Kill Bill Vol. 1

Director: Quentin Tarantino
Genre: Action/Adventure, Thriller and Crime/Gangster
Cast: Uma Thurman, David Carradine, Lucy Liu, Michael Madsen, Sonny Chiba
Box Office: $70 million worldwide.
Trivia: Uma Thurman was offered the script to Kill Bill, and her role as “The Bride”, as a 30th Birthday present from Quentin Tarantino.
Memorable Quotes:
The Bride: It’s not what you have, it’s what you think you have.
———————–
The Bride: Those of you lucky enough to have your lives take them with you. However, leave the limbs you’ve lost. They belong to me now. EXCEPT YOU, SOFIE! You stay right where you are!
———————–
The Bride: It was not my intention to do this in front of you. For that I’m sorry. But you can take my word for it, your mother had it comin’. When you grow up, if you still feel raw about it, I’ll be waiting.
———————–
The Bride: You can relax for now. I’m not going to murder you in front of your daughter.
Copperhead: That’s being more rational than Bill led me to believe you were capable of.
The Bride: It’s mercy, compassion, and forgiveness I lack; not rationality.

Tarantino has put forth one of the stylishly violent films I’ve ever seen. I felt like I needed a seat belt after only a few minutes.

Is it derivative? Yes, but it achieves a freshness through juxtaposition of Japanese style with Tarantino’s own visual signature. Japanese film buffs will probably notice the stylistic shades of under appreciated Japanese great Seijun Suzuki, with flashy use of color and sets, particularly in the latter scenes. For me, a Suzuki fan, this was a wonderful surprise.

The over the top anime storyline and use of formalist elements (from both Japanese and more traditional schools) not often seen in Hollywood films make what could’ve been Pulp Fiction meets the Shaw Brothers into something new and exciting.

From the black-and-white opening credits to the bloodied battle in snow at the first Volume’s conclusion, “Kill Bill Vol. 1” is a full assault on the senses.

Never before has ANY action movie taken on such a grand and STYLIZED form of violence- that is, violence and gratuitious bloodshed as an art form. Tarantino makes the bloodied limbs and corpses of Uma Thurman’s victims instruments in his symphony of carnage, and uses a PERFECTLY synchronized soundtrack to surround his cast’s movement with emphasis.

I repeatedly found myself saying aloud, “Can they actually put this into film?” The violence was in-your-face, much like “Saving Private Ryan,” and had a similar, queasy effect- but while Saving Private Ryan had a level of “war is ugly” seriousness pervading every aspect of the bloodied action, “Kill Bill Vol. 1” makes every gory scene tongue-in-cheek humor, causing the audience to laugh (in spite of itself) at a seemingly never-ending geyser of blood from a headless corpse, a writhing corpse on a dance floor of crimson, and a box of Kaboom cereal (a nice touch, Quentin!).

“Kill Bill Vol. 1” will not be for every movie goer. Some will be simply unable to see past the violence to appreciate Tarantino’s use of color and stoic symbolism- the characters’ identities are set in stone, and the story’s flimsy plot line (so far- after all, if Pulp Ficion were reviewed by only its midway point, it wouldn’t receive the acclaim it does as a whole!) serve strictly as a framework for an endless barage of beautifully crafted scenework.

Uma Thurman probably should have been out of her league in this film. From suspending disbelief to mere aesthetics, believing that this buxomed beauty could somehow exist as a killing machine would have borderlined absurdity before her performance in this. But we empathize with her, despite our better instincts, her waking up in the hospital is painful, as she’s faced with one nauseating revelation after another, and she’s driven literally to the point of bloodied, vengeful action within mere MINUTES of waking of a four year coma.

Thurman’s performance was of Oscar consideration, because it’s NOT an easy role to play. Even with basic stereotypes, she brings an intensity and believability that’s unlike the genres Tarantino’s film imitates. She’s the lifeblood, the essence the film revolves around. If Thurman failed at enrapturing the audience, the film fails.

Fortunately, she redefines herself as a credible actress, and breathes life into a film that repeatedly downplays the significance of life. In conclusion, if the previews or concept appeals to you at all, you’re going to love this film.

Kill Bill Vol. 2

Cast: Uma Thurman, David Carradine, Daryl Hannah, Michael Madsen, Sonny Chiba
Director: Quentin Tarantino
Genres: Action/Adventure and Thriller
Box Office: $66,207,920 (USA)
Trivia: The Bride never actually says anything to Budd.
Memorable Quotes:
Budd: Wakey wakey, eggs and bakey.
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Bill: [dying] How do I look?
The Bride: You look ready.
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[his opinion of Tommy]
Bill: When I first saw him… I like his hair.
The Bride: You promised you’d be nice.
Bill: No, I said I’d do my best. That’s hardly a promise.
————-
The Bride: I’m the deadliest woman in the world. But right now, I’m just scared ****less for my baby.

It is hard enough to find a director that could make an implausible subject as the one in Kill Bill, and make it work. It is as equally harder to pull great performances, physically and emotionally, out of actors. QT manages to do that with every film.

Kill Bill was Uma Thurman at her BEST. This was Uma’s role. She embodied the character of the bride and made us believe in her…we wanted vengence for her..we cheered for every sword stroke in that film. However, Vol. 2 was David Carradine’s movie. Like deja vu, QT has pulled an absolutely BRILLIANT performance from an actor many only remember from the Kung Fu TV show. Bill is not a Hollywood villan. He is not a coward in the face of death nor does he set up elaborate traps for the hero to get out of. Bill is an evil man who has made peace with the fact that he is evil a long tima ago. He is comfortable with death whether it is his own or someone else’s. And as an added bonus…BILL IS FUNNY AS HELL!! Carradine hardly blinks when he makes the audience laugh. When he speaks, the audience pays attention. His stories are strangely scary, because the intensity in his eyes say to his audience: “I could kill you, but I’d like to tell you a story first”. Bill is like a warm-hearted grandfather or your favorite uncle. It just so happens that he kills human beings for a living. QT has made a film that any aspiring filmmaker would love to pick apart,but why? Vol 2 is just and experience that needs to just be enjoyed. But somehow I wish there were a volume 3.

Apart from Pai Mei, there are numerous top-notch sequences in Kill Bill: Volume 2 where it is readily apparent one is watching the work of a master filmmaker. In one case, The Bride is buried alive. We feel as though we’re trapped inside that coffin with her, as the rumble of dirt crashing onto the lid echoes through the darkened cinema. The best fight sequence in the film, maybe even both films, comes during the final confrontation between The Bride and Elle. It is short and intense, never losing the audience’s full attention (as the endless culminating fight eventually did in Volume 1), and wraps up with a single moment that had the whole theatre cheering. Such an accomplishment cannot be overstated, since Elle is really a peripheral character.

Overlength is the single factor that mars this film, which in a way is totally unexpected. Some of Tarantino’s very best work runs about 150 minutes, and every second is worthwhile. Here, running about 135 minutes, the climax is nearly 40 minutes long and really feels protracted. Perhaps this does reflect some weakness in The Bride and Bill as characters, since it would be enjoyable to listen to Jackie Brown, Max Cherry or Jules Winnfield converse all day long. The dialogue between them here is strong, and it is hard to even pinpoint what deserves to be cut, but the breakneck pace really screeches to a halt right when excitement should be hitting a crescendo.

Nevertheless, take five, ten, or 15 steps to see Kill Bill: Volume 2. It’s is a Five-Point Palm Exploding Heart Technique caliber rush of pure adrenaline and fun.