Wham, Bam, Thank You Mam!

Rating: 10/10 (21 October 2003)

I love the way Quentin Tarantino knows how to open a movie. I was anticipating a patented face-slapper of an opening sequence and boy did I get it. The movie starts with a quote, `Revenge is a dish best served cold' - a Klingon proverb, taken straight from the movie `Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan.' Now, from this point, before the movie had actually begun, I was ecstatic with anticipation. To quote from Star Trek as if it where history was just way too cool for thought. And the following scene, a singular shot of a bloodied Uma Thurman as 'The Bride' shown in Black and White, manages
to sum up the tone of `Kill Bill' right from the get go.

And bang, you're in. The film wastes no time heating up the screen and getting right into the thick of things. Violently tolerant Tarantino commands your attention with every last shot. It's a return to his infamous form whilst also creating something original and challenging. His approach to this film is unlike any of his previous efforts. It's a little less concerned with itself and is vamped up to ballistic mode. This time around he has spent a lot of vigour tweaking the visuals and bending the style to his own unique fashion. Elements that were not so important in his other films have come to be vital in the telling of `Kill Bill.' The colour, tones, choreography, design and the explicit attention to detail all convey a very precise pitch of expression. For a change this film is without much of the usual attention to dialogue Tarantino gives, he instead focuses that energy carefully on movement and body language. The dialogue this time supports the film and doesn't carry it.
Director Quentin Tarantino is a film buff at heart and finds pleasure in identifying that in a personal way channeling it through his films. Flying at ya from every avenue possible in the medium (visuals, audio, etc.) are references, homage's and clichés in every shape and form. It's one thing to visually reference something or indicate it through dialogue; it's another to feel it. And music does just that. Together with RZA, Tarantino once again shows you the power of music in motion pictures. The music changes, sometimes dramatically, but never feels wrong. Like the very story itself the song and score selection takes obvious inspiration from cult genres such as Spaghetti Westerns and classic Kung Fu pictures. And like the movie the styles change and weave in and out in perfect rhythm that, on its own manages to inspire.
The fourth film by Quentin Tarantino is grandeur filmmaking from the master. His directing style is incomparable and proves that he is indeed the commander of his own domain. I'm in awe of the way he has made this film and believe now, more strongly than ever, that he is a rare maverick in the world of cinema. This film is wonderful martial arts mayhem in an organized and timely manner. How can I say this, there's plenty of kung fu but it's not a kung fu movie. It's something unto it's own. `Kill Bill: Volume 1' is respectful of the many genres and cultural styles found here, and has evolved these old influences into a new breed of film. The biggest annoyance though is that even with the knowledge that `Kill Bill: Volume 2' is to come early next year the ending was still too abrupt. It just stops without warning or closure. It's as though Tarantino literally snipped the movie in two. Oh well. The action is a warm change from the CGI (computer generated image) revolution `The Matrix' brought with it, I think because it's all so very traditional. `Kill Bill' is a smart, witty over the top action spectacle that will knock you flat. It's extra violent though so be warned if you can't stand the sight of blood. This isn't `Pulp Fiction' - phase 2, it's `Kill Bill' a whole new chapter in the book of Tarantino, one worth reading over and over and over again. Now bring on Volume 2 you scumbag!

Score - 5 out of 5