Much Calmer Than Vol.I

Rating: 7/10 (29 May 2004)

People who expect the same unbridled brutality and violence of KILL BILL, VOL.I may get seriously disappointed with the more talky Vol.II. This sequel is NOT a bad movie at all; it actually shows a lot of the background of VOL.II, but by doing so, the film was rendered with a slower pace. We finally get to know WHY Bill wanted to kill the bride so much. The ending is contrived and a bit disappointing; after all, this IS a very violent revenge movie, but the way this movie ends is nowhere near as bloody as the tamest kill scene in VOL.I. I was expecting something bordering on bad taste for the final confrontation, but what we get is broadway drama. For a revenge movie, the bodycount on this one is EXTREMELY low. But what holds the movie together is our eagerness to see The Bride finding Bill and ultimately, killing him. I could have forgiven the slow pace, the talky scenes and the lack of action had the final confrontation been a real adrenaline rush, but this it was not. KILL BILL, VOL.II is still a fine movie that takes itself more seriously than the first, but by doing so, it sacrificed the youthful kinetic energy that made the original installment a more pleasant movie experience. 7* out of 10*.