Quentin, you're fired!

Rating: 1/10 (14 September 2004)

What puzzles me is not the film itself, but the popularity such a piece of non-cinema has risen in this country and elsewhere. The very same plot was already very successfully approached in 1968, by Francois Truffaut, in his 'The Bride Wore Black'. The difference being that, at that time, there really was a story, there really was suspense, and whoever the characters, they all seemed human. In other words, they had FEELINGS. Tarantino seems so much hypnotized by style, that unless you're not a movie-freak, there is no way in which you can't keep on noticing references after references of a superficially exploited collection of stylish movements (mangas, comic strips, Samurai movies, pop culture, watered down atmospheres specific to such or such director, etc.)
This time, his only apparent goal is how to overwhelm the viewer under a shower of violence and ox-blood No storyline whatsoever, no purpose, no way to identify ourselves with any of the characters, except for Bill's, the only one who seems to have some sort of emotions, and who incidentally is a psychopath (any contradiction here?)
After viewing it, mostly in fast forward mode during those endless figures of sword combats, I asked myself what kind of irreconcilable trauma poor Quent must have suffered in his youth  And again, the targets of his spurs of most sadistic creativity are either women, gays, colored people, or figures of authority (I let you decide which belongs to which in his 3 previous movies). After having had to swallow the exhibitionist and sadistic stances of a New-Born Hollywood shark, here we are again, force-fed with hardly digestible matter and wondering what could be the next step Hard-core porn, real rapes, real mutilations (how much would an actor take to accept to have a limb actually severed in front of the camera?), feces, children's sacrifice??? Besides, the level of language - mostly sarcasms and insults  is in total contradiction with the argument of the movie that 'revenge is a dish that must be eaten cold', thus dispassionately. I really invite you to watch Truffaut's version and a real contribution to breaking taboos or at least, to allowing us to reflect on tricky matters such as vengeance.
Sadly, Tarantino only talks about Tarantino, and about his obvious failure in processing his personal loads of hostility towards the world or God only knows what else. Pathetic and, even more dangerously, totally deprived of any sense of humor. To be discarded Quentin, you are perverting the very purpose of the 7th Art Will that be your last film? In the meanwhile, you are fired Next, please!