The Mark of a good Director *POSSIBLE SPOILERS*

Rating: 6/10 (25 October 2003)

The mark of a good director is when the audience is given credit. The plot isn't dumbed down, or the film doesn't go out of its way to explain things that don't deserve attention. In that way, Tarantino has earned respect.

Initially i had my reservations about this film because of some of the action scenes i witnessed through commercials and what not. The fighting seemed a little stiff to me and this movie breaks a serious rule in my books by casting main characters as fighters or martial artists. I have to admit, fighting scenes in terms of choreography is very important to me when it is an element in a film. My philosophy is that you do not under any circumstance cast actors with no martial arts background in a film that requires them to perform martial arts. Its sloppy, choppy and only "showy" at best. Take for example Charlie's Angel 1 and 2, and the Matrix series. Given the Matrix did do a decent job, however i dare you to watch Keanu, then watch Bruce Lee or even Michelle Yeoh. Charlie's Angels highlights my point. The 3 main characters sicken me. Whats next? Are we gonna have Leo Dicaprio swing around nunchuks? Or how about Julia Roberts busting out wing chun moves? Not enough? How about J-Lo, (man, i hate that nickname) squeezing a sword with her rear end? The only mainstream actor who's a legitamate star who should be cast in these movies is Snipes. Snipes would have been good for a role in Kill Bill. He has that solid martial arts background and at the same time he is a solid screen presence.
None of the main characters have a real martial arts background, the closest being Lucy Liu. However my opinion of Liu is that she has almost become a pseudo asian, adding to bad asian stereotypes with every film she makes.
With all that said, I am not disapointed with the action in Kill Bill. Surprisingly the style holds it up. It was a little stiff but it has its style, its speed but yet it doesn't take itself too seriously so it makes things alright (spraying blood, like from an air pressured hose). I guess what i am implying is that they're not trying to become 100% authentic, and in that way they fail to insult my judgement on this topic. That deserves applause.
With the fighting aside the movie itself is outstanding. The style that Quentin brings to this movie is clever and cool but never to the point that it became cheap. I like the colours, the flair, the leads and the transitions. Everything was very smooth and nicely paced. The clothes are very cool, and the settings were eye catching. The only beef i have is the little references to the Great One. No not Gretz, Bruce Lee. Nobody wears the number 99 and for the same reasons i believe that nobody should wear the Yellow jumpsuit that Bruce wore in Game of Death and certainly nobody should wear the Kato mask much less a bunch of lackies. Unless you can prove without a shadow of a doubt that you can be as good as Bruce, (and nobody since Bruce has even come close, i don't care what anyone says, not Jet, not Jackie, gimmie a break) you don't wear the Yellow jumpsuit or any rendition of it.
I also like the little short anime scene. It brought out a lot of flare and its something only Tarantino would be creative enough to think up. It brought a nice little boost to the movie which already had a very good pace.
So...Kill Bill was good...See it
9/10