Tarantino's stylish and exciting encyclopedia of trash culture is pure entertainment! A purely visual, visceral super cool popcorn movie.

Rating: Null/10 (7 November 2003)

I've just been to see 'Kill Bill'. Please excuse me if I find it a bit difficult to get my thoughts together, cos I'm still taking my jaw off the floor! First thing is I've been a fan of Tarantino since I saw 'Reservoir Dogs' ten years ago. I'm not a teenage fanboy who thinks QT is God. I'm a cynical old geezer who has seen a few movies in my time. If 'Kill Bill' sucked I would be the first to shout it from the rooftops. But it doesn't suck. It's easily the most entertaining action movie I've seen since... well, I can't even think of anything to compare it to. And yes, this is an ACTION movie, so if you're expecting depth to the characters, and any kind of insight into the human condition, you're out of luck. Tarantino showed in 'Jackie Brown' that he can do that. This time round he's come up with a purely visual, visceral popcorn movie. I usually despise most modern examples of that. All those cynically packaged and carefully marketed CGI-infested "blockbusters". The main reason I enjoyed 'Kill Bill' so much is that it was blatantly obvious that Tarantino has made this movie to please nobody but himself. That's why it really works for me. He doesn't give a damn whether you like it or not, he's just making a movie he thinks is super cool. Thankfully I agree with him! It's jam-packed with pop-culture references, and echoes of movies past and present - obvious ones, obscure ones, from 70s chop socky classics through to the outrageous genre-busting of Takashi Miike ('Dead Or Alive', 'Ichi The Killer', 'City Of Lost Souls',etc.) via spaghetti westerns and Peckinpah's 'The Killer Elite'. The soundtrack is mind-bogglingly eclectic and ranges from Nancy Sinatra to Morricone to Isaac Hayes to Krautrock legends Neu! to '60s one-hit-wonders The Human Beinz, plus some rockin' live numbers from Japanese girl band The 5.6.7.8.'s. There's Bruce Lee in-jokes and nods to 'Battle Royale' (one of the stars of the latter Chiaki Kuriyama is featured in the most exciting fight scene here), and a cameo from Sonny Chiba, and even - get this! - a homage to the hilarious martial arts cult classic 'The One Armed Boxer vs. The Flying Guillotine'. But look, you don't have to get all the references and recognize Tarantino's sources of inspiration to enjoy 'Kill Bill'. The more you know the more you'll get out of it, but even a novice will find plenty to entertain them. To say I eagerly await Volume 2 of 'Kill Bill' is the understatement of the decade!!