Sexy, Stylized Ultraviolence

Rating: 9/10 (25 December 2007)

Quentin Tarantino returns after six years with his fourth film, an homage to the kung-fu/revenge flicks of the 70's. Uma Thurman plays the Bride, an assassin who abandons her murderous lifestyle and tries to settle down into a normal life. Unfortunately, her former boss, Bill, has other plans and turns the wedding into a bloodbath. Four years later, she awakens from a coma and begins the path of vengeance. Tarantino split the movie into two volumes so this movie doesn't present her full quest.
Tarantino's film is a bloody throwback to the kung-fu flicks he grew up with. The story is simple but the film's style more than makes up for its simplicity. The choreography of the fight scenes is phenomenal. Uma Thurman kicks some serious butt, obviously having trained long and hard for her role. I'd have to say my favorite is the Bride's duel with O-Ren Ishii (Lucy Liu). Between the grace of the combatants and the Latin sound of "Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood" by Santa Esmeralda, it feels almost like a violent tango. During the epic fights, blood erupts like a volcano from nearly every wound. It looks ridiculous (but cool) and still people freak out about the amount of bloody violence.
Of course, with the fantastic fight sequences, we get a good dose of Tarantino's writing, with its sharp dialogue. You can tell everyone starring in this movie is having a blast and enjoys playing their roles. One of my favorite highlights of the movie is Sonny Chiba in his role as Hattori Hanzo (a reference to one of his most popular kung-fu roles). Liu and Vivica Fox are fantastic as the Bride's first targets on her 'Death List Five'. There really is a lot to enjoy in this movie if you're looking for a good, hyper-violent time. Tarantino's throwback to the 70's grindhouse kung-fu style is a great follow-up to his previous work and one of the most entertaining films he's put out yet.
There are a lot of complaints about this movie but viewers have to realize, this is what Tarantino wanted. He stayed true to the style of the old martial arts flicks and modernized with his own flair. Yes, there is A LOT of blood but it's almost cartoonish in quantity. For me, this is one of those simple guilty pleasures: check your logic at the door and settle in for some great entertainment.