The Bride continues her revenge and must battle two more on the list before she can face Bill. A perfect ending to the first film.
--George
Kill Bill Volume 2
Directors: Quentin Tarantino
Producers: Quentin Tarantino, Lawrence Bender
Writers: Quentin Tarantino, Uma Thurman
Features: n/a
Characters:
The Bride (Black Mamba)-Uma Thurman
Bill - David Carradine
Pai Mei - Gordan Liu
Elle Driver (California Mountain Snake) - Darryl Hannah
Budd (Sidewinder) - Michael Madsen
Genre: Action/Adventure
Review:
What a treat it was to see "Kill Bill Vol. 2" in a special screening, with Quentin Tarantino among others in attendance!! I must say that the combined films of Volume 1 and Volume 2 of "Kill Bill" are genius. Absolute genius! I would state that these two movies are the best work Tarantino has done. There are tons of cool dialogue, some great action sequences, and some of the coolest characters he has ever written.
There are some things that make these films fantastic, and that sets Tarantino apart from a lot of directors. He is capable of taking "has-been" actors and resurrecting them to great status. I mean, Darryl Hannah? What has she been in recently? David Carradine? Can’t recall much he’s done recently either. Yet, I would think it a shame if these two don’t get Oscar nods next year. Uma Thurman is at her best here should also be recognized. Gordan Liu brings a great performance as well, and you can’t forget Michael Madsen.
"Kill Bill Volume 2" leaves off where the first film did. O-Ren Ishii and Vernita have been killed, and Beatrix aka Black Mamba (Thurman) is heading to kill Bill. We rewind to her confrontations with Budd aka Sidewinder (Madsen) and Elle Driver aka California Mountain Snake (Hannah). She has them on the list, but Bill is the main target. We are treated to a training session in China with Pai Mei (Liu), where Elle receives her mercenary kung fu training. We also see the background story as to what happened between Bill and Beatrix, and why he tried to have her killed. The ending caps a pair of amazing movies. I have no faults at all for this film. I even loved the playing of "La Malaguena" at the end of the movie.
There are differences between the two though. While the first film was mainly action and light dialogue, the second is heavy on the exposition and lighter on the action. Then again, there WAS a lot of action in the first, but the difference is noticeable. However, the focus on the storyline increases a lot, and Carradine’s and Thurman’s characters are really expounded on. We get a look into Budd’s life, but it’s not that impressive, and if Tarantino needs to shorten the film, this is the part to cut out. It doesn’t add that much to the film, since O-Ren Ishii is the only other character that gets a lot of attention.
I believe anyone that enjoyed the first film will love the second film, and there may be some that didn’t care for the first film’s anime appeal, but will love the second volume’s excellent screenplay. Either way, I think there will be a consensus that "Kill Bill Volume 2" was a hit. The audience here in Austin loved it, and Tarantino got a three-minute standing ovation from the crowd. I think the box office will reflect that same appreciation. With lines wrapping around the outside walls of the theater for just a screening, I don’t see there being a problem of this film being a hit. I would rate "Kill Bill Volume 2" with four and a half stars out of five stars. It was fantastic, and worth seeing!
---George Castillo