Kill Bill
Right
It has been around four hours since I left the theatre after seeing Kill Bill, and the only major thing I can say is 'right'. Now, that may not be a bad thing. Before I get to the meat of the review, let me give you some background.
This, in case you have been living under a rock, is Quinten Tarantino's fourth film as a director. His first two are considered cult classics. Critics and fans alike praised both Reservoir Dogs and Pulp Fiction for their originality and quirkiness. However, his third effort, Jackie Brown, is widely considered a dissapointment. Personally, I hated Jackie Brown, loved Pulp Fiction, and haven't seen Reservoir Dogs.
Kill Bill has been in production for such a long time, and there was a lot of buzz this summer when Tarantino announced that this film would be split in two, volume 1 was released on the 10 of october, and volume 2 will be out in January. I was iffy in terms of whether or not I wanted to see it.
Okay, now with the meat, my opinion.
The movie is done in such a way that the first bit will kind of leave you scratching your head. Uma Thurman laying in a bloody pool, and a man shooting her. Then, it goes to Uma pulling up to Vivica A. Fox's house and proceeding into a knife fight. Then, it skips back into a backstory of how Uma was left for dead four years earlier. Then, it jumps to the present, but before she goes after Fox.
It skips back and forth, much in Tarantino style. There's some interesting anime telling Lucy Liu's character's back story, and some confusing black and white footage during the climactic fight scene. It all reeks of Tarantino's original and unique style.
I really liked a lot of things in this movie. Lucy Liu was very good in this movie. I despise her. More than anyone, except maybe Rosario Dawson. But she was exceptional in this movie. I'm not very fond of Thurman either, but she does a hell of a job as the jilted bride who needs revenge on her former boss and co-worker assassins. Vivica A. Fox was right out of nowhere, in terms of casting, but she was pretty good in her tiny scene. Micheal Madsen and Daryl Hannah are the other assasins, but only make small appearences in this installment. I'm looking forward to those two performances in volume 2.
The violence in this film is incredibly stylized, and Tarantino has obviously modeled it after 1970s kung-fu movies and other cheesy sources. Blood spraying in uncontrollable fountains, lots of severed limbs and incredible wire-fights. It was something to watch.
Mostly, I have positive things to say about this movie. It was certainly an original spin on the martial arts/ revenge movie. The performances are solid, and it whets the appetite for volume 2. It showcases Tarantino's love for pulp movies and demonstrates how much of a movie geek he is. (My personal favorite moment was very early on when it quoted 'Revenge is a dish best served cold' and quoted it to 'An old Klingon Proverb'. Hilarious!) It has its merit, and is an enjoyable ride for two hours. So, I'm going to give it an 8. Go see it and make your own opinion. But, it is a good movie. And here's to volume 2.
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