Brutally brilliant "Bill" - QT is back w/a vengeance!

Rating: Null/10 (14 October 2003)

KILL BILL - VOL. I (2003) **** Uma Thurman, Lucy Liu, Daryl Hannah, Vivica A. Fox, Michael Madsen, David Carradine, Michael Parks, Sonny Chiba, Chiaki Kuriyama, Julie Dreyfus. Quentin Tarantino's fourth film as a filmmaker is perhaps his most audacious (and hands down his bloodiest) in his homage/valentine to the '70s grindhouses that he frequented showcasing martial arts action flicks that this clearly is a nod to with Thurman (clearly relishing the challenge as a kick-ass action star) as a vengeance seeking assassin who was left for dead at the altar of her wedding by the titular Bill (Carradine shown only in fragments onscreen) - her mentor and lover - and their legion of killers including Liu, Hannah, Fox and Madsen; all on Thurman's 'to-do' list in wreaking havoc on all who have spurned her (and lo beholden to any poor soul who gets in her path). Flashy editing, camerawork incorporating some gorgeous black and white cinematography by ace helmsman Bob Richardson as well as a kinetic bit of anime, Grand Guignol humor and costume design (Thurman's banana yellow running-suit is a knock-off of Bruce Lee's) add to the frenetic pacing and fast and furious blood-letting at hand make for an entertaining if not stomach-churning experience in its graphic novel trappings for pure carnage engaged (particularly the unstoppable 20 minute fight sequence between Uma's THE BRIDE and the Crazy 88s in The House of The Blue Leaves sequence). Vol. II - a result of Miramax's influencing QT to make his epic a two-parter - is due in Feb. of '04; can't wait.