A good disappointment

Rating: 7/10 (10 November 2003)

It is not easy to interpret my summary, and I actually have the same feeling after watching Kill Bill: Vol. 1.
I had very big expectations to this new Tarantino movie, I had hoped it would be just as good as Pulp Fiction. It was maybe a bit much to expect, but you should not expect less from such a talented director.
The actors chosen for this movie are chosen wisely, I really like Uma Thurman, she has "it" as Bobby Bowfinger calls it. It is hard to describe what it is, but it us a combination of personality and talent. The rest of the cast was also good, but Uma Thurman is especially a fantastic experience.
The action is good too, but it is actually a problem. Tarantino seems to be obsessed with impressive fight scenes, so he forgets to get flow in the story. At the same time I must admit that I am not a fan of the fight scenes used in "Matrix" and "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon", I prefer fight style ala Indiana Jones with fists, it is much more cool. It is maybe not as artistic, but it is how fight scenes should be.
Another Tarantino obsession is blood, and I actually like the use of blood as in Pulp Fiction or the Verhoeven style, but the use of blood in this movie was more like the Monty Python style, and it does not work in the long run in this movie. I could laugh a few times because of the extreme use of blood, but it could not keep the comical element for all 111 minutes.
As you can read from my review, I was not as pleased as I had hoped. The movie was without doubt beautifully made, but the plot was maybe a bit too thin and the story moved too slowly. Despite all this the movie deserves 7/10, but do not expect this to be a classic like Pulp Fiction.