Retrotastic movie, Tarantino delivers!*SPOILERS

Rating: Null/10 (18 October 2003)

I can almost - almost - guarantee that this film is not what you'll be expecting, and therein lies it's truer potency; an assurance that it can be included in the pantheon of one of the greatest cinematic masterpieces that this decade has so far seen. Tarantino draws from an eclectic range of different cinematic devices that help to lend the film a retroistic, jazz funked kind of coolness. Interspersed amongst the luridly coloured, incredibly sharp cinematic visuals are extreme moments of manga gore that help to underline the films powerfully self referential nature. Uma Thurmans yellow and black striped catsuit is of course a motif redolent of Bruce Lee's Game Of Death, and fans of the now sadly deceased master of martial arts will not fail to notice the similarity between this films closing scenes and those of - respectively - Fist Of Fury and Way Of The Dragon. There is scant characterisation in this film, and any details that we do learn about the films main protagonists or antagonists are revealed either through aforementioned cartoon flashbacks or statistical data such as you might find in a console game: In other words don't go watching this film for oscar winning character performances! The fragmented, postmodernised plot is almost film noir and will keep you guessing, and the setpieces are as good as anything you'll see in a Jackie Chan or a Jet Li movie. Thurman plays the ice queen with panache and the soundtracks are used to good effect to underline the films constantly swinging, transient mood. The cinematography is well observed with switches from neon, psychedelic crisp visuals to noirish moments clearly drawn from classic Japanese cinema. But it's not action from start to finish; rather the opening and climactic scenes serve as action quotation marks, the intermediary scenes functioning to flesh out background and character. Even if you're not a Tarantino fan and even if you have no real knowledge - (or interest) - in the genre that this film references, this film is worth a look on the virtue of its vision and originality alone: it doesn't feel like Hollywood; it doesn't feel plastic and in a world seemingly dominated by lifeless, bland sequels, this film makes a refreshing change!