Highly entertaining homage to martial arts films, short on story but long on style

Rating: 8/10 (19 October 2003)

KILL BILL I is many things: a lovingly-researched homage to the Hong Kong action flicks of the modern era, a showcase for Uma Thurman, an example of beautiful production design, a fun popcorn flick with a little of the old ultra-violence thrown in to discourage the squeamish. There are also many things it is not: a well-crafted story, a genius-level example of time-shifting narrative, two hours of witty repartee.
Knowing what it would not be going in, and also knowing what it was supposed to be, helped me manage my expectations. Wo Ping's fight choreography is becoming so well-known in America that some of the sequences here will be familiar to the audience as more than just homage - specifically, a few look recycled. Tarantino's time spent lingering on his heroine and her prey in staring matches tends to dissipate the tension rather than increasing it. In addition, his penchant for showing the narrative out of order is unnecessary here, and further drains the story of the buildup that's part of the joy of revenge tales.
My biggest complaint was how much quick-cut editing happened in the fight scenes. From reading interviews, it appears Uma Thurman was up to the task of the long sequences, and that she pulled them off. Many times, I wished for a longer take, a better opportunity to see the grace of the martial artists working through their moves.
Even so, this was a fun time. The anime sequence is beautifully drawn and compelling. Since the beginning of film, animation has been used to show us stories that would be too horrific and graphic in live action, and it works very well here. The over-the-top violence and gore are laughable at the right moments, as they were in PULP FICTION - giving the audience a collective moment of reprieve just when the tension is at its highest. Uma Thurman shows flashes of better acting than I'd seen her do in the past, most often when she's not speaking. And to be fair, while the stare-downs are buzzkillers, I appreciated the moments of wary sizing-up that happened in the middle of fights - this is more like what a real fight to the death would feel like. Characters are given a moment to contemplate whether their next move will be their last. Music is used well, as in Tarantino's previous efforts.
KILL BILL I earns an 8/10 for me based on how much fun I had. The real verdict won't be in until the story concludes, however.