clear picture of all of these characters and their motivations. The movie is also full of witty and ironic dialogue. There is a scene where all of the characters are getting one of the guys for not tipping right before they are about to rob a bank. It is subtle things like that which make this movie pop. The details and the dialogue in this movie are just so well written as you finally see things come together in the final moments. I also thought the cast in the movie was great with all of the characters having great chemistry together. Overall, this is an incredible first film that establishes Tarantino's unique style.

Score: 8.5/10 Grade: A-

These top four films are all extremely close. They are all A+ top-tier films and could change in order on any given day.

4. Kill Bill

Kill Bill is Tarantino's martial arts/kung fu movie. Technically Kill Bill is split into two films but Quentin Tarantino considers them one movie so that is how I am counting them on this list. This movie is easily the most action-packed movie on this list. It is a classic martial arts film with some classic Tarantino dialogue. The action sequences are fantastic with the fight against the crazy 88 being one of the best fights I have ever seen. Kill Bill is a great story of becoming as we get to see The Bride work through all of these obstacles and become stronger just to get her revenge. The four-hour run time helps with this, but the movie is incredibly epic as we get to spend all this time with The Bride so that when we see her get her revenge, it is very satisfying. I also thought the movie was structured very well, it knows the perfect time to put different events to get the pacing just right and evoke the right emotions. Some may argue that the final battle is a bit anticlimactic but I think it is very effective and subverts expectations just enough to not make people mad. Overall, this is a great action movie that blends martial arts movies and Westerns perfectly.

Score: 9.5/10 Grade: A+

3. Inglorious Basterds

Inglorious Basterds is Tarantino's take on the war drama genre. I always enjoy WWII films and this movie is probably one of the best there is. Inglorious Basterds features top-notch acting from Christoph Waltz in a legendary performance as Hans Landa. He can be both likable and terrifying at the same time. This movie has perfected the art of effective tension through dialogue. There are two different scenes where the protagonists are talking with the Nazis and you are just at the edge of your seat hoping they make it out alive. I found the Basterds themselves to be a lot of fun. Brad Pitt is great as the leader, willing to do whatever it takes to get revenge on the Nazis. Inglorious Basterds also does a great job with the pacing. It has a lot of heavy dialogue scenes but sprinkles in aspects of tension and action to keep things exciting. The movie does a great job of blending two seemingly unconnected plot lines in the third act of the film. The third act is pretty much a nonstop payoff as you see everything the movie has been building to come to fruition but still manages to sprinkle some plot twists right in at the end. In the end, this movie is peak Tarantino with a fun revisionist history story.

Score: 9.5/10 Grade: A+

2. Django Unchained

Django Unchained is probably the coolest of Tarantino's films. This is the revenged Western film of his filmography and is a bit of a revisionist history tale set during the slavery era of the USA. This movie probably has the best acting out of all of the Tarantino films with amazing performances from Jamie Fox, Christoph Waltz, Samuel L Jackson, and Leonardo DiCaprio. It is a shame that the only one who got any love at the Oscars was Christoph Waltz. I also found this movie to be the most action-packed out of all of Tarantino's films. There are still several scenes of his signature dialogue but there are also a lot of shootouts and fights that make the movie more interesting. The movie is also very effective with its pacing. The runtime is about 2 hours and 45 minutes but the movie itself flies by and does not feel that long. I really like the friendship that builds between Django and Dr. Shultz. It is so cool how much the two are willing to do for each other. I almost put this movie at number one but Pulp Fiction just barely eeked it out. Overall, this is near near-perfect movie and is a modern classic in the Western genre.

Score: 9.5/10 Grade: A+

1. Pulp Fiction

Pulp Fiction is Tarantino's most iconic film and in my opinion, his best film. The movie breaks all of the rules of movies but is still perfect. It breaks the plot up into four separate stories, it tells the story in a nonlinear fashion, and it has one of the stories go on a side tangent. Normally these would all be faults in a movie, but in Pulp Fiction, it is what makes the movie great. Every actor is great in the film. John Travolta, Samuel L Jackson, Ving Rhames, Bruce Willis, and Uma Thurman all get some form of central plot line throughout the film. Every detail introduced in an earlier story is referenced later in the film. The dialogue here is top-notch notch with Samuel Jackson being able to make talking about a cheeseburger sound threatening as he is interrogating people. The score here is also top-notch with a top of great songs throwing back to the 1950s and 70s. This is probably one of my favorite movie soundtracks as the song choices are just perfect. In the end, Pulp Fiction is what put Quentin Tarantino on the map and cemented him as an all-time great filmmaker.

Score: 9.5/10 Grade: A+