Had it's ups and downs

Rating: 5/10 (12 March 2008)

I'll spare the details of the plot because there aren't many and you can read the synopsis. Basically Uma Thurman's character wants revenge and wants to kill Bill. There's other people too, but...it feels sort of inconsequential to me. I don't really buy the plot so it was a bit of a let down. I think the way the story is told impresses a lot of people, but I just don't find it that clever.
I don't see how people can truly say this was amazing or horrible when you take in all the elements and judge it on artistic basis. However, just as a general asthetic I can understand people hating it. I am certainly not one of those people...it's interesting to see why people seem so polarized though.
Camera work: great. No argument there from anyone. I do'nt see how you could complain about how this is shot. I didn't read the credits that far because I have no idea who these people are and don't honestly care. But whoever it was, he really brought out the best of what was there.
Acting: pretty damn good considering there's rarely any depth. In spite of such an absence of substance--which anyone in their right mind recognizes--Thurman and Madsen say a lot more when there's no dialog. Carradine's good, etc.
Script: OK. Some people seem to miss Tarantino's overwrought loquaciousness. It would've gotten in the way here...and on the ocassion that it creeps up it continues to get in the way. They're killers not 2nd semester English majors (the kind Quinten puts in every other movie apparently).
Plot: Yeah who are you kidding? It's kind of fun though.
Action sequences: Cool at first, and fortunately there's enough focus to keep you drawn in. Nowadays it seems like there needs to be 15 cuts per second to convey action instead of letting us watch the actual fight. Kudos for not following that trend. On the other hand these become a cliché unto themselves pretty quickly for me.
Style: Look if you want style over substance then go the full way and make it a joke. I think of this movie as an over-budget, less funny, more colorful "Story of Ricki Oh" about half the time. Either put more substance in next time or leave it out.
Pretty much middle of the road in terms of quality for Tarantino, but usually I tend to feel his movies fit the extreme. A little more work on the plot would've taken this much farther.