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When I reviewed
the DVD for “Kill Bill, Volume 1”,
it was the first time I had ever written
that a movie kicked ASS. I’m sure
if I had had the opportunity to review a
movie by Quentin Tarantino before, I most
certainly would have said it then. During
Tarantino’s illustrious career he
has only directed 4 films. (Well 5, if you
consider that “Kill Bill Volumes one
and two to be 2 separate movies) He’s
become so famous that one might swear he’s
directed more. But I think the main reason
he’s so famous is simply the fact
that all 4 films (I mean 5) have kicked
major ASS. “Reservoir Dogs”,
“Pulp Fiction” and “Jackie
Brown” are at the top of my list of
all time great ASS-kicking movies. It’s
been six years since “Jackie Brown”
and “Kill Bill, Volume 1” absolutely
made up for lost time.
Uma Thurman starred as “The Bride”,
who was once a part of an elite group of
assassins known as the Viper Squad. When
she decides to leave this particular lifestyle
and get married, Bill (David Carradine)
evokes the mantra, “…no one
leaves The Firm.”
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And so The Bride, along with her entire wedding
party are cut down by the remaining members of
the Squad. All are left for dead, but The Bride
survives. She lies in a coma for four years, and
when she wakes up the revenge begins. She becomes
determined to take out all of her former teammates,
O-Ren (Lucy Liu), Vernita Green (Vivica A. Fox),
Elle Driver (Daryl Hannah) and Budd (Michael Madsen).
Then when she’s finished, all she has to
do is kill Bill.
The plotting in “Kill Bill, Volume 1”
was simple, yet complex. I know that sounds really
ambiguous, so let me explain. The simple part
I covered in the previous paragraph, it’s
all about the revenge. The complexity comes with
Tarantino’s ability to tell a story out
of order, and sometimes even out of context. He
doesn’t start at the beginning, yet no one
I talked to that had seen the film was at all
confused as to what was going on. As the story
progressed and regressed, everyone’s place
within the story became clear. There were so many
little details, but Tarantino made sure you didn’t
miss a one.
At the time there seemed to be two camps among
my film-loving friends. Those who appreciated
Tarantino’s work and those who didn’t.
Some of them still consider him to be hack filmmaker
whose overindulgence makes for bloated, unrealistic
movies. I can see their point, but I don’t
even remotely agree with it. Tarantino is an insanely
creative director. His love of film is evident
in every frame of every film he directs. Tarantino
filled “Kill Bill, Volume 1” with
rapid-fire dialogue, over-the-top fight scenes
and geysers of blood. Of course it didn’t
seem real. The world of “Kill Bill, Volume
1” was not meant to be real, it was meant
as a loving tribute of all of the movie styles
Tarantino grew up with. It was Hong Kong Chop
Socky, old Grindhouse Blaxploitation and Sergio
Leone westerns films all rolled into one. He threw
in some Noire, and even added a dash of Anime.
All of these styles meshed to form a hyper surrealistic
landscape of revenge that got my heart pumping
all the way through to the final line of dialogue.
That final line, by the way, was worse than any
cliffhanger scene, ever. I sat there, stunned.
I immediately told myself I had to see “Volume
2.”
When “Kill Bill, Volume 1” originally
hit movie theatres, I missed it. I kept meaning
to see it, but somehow I never made it to the
theatre. After seeing it on DVD, I kicked myself
in the head for missing the big screen experience.
(And let me tell you, delivering a roundhouse
kick to one’s own head is verrrry difficult.)
So when a friend of mine clued me in on an early
screening of “Kill Bill, Volume 2”,
I’ll give you three guesses who was there
(though I imagine you’ll only need one.
As excited as I was to see the second chapter,
I was also a little hesitant. After all, I thought
the first film was one of Tarantino’s best,
so how would I feel if the second installment
didn’t live up to its predecessor. Thankfully,
I didn’t have to deal with that problem.
As great as “Kill Bill, Volume 1”
was, “Kill Bill, Volume 2” was a decidedly
better film.
Where the first film was made up of one action
scene after another, “Kill Bill, Volume
2” was a lesson in over the top subtlety.
(Yes, I know, it’s the ambiguity factor
again.) As opposed to be action driven, the second
film was more character driven. We are shown more
of the characters’ past, and when they the
main leads cross paths their scenes are rich with
that ‘Tarantino-esque’ dialogue. Thurman
is given more of a chance to act in this movie
as we see her at different parts of her life.
Sometimes young and naïve, other times motherly
and nurturing, and when she needs to be, tough
as nails. It’s easily one of Thurman’s
best roles to date.
Even better is David Carradine as Bill. I’ve
long been a fan of David Carradine. I met him
a long time ago on the set of “Lone Wolf
McQuade”, and found him to be quite personable
and friendly. I was sad, even at that time to
see his stature in Hollywood to be somewhat less
than it had been in the past. But much in the
same way that Tarantino saved John Travolta from
obscurity by casting him in ‘Pulp Fiction”,
he has given Carradine a new opportunity to prove
what a fine actor he is. It amazes me how he can
exude such a profound sense of peace and tranquility,
all the while intimidating the bejesus out of
you.
In spite of the shortage of fight sequences, the
few that there are, are the best of the series.
You haven’t seen anything until you see
The Bride fight Elle Driver (Daryl Hannah). It
is nothing short if amazing.
The DVD from Miramax, like the first volume, only
has a few extra features. But they are all worth
checking out nonetheless. There is a lengthy making
of documentary that gives you a taste of what
went on behind the scenes, as well as a performance
by the group Chingon (led by director Robert Rodriguez
on electric guitar) at the film’s premiere.
The best feature however is the deleted scene
depicting a fight between Carradine and Michael
Jai White. It’s short, but sweet, and really
needs to be back in the film.
Few will agree as to which “Kill Bill”
film is really the best, it all depends in what
you’re looking for. Though I would cast
my vote for “Kill Bill, Volume 2”,
I’d rather look at the films as two parts
of one single cinematic masterpiece.
Directed by: Quentin Tarantino
Starring: Uma Thurman, David Carradine, Michael
Madsen, Daryl Hannah, Gordon Liu, Michael Parks
Extras: Deleted Scene, The Making of Kill Bill
Volume 2, Kill Bill Volume 2 Premiere - Chingon
Performance
Specifications: Widescreen (2.35:1) Enhanced for
16x9 Televisions, Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound,
DTS 5.1 Digital Surround Sound
Studio: Miramax
Release Date: 8/10/2004
Region 1
MPAA Rating: R (For Violence, Language and Drug
Use)
Website
We'll give Kill Bill: Volume 2 an A+.
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