Chix In Flix

Rating: Null/10 (20 October 2004)

'Kill Bill' is one of the truly hottest movies made in recent memory. There certainly was some hype associated with its debut; we knew, for example, it was to be made in two parts, but had no clue why that might be a good idea. Well, that as well as the structure and tone of the film were ALL good ideas.
What we immediately conclude is that finest of accolades: there is no movie like this. Or, put another way, find me a film in which there are great chick fights (an opening number, as it turns out), mean blonde bad girls with eye patches, half a dozen edgy moments in which we might want to look away but instead grit our teeth and WATCH - voyeuristic as it may seem or listen to a score masterfully matched to the action.
This is the revenge film of revenge films. The Bride (Uma Thurman) has been seriously wronged (by Bill  David Carridine  in the best work we have ever seen him do) and is out to make it right. Well, have revenge, anyway, the rightness of her actions questionable but probably what we would like to do ourselves given her situation.
We also have recorded here some of the strongest female characters ever shown on film. In fact, nearly all the women are stronger than any man portrayed, and this is fascinating. Without doubt men troubled by tough women won't like much of what they see here. But those men that don't will be treated to some nifty niceties.
Witness, as Uma Thurman runs through her list of former associates that she's determined must be eliminated, the first great femme á femme fight ever recorded; then watch assassin Lucy Liu (as O-Ren Ishii) deliver a stunning boardroom speech. There are no moments less riveting as The Bride moves though her list.
For sheer style there have not been very many films offered us that convey such tongue-in-cheek mayhem. Put this one on your list of must-sees.
Rating: Four Stars.