Kill Bill: Volume 2 Review
by Wahid Sharif (moodybastard_717 AT hotmail DOT com)August 4th, 2004
Kill Bill: Vol. 1
(2003)
a review by
Wahid Sharif
If someone were to come to me and say that Quentin Tarantino is the best American filmmaker working today, that person certainly wouldn't get an argument from me. Yeah, I know that Quentin tends to borrow stuff from other films and filmmakers he adimires and "Kill Bill: Vol. 1" is certainly no exception, as he borrows and throws in practically every movie and genre he loved as a kid - including the kitchen sink. (In fact, he borrows from other films the way Hip Hop artists "sample" other music). However, when it really comes down to it, every popular filmmaker from the past through the present has borrowed elements and motifs from other films and filmmakers (A perfect example of this is Brian DePalma. He literally thinks he's Hitchcock!). The ones who do it successfully incorporate their own individual style as well as presenting us with three-dimensional characters, sharp dialogue, and exciting and memorable sequences that leave you on the edge of your seat. To me, Quentin does that as a filmmaker, and what he provides is the basis and function of what films should do: That is, to encourage and/or demand our involvment. Whether you love or hate his films, the one thing we can all agree upon is that his films are never boring. God knows, I don't want to spend two hours in a darkened theater just staring at the screen out of total ennui and checking my watch (which I have a tendency to do with some of the crap that's playing in theaters now). I certainly didn't have to do that with "Kill Bill: Vol. 1", as the opening blood splattered image of The Bride (played by Uma Thurman) getting shot on her wedding day is jarring. When the Nancy Sinatra song "Bang, Bang" played over the opening credits, I knew I was in good hands (Come to think of it, when I saw the Shaw Brothers logo along with the "Our Feature Presentation" lead in, I knew I was in good hands).
For the rest of this highly entertaining film, which mixes elements of the Samurai Film, the Kung-Fu film, the Blaxploitation film, and the Spaghetti Western, The Bride wakes up out of a four year coma and seeks revenge on everyone involved in putting her in that state for so long. The principles involved people whom The Bride had an association with. They are members of the Deadly Viper Assassination Squad, and they are Vernita Green (played by Vivica A. Fox), Elle Driver (played by Daryl Hannah), O-Ren Ishii (played by Lucy Liu), Budd (played by Michael Madsen) and of course, the one who orchestrated having The Bride getting beat-up and shot on her wedding day, Bill (played by David Carradine). Like all Tarantino films, "Kill Bill: Vol. 1" is told in a non-linear way so we know that the vengeance The Bride seeks and accomplishes isn't necessarily in the order that's intended on her death list. Yet, it's more interesting way to tell this story because the basic plot of the film itself is rather ordinary. The film is structured like a novel (it's presented in chapters) and we get some intriquing backstory on some of the characters - Especially the character of O-Ren, whose backstory is told in Japanese Anime and it's one of most audacious sequences you'll ever see in film (Also, something of note: Look closely at the character in this sequence who kills O-Ren's father. That character bares a strong resemblance to Bill). O-Ren is a compelling character as we see her rise to power in the Toyko Underworld, even though she's half-Chinese. When a disgruntled member of the Underworld slams her nationality, she effectively does something not make her nationality ever an issue again.
This is the first pure action film that Tarantino has done, and it looks like he's been doing it for years. All of the action sequences are first rate (especially The Bride's sword battle with The Crazy 88's, who are bodyguards of O-Ren and Uma Thurman does a wonderful job in her role as the Bruce Lee-Yellow Track Suit From Game Of Death-wearing Bride, whose real name we never know because it's bleeped out for effect. Quentin's use of music and his ever maturing visual style is also to be commended - Especially in his use of primary colors and lighting with the help of who I feel is the best cinematographer in the business, Robert Richardson. This film can be over the top in its violence, but it certainly doesn't change the fact that Tarantino is in total command of his craft, and it carries over into "Vol. 2" to complete the rest of this entertaining saga.
GRADE: A
Wahid Sharif
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