A beautiful blend of Asian art and cinematography

Rating: 9/10 (10 October 2003)

Most trailers for ``Kill Bill'' were careful not to reveal how deep the movie itself really is, and for good reason. Director Quentin Tarentino was more than likely intending for the film's major target audience to be fans he has won over in the past (``Pulp Fiction,'' ``Reservoir Dogs'') and to let the success of the film speak for itself. Being familiar with Tarentino's niche for clever usages of timeframes and scene changes, I walked into the theatre knowing what to expect. Not only was I wrong, but I was glad that my assumptions were false.
The story begins explaining how a woman (Uma Thurman) who goes by the alias "Black Mamba," was murdered by a quartet of assassins on her wedding day. She mysteriously survives a gunshot wound to the temple, and her strong taste for revenge to be dealt amongst the culprits outlines the plot that will ultimately become the Kill Bill series. From the very start, the film is soaked in Asian cinematography subculture, including plenty of martial arts conflicts, Japanese voiceovers, and surprisingly, a 20-minute long segment of the film that is presented entirely in anime format (Japanese animation.)
For those familiar with the Asian style of common horror flicks, blood is poured by the truckload; severed limbs are in great supply; and the themes of honor and respect seem to be valued above all else. It is this stylistic backdrop that makes ``Kill Bill'' as refreshingly unique as it is. One can't help but form a comparison with the ``Matrix'' trilogy, specifically for the two film's heavy use of martial arts. In my opinion, ``Kill Bill'' triumphs on all fronts.
Fans of Tarentino films will doubtfully be disappointed. ``Kill Bill'' is an excellent example of prime storytelling, with just the right amount of character development to seed in with the entertainment value that most people will pay the matinee for. Since the first volume of the series doesn't resolve a final conflict, it will eagerly have you awaiting the next episode. Overall, one of the most intelligently creative films I've seen in quite some time. 9 out of 10