A clearly defined second film

Rating: 10/10 (17 April 2004)

Having just completed a back-to-back comparison of the two volumes of Tarantino's Kill Bill, its clear that his two narrators have very different storytelling styles. Kill Bill Vol. 1 was a tribute to the Kung-Fu films of the 70's and later, as told by Hattori Hanzo (Sonny Chiba). Blood, honor, and kung-fu style fighting were paramount.
In Vol. 2, The Bride (Uma Thurman) narrates our story in the style of a "Classic" film. There is more of a noir attitude and feel. The violence is more realistic, and frequently implied instead of seen onscreen - a few graphic moments aside.
The story is told wonderfully, in a more linear style, incorporating more flashbacks than out of order chapters. Tarantino's direction is crisp, with impeccable acting by Thurman. Daryl Hannah finally gets her moments in the sun, as our stunning villain. While Bill (Carradine) may be the man behind the evil, Elle (Hannah) is the true evil villain, reveling in the destruction of her enemies.
All in all, the two movies together tell a great story, and the stylistic differences clearly delineate between the two films.