File Under "Things That Quentin Tarantino Knows How To Do"

Rating: 8/10 (14 September 2006)

There should be a list of things Quentin Tarantino knows how to do, and a list of things he clearly does not. Perhaps if he examined this list, he wouldn't make any mistakes in the future. The one thing Tarantino should definitely not be doing is getting involved with any horror films. "Hostel", while not awful, was talked up way too much. And his endorsement for "Wolf Creek"? I have no idea what he was on to make him think it was a stellar flick.
But the list of things he can do well is much longer and we see most of those things in "Kill Bill". This is the story of a retired assassin who is attacked on her wedding day, and the entire wedding party is killed. When she wakes up from her coma, she decides to take revenge on the man who did this to her: Bill. Yes, she will kill Bill. Or at least die trying.
Things Tarantino does very well: 1. Puts scenes in the wrong order. In "Kill Bill", they don't even show her killing her enemies in the correct order. He mastered this in "Pulp Fiction" after testing it in "Reservoir Dogs", but "Kill Bill" really drives home how effective a film can be if you put things in a more climatic order.
2. Incidental dialog. Some people, like Richard Linklater or Kevin Smith, can make an entire film of incidental dialog, thus making the dialog essential and not really incidental. Tarantino only puts a pinch here or there, to flavor the film with off-hand cultural references. Remember the Royale with Cheese from "Pulp Fiction"? You'll find more of that here.
3. Senseless violence. If you liked the killings in the other films, you'll love this. The killing is gorier, the body count higher. And the influence of old kung fu films is a nice touch. Personally, I'm a big fan of the blood geysers.
4. Music selection. Music played a central role in "Reservoir Dogs" (K-Billy's Sounds of the 70s). Again, the music is crucial, giving the film an old-timey feel (with "Green Hornet" music, among others). This is very well done, mixing the classic (sword fighting) with the modern (guns).
5. Putting people in suits. I can't explain why, but the suits worn in Tarantino films are the best.
6. Understanding your traditions. This film references so many more old kung fu films tan I will ever see. Tarantino knows his stuff and sprinkles references all over that most people will never understand. A prominent character, Hattori Hanzo, is actually a real character from other sources and even some of the dialog is a throw-back. This homage is touching and well done.
What I'm saying is that if you liked Tarantino before, I suspect you'll be a big fan of this movie. It's dirtier, gorier and more violent. Some scenes are much more crude than in his other films. But Quentin Tarantino and Uma Thurman are a winning combination, not to mention the flawless Michael Madsen and a well-casted David Carradine.