intense, exciting, moving, operatic

Rating: 9/10 (2 September 2006)

Postmodern is a daft concept used by pseudo intellectuals when describing dull films by other pseudo intellectuals. Kill Bill is not post modern. Its few filmic jokes are there because they work not because they reference something. Its obvious hyper reality is coupled with some intensely emotional moments, that work because of the brilliance of the actress Tarantino has employed to star in this violent opera, and because of whichever brilliant anime artist he got to direct the superb animated sequence of the film. It is clear that, irrespective of Kill Bill's Hong Kong / Anime / Karate Film subject and action, this film owes it's greatest debt to Sergio Leone. And it is high praise indeed when I say that this film not only captures the stylish extremes and beauties of Once Upon a Time in the West, it may even surpass them. As with previous films Tarantino subverts linearity; this is once again in order to fabricate a Hollywood narrative NOT to be arty or postmodern or pseudo intellectual. It's done cos we dumb audiences like an emotional beginning, middle and end. So reviewers for God's sake take note; Tarantino chapters his film cos it's cool not cos its arty; he moves backwards and forwards in time cos it's cool and he needs to not cos it's arty; he references other films cos it's cool and it works not cos it's arty. This film works; it's cool and it's an intense, exciting, moving, operatic, finely crafted masterpiece.