A Very Stylish Action Film

Rating: 9/10 (26 June 2008)

It must be said at the start that this film is a triumph of style over substance so if you don't like the style it won't be the film for you. That said I really enjoy watching it, from start to finish it is pretty gripping.
As I'm sure most people will know by know, Uma Thurman plays "The Bride", a former assassin who is left for dead after being shot in the head by Bill, her former boss.
The film is not shown in chronological order so when we see her first fight it is actually the second person on her hit-list. We then see in flash back that she has been in a coma for four years and has apparently lost her child. Once she has awakened we are shown a brief history of her first target; the Yakuza boss O-Ren Ishii. This section is animated was made by people who have worked on some of the best known anime films so is understandably quite impressive.
Before she can fight O-Ren she must get a new sword from retired sword-smith Hattori Hanzo. Initially he refuses to make it as he had sworn never to make another deadly weapon but as soon as he knows who The Bride is after he not only makes her a new sword but states that it is the best he has ever made.
When she finally finds O-Ren she uses her new sword to dispatch a vast number of goons before the climactic fight with O-Ren. Much of the fight sequence is in black and white, I believe this was because the censors might not have likes the screen to be awash with bright red blood. While the scene is obviously violent it is so over the top that it isn't really disturbing.
If you want a stylish action film that has plenty of re-watch value then this could be the film for you. The acting is solid and the action is all stunningly choreographed.