Puts The Matrix Reloaded To Shame...

Rating: 9/10 (18 October 2003)

Before going on to the many good things I have to say about Kill Bill, I have to state what undoubtedly has been stated many times before: I hate the fact that this has been split into two movies. Yes, I know it means we get two great movies, but as one whole movie, this could have been an all-time classic. As it is, it is essentially half a movie, and therefore Return Of The King will likely ensure that, for the third year in a row, Lord Of The Rings gets the position of film of the year. However, its a good thing that you are left desperate to see Volume 2. I could have sat straight on and watched the next movie right away, I was completely absorbed in this movie.
The audience is treated to a fantastic opening, shot in black and white, where we are treated to a close-up view of the mangled face of The Bride (Uma Thurman). From the moment we hear a voice calmly say "Do you find me sadistic?" we know we are in the world of Quentin Tarantino, with "Bang Bang" by Nancy Sinatra perfectly fitting with the opening credits.
Then things are turned on their head, as a fast-paced fight scene between the Bride and housewife/assassin Vernita Green warms up the audience for a good hour of slow-paced (but completely necessary) exposition. The plot of the movie, trying to spoil as little a possible, centres on Uma Thurman's character, known only as The Bride, since her name is quite bizarrely bleeped out whenever she speaks. On her wedding day, Bill (David Carradine) and his Deadly Viper Assassination Squad of Elle Driver, Budd, O-Ren Ishii and Vernita Green (Daryl Hannah, Michael Madsen, Lucy Liu and Vivicia C. Fox respectively) slaughter everyone at the wedding, with only her surviving, albeit after being put in a coma by a bullet to the head. Naturally, she wakes up rather p**sed, and makes out a death list, planning to kill the 5 people who have wronged her one by one, with Bill being last on the list. Her ultimate mission, therefore, is to KILL BILL. Get it? This Volume focuses on her settling the score with Vernita Green (the opening fight) and, for the rest of the film, O-Ren Ishii, with the complication being that O-Ren moonlights as the queen of the Japanese underworld, and has a small army of henchmen at her disposal.
The plot is pretty much that simple and follows this basic formula:
Bride VS Vernita - Backstory - Bride VS O-Ren
In chronological order, that would be:
Backstory - Bride VS O-Ren - Bride VS Vernita
So far, so Tarantino. But as much as you can tell that Tarantino made this film, it is essentially different from his other movies. Being an homage to his beloved cheesy samurai kung-fu flicks, this is, essentially, a cheesy samurai kung-fu flick, and in the hands of an inferior director, probably would have sucked. But somehow, it just works, despite the surreal moments (Daryl Hannah whistling to the soundtrack that's playing) and corny happenings (EXTREME close-ups of Uma's eyes and, at one point, her toes). The movie is, as you've likely heard, very gory. But this isn't shocking, war movie gore, this is ridiculous samurai gore. This means that a head is cut off, and is followed by geysers of blood that pump away hard enough to hit the ceiling. Nevertheless, it may prove too much for the squeamish - one of the people I was with had to leave the cinema because of all the gore, and that was just from watching the anime sequence, which admittedly never would have been allowed past the censors if it had been live action.
The acting is all spot-on. Lucy Liu serves well as the villain of the piece, acting as a very effective diversionary villain before the real showdown with Bill in Volume 2. Despite her tragic backstory, her sheer ruthlessness prevents you from sympathising with her. Nevertheless, she is an unbelievably cool villainess, with a scene involving what she does when the taboo subject of her half Japanese - half Chinese origin and American upbringing is mentioned destined to be another Tarantino classic, this is easily the best role of Lucy Liu's career. Vivicia C. Fox does well in the smaller role of Vernita, appearing to be a perfectly nice person apart from the fact that she helped murder the Bride.
Then there are the characters we only get a taster of. We see too little of Budd to make any real judgement of Madsen's performance, but we can assume that he is going to be a killer with a conscience, rather than a 2-dimensional thug. Daryl Hannah certainly looks older than she did when last in the limelight, but that suits the character of the eye-patch wearing Elle Driver better. In the scene that we see Elle, we can safely assume that she's a twisted, vindictive cow. I personally look forward to seeing her burn in Volume 2. And then there's Bill. The fact that we never see his face in the movie, only his ringed hand, means that he quickly gains a Blofeld-like mystique. We reportedly get to see much more of him in Volume 2, which is good, because I think he's shaping up to be a great villain.
But the real plaudits have to go to Uma Thurman. Tarantino was right to wait for her, I can't imagine anybody else as The Bride. Uma handles the role to perfection, whether it be in downbeat emotional scenes, such as when she wakes up from he coma, or in fight scenes kicking-ass - case in point, The Showdown At The House Of Blue Leaves, arguably the best swordfight I have ever seen, and a battle which makes a mockery out of The Matrix Reloaded's Burly Brawl. If there was any justice in this world, Uma Thurman would win, or at least get nominated for a Best Actress Oscar, as I believe she has created what will prove to be an enduring pop-culture icon. However, there is no justice in the world, and Kill Bill will be ignored by the Academy because its not to their taste. Don't worry, Uma, we love you.
THE VERDICT: The one thing that stops the movie getting full marks is that it's not a complete movie. Essentially, with most of the plot (apart from the fantastic climactic battle) being exposition, this feels like an extended preview for Volume 2. If that is the case, then it has done its job, as I am desperate for the next installment. If it is as good as this, I'm sure we'll be looking at Kill BIll having full marks as an overall package. 9/10