I’m hesitant to discuss this film, as it had been on my list for quite some time and I finally got to see the director's well-regarded version. It wasn't what I anticipated at all...and yet, it was so much more. Ordinarily, this would only warrant a three-star rating, but I factored in the film’s editing and the thirty-year gap since its release. Perhaps if I had seen it thirty years ago, my reaction would have been different—it explores the excessive celebration of serial killers by media outlets (a trend that has resurfaced) and how many such individuals come from troubled families with histories of child abuse (though not everyone who experiences this becomes a killer, or vice versa; I believe the central point is about mental illness within families). I wouldn’t have guessed it was Oliver Stone behind the camera if no one had told me. It seemed like a standard Tarantino film, and unsurprisingly, he wrote the screenplay, which was “heavily” edited by Oliver Stone. My apologies to the fans, but I'm not a fan of Tarantino films; they depend too much on violence and wordplay to mask a lack of skill in screenwriting. I had higher hopes for the script after Oliver Stone reworked it. There are some positive aspects to be noted: Woody Harrelson and Juliette Lewis deliver strong performances as Knox, portraying a modern-day Bonnie and Clyde, and Robert Downey Jr. is also good as the show host. The cinematography by Robert Richardson (who frequently collaborates with Tarantino, as well as Scorsese and Oliver Stone) is chaotic and psychedelic, and the editing, handled by Hank Corwin and Brian Berdan (known for *Tree of Life*, *Don’t Look Up*, *Vice*, etc.), mirrors this style; the music score is also excellent, composed by Trent Reznor of Nine Inch Nails, with notable contributions from Cowboy Junkies ("Sweet Jane") and Jane's Addiction. Otherwise, even the depiction of violence seems almost comical by today’s standards—though the visual presentation of the killer couple is quite stylish, as are some scenes like the opening and the wedding. I would rate it a 7.0 out of 10.0 / B

Source on TMDB