Style over substance: not always a bad thing.

Rating: 7/10 (1 February 2011)

Before even beginning this review, I think it's important to note that you can't review both volumes of Kill Bill in the same document; the films are just too different. So instead, just like the films themselves, this review will come in a two-part series. For Volume One, individualist director Quentin Tarantino reunites with his Pulp Fiction muse in Uma Thurman for a film that seeks to tell its own story as much as it acts as a self-reflexive work, drawing influence from the kung-fu exploitation genres popularised in 1970s cinema.
The plot is nothing more and nothing less than a straight-out revenge story, as admitted to by the director himself. A former assassin (known only as The Bride) decides she's had enough of the life, changing her name and getting married in a desert town with intent to begin again under a new identity. Naturally, this dosen't sit well with Bill, the head of the Deadly Viper Assassination Squad and The Bride's former lover. And so, surviving Bill's deadly ambush at the wedding chapel, our heroine swears revenge against Bill and his minions who can't stand the thought of her retiring.
The film is definitely a case of style over substance, in contrast to Volume Two. Where the sequel offers the majority of the backstory and character development, Volume One documents The Bride's efforts to cross two of the five names off her death list, and is relentless in its depiction of violence and reference to the Eastern genres it imitates.
On that front, Tarantino has done his homework. Basic character models, visually indulgent cinematography (wait for the epic fight scene between The Bride and The Crazy 88) and the very casting of David Carradine (who made a name for himself in television series Kung Fu) shows a genuine adherence to the conventions that are almost exclusive to that genre.
Positively, QT does retain many of the filmmaking techniques that have defined his films as well, including expertly executed tracking shots and a partly non-linear flow to the story. For a film with Tarantino's influence stamped all over it, one area where it is noticeably lacking is the dialogue. Usually very creative in giving his characters 'cool' interplay to work with, there dosen't seem to be as much urgency in this film to give meaning to trough scenes, instead putting all its focus into pure cinematic grandeur. Of course, the unique nature of this film in just about every other category sets it apart from other action-driven blockbusters, but keeps it from being truly great.
Kill Bill is, first and foremost, an exploitation film. Occasionally, you do get the impression that, in an effort to showcase his abundance of film knowledge, QT is limited by the need to adhere to the conventions of the respective genres he is re-imaging to suit a contemporary Western audience. And sometimes, you can't help but sit back and wonder how much more imaginative his films could be if he played more towards the raw, less-operatic qualities featured in Reservoir Dogs and Pulp Fiction. That being said, this remains a solid film for its duration, succeeding in its goal of both entertaining the audience, and generating interest in Volume Two.