Is It Time for Quentin Tarantino to Hang Up the Towel?

Over the last three decades, Quentin Tarantino has cemented himself as one of the most influential writer-directors to grace the silver screen with his unique stories and vast filmic knowledge. In 1992, he burst onto the Hollywood scene with “Reservoir Dogs,” a bottle crime drama that established many of his signature filmmaking elements. From nonlinear storytelling and graphic violence to snappy dialogue and pop culture references galore, “Reservoir Dogs” had all the trappings of an auteur in the making. From there, Tarantino would go on to make such classics as “Pulp Fiction,” “Jackie Brown,” and “Kill Bill Volume 1” and “Volume 2.” Even his lesser known writing credits, like “From Dusk Till Dawn” and “True Romance,” had the power to become cult classics under directors other than himself.

But Quentin Tarantino’s cinematic reign may be coming to an end. His 10th film, “The Movie Critic,” has been pronounced his swan song even before release, an epilogue to an impressive oeuvre that ranges from postmodern romance to grindhouse horror. It will be set in 1970s Los Angeles and follow a female lead (Tarantino’s first since “Kill Bill”). At first, this plot was rumored to be based on the life of famed movie critic Pauline Kael during her tenure as a Paramount consultant who would be played by Tarantino darling Margot Robbie. However, this rumor was soon dispelled by the director at a Q and A event in Paris. In addition, it has been revealed that “Tár” phenom Cate Blanchett is pegged for a possible starring role.

This begs the question: Should Tarantino hang up the towel? Is it time for the now sixty-year-old director to say goodbye to the medium that has inspired him since youth?

The answer, though hard to accept, is yes.

The celebrity director is approaching the point in his career that will define the way he is perceived for years to come. His recent movies, including “The Hateful Eight” and “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood,” are less trailblazing and more indulgent as compared to his earlier works. If this cycle were to continue, Tarantino might jeopardize his legacy as one of the best to translate thought to paper to big-budget film.

Tarantino has cited countless other directors as his basis for quitting while he is ahead. Alfred Hitchcock, after releasing “The Birds” in 1963, directed very few features that compared to his more lauded earlier work. Similarly, Brian De Palma, one of Tarantino’s biggest influences (and a notorious Hitchcock analog), stopped producing films of the same youthful vitality of his 1970s and 1980s classics as he entered his elder years.

In an interview with CNN’s Chris Wallace, Tarantino said, “I don't want to become this old man who's out of touch, when already I'm feeling a bit like an old man out of touch when it comes to the current movies that are out right now. And that's what happens.” With that quote, the famed director hits the proverbial nail smack-dab on the head. It is rare that a creator or artist realizes they are running out of steam, but Tarantino outwardly and accurately addresses this phenomenon each time he is criticized for his tenth film being his last.

“Once Upon a Time in Hollywood,” Tarantino’s most recent movie, is evidence of his theory of diminishment. While masterfully produced and directed, it shows signs of Tarantino’s decline as a storyteller. Whereas his most notable movies rip from and embellish upon his favorite scenes and stories from the past, “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood” tries to analyze the TV and film industries behind the creation of his favorite content — but his attempt ultimately falls short.

Though Tarantino professed “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood” to be his “best movie” on the podcast “The Joe Rogan Experience,” the director could not be further from the truth. Aside from a darkly comedic climax and top-of-the-line production value (a luxury afforded by Tarantino now being a household name), the narrative of “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood,” much like its predecessor “The Hateful Eight,” drags far more than the director’s more esteemed works. In recent years, Tarantino has become overly complacent with himself, truly “an old man out of touch.”

Like “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood,” “The Movie Critic” takes a meta approach to storytelling. Rather than the production of film, it derives its narrative from film’s reception (which Tarantino has rejected since his first grim and gory feature). These two films show signs of Tarantino’s fall from grace, in which his “write what you know” screenwriting philosophy has culminated in films that explicitly depict his two passions — filmmaking and the criticism thereof. As Tarantino strays away from genre films and toward more meta, self-aware features, this form of storytelling turns his greatest assets into faults. His verbose and witty dialogue becomes too verbose and underwhelmingly witty. His penchant for violence and tension is sidestepped for nostalgia and exposition. In short, Tarantino becomes a parody of himself.

And while “The Movie Critic” is his final feature film, Tarantino will be anything but removed from the public sphere. On multiple occasions, Tarantino has asserted that he will write film criticisms, novels, and plays while in retirement. Instead of transplanting his passions into film, Tarantino will find other venues better suited to what he finds most artistically fascinating. His two books, a novelization of “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood” and an exploration of 1970s films called “Cinema Speculation,” as well as his cineaste-geared podcast “The Video Archives,” are prime examples of future Tarantino content. Moreover, an eight episode television series written and directed by the acclaimed director is slated to shoot this year.

Though his prolific filmmaking career will be coming to a warranted conclusion, Quentin Tarantino will have the chance to reinvent and prove his artistry in domains that he has yet to conquer.