Whimsical and exhilerating, yet powerful and tragic saga of honor and vengeance.

Rating: 10/10 (18 October 2003)

Last night, I had the distinct honor of experiencing how my predecessor fanboys felt when they first saw "Star Wars Episode 4 A New Hope" in 1977. So exhilerated were they that as soon as they walked out, they bought the next session and walked right back in.
"Kill Bill" was that movie for me. And it was the first time in my 22 year life that I have done so with ANY film.
Indeed, it was delighfully brutal and whimsically humorous in that unique Tarrentino manner as it was touted. Uma Thurman's "punishment" for an incompetent henchman is a hilarious classic and a half.
And yet, beneath all the macabre mirth lies a powerful tale of grief, honour and righteous rage.
Conservatives out there, particularly Christian ones, may argue that no rage is ever righteous. And yet how wrong they are.
Mr Tarrentino's immaculately timed shooting schedule, right after it's leading lady Uma Thurman became a mother, was for the lack of a better cliche, a stroke of genius.
For her newfound motherhood lent Miss Thurman a powerful sadness to her performance. Nowhere is this more apparent than in the scene where she emerged from her coma, only to weep in grief and horror at the loss of her baby.
Although primarily a Martial Arts Tale, it is the rage that poured forth from this moment that defined the sage. The heartbreaking sincerity of her grief that I silently cried for her, even the second time I saw the film.

And it lent an unparalleled sennse of heroism and justice in her otherwise horrific vendetta. Each swing of her blade and each limb that she removed seemed to scream out "You Murdered My Baby!!" And we cheer with her as each of her child's murderer gets what's coming to her.
There is No Warrior More Noble than One Driven By Parental Love.
Righteous is the Rage of a Mother Avenging the Death and Honour of Her Beloved Child.
Thank You, Mr Tarrentino.
And Thank you, Miss Thurman.