Stylish and strongly directed

Rating: 8/10 (15 November 2003)

It's been a fair while since a Quinten Tarantino movie. Famous for the groundbreaking Pulp Fiction and Reservoir Dogs, Tarantino later created Jackie Brown to mixed reviews. Kill Bill Vol. 1 is his first major release since then, and it manages to to be as fresh as his earlier hits, as bloody as them, and as groundbreaking, in a sense.
It's simply a story of revenge, as Uma Thurman's character, whose name isn't revealed except 'Black Mantra', goes on a rampage to kill those responsible for ruining her wedding day by killing the entire congregation bar her, and for the loss of her child as she was pregnant at the same time. After a 4 year coma she's free to hunt the assassins down in vengeance.
It's never made clear, yet, who she is, why she's so proficient herself as an assassin, and why her wedding day was ruined.
The first volume, as it is a 2 parter, is simply about the first events.
The story is simple, but effective - and simultaneously rather strong, with very stylish direction, some original sequences such as anime, and plenty of action with visceral lashings of the red stuff. It *is* a bloody movie, but it's carried out in a comic book fashion so it never seems gory for the sake of it.
The acting, from Thurman, is exactly what it needs to be, and to be honest it's the same from everyone. It's supposed to be *slightly* corny and cheesy, given the comic-book theme.
The only real downside in this movie is the characterisation, or lack of. You don't really care about Thurman, or anyone else. I don't know if this is also intentional, but the movie draws no real emotive response from the viewer. You don't feel as involved as you perhaps should.
But in saying all that it's a fine piece of film-making and highly recommended.