Not as good as the first, but still a great movie...

Rating: 8/10 (16 April 2004)

***POSSIBLE SPOILERS***
I had my reservations before seeing Kill Bill Vol. 1 last year due to the amount of gore, killing, etc. However, after I saw it, I appreciated Kill Bill for its precise wit, unique storyline, vivid cinematography, and incredible music. And I thought that the violence was tolerable because it was done in such an over-the-top, fantastical way.
Kill Bill Vol. 2 is an entirely different movie. Gone are the one vs. an army battle scenes (the Bride vs. the Crazy 88's) from the first movie and there is little to no gore in this movie (except for at the end of the Bride vs. Elle Driver fight...I'll leave what exactly happens as a surprise if you don't already know...). The musical score and choice of songs are not nearly as impressive as in the first movie. Even the cinematography is not as crisp and uber-cool as the first Kill Bill.
However, that does not mean that Kill Bill Vol. 2 is a bad movie--only different from Kill Bill Vol. 1. The storyline in Vol. 2 is much more methodical and the characters are given more depth this time around. And the movie is still full of crisp dialogue and humor (Pei Mei's training of the Bride is one of the funniest scenes from recent memory). Vol. 2 with its slow pace and depth is ultimately a deeper movie than Vol. 1 with its nearly nonstop action and comical gore.
Chia Hui Lui (Pei Mei) is absolutely hilarious. Daryl Hannah does very well as the sadistically cruel Elle Driver. And Michael Madsen (a Tarantino mainstay) provides a solid performance as the hick/slob of a killer named Budd. David Carradine is great as Bill. The way Carradine portrays Bill with a calm yet unpredictable demeanor gives the impression that he could go off at any minute. Plus, we get a brief Samuel L. Jackson cameo as Rufus, the organ player.
However, Uma Thurman's performance is the best of the movie. She brings an undeniable charisma to the Bride and does just as well as she did in Vol. 1 if not better. I think she deserves a nomination for Best Actress and would be surprised if she wasn't at least considered for a nomination.
In the end, it's very hard to compare Vol. 1 and Vol. 2 as they are very different. In my humble opinion, Kill Bill Vol. 2 is not as good as the original but is still a great movie worth watching.
8 out of 10