'Bill' thrills with stunning finale

Rating: Null/10 (11 April 2004)

The relentlessly action-driven elements of Kill Bill: Volume One may have drawn some amount of disapproval from viewing audiences, but Volume Two returns to balance the artistic and stylistic elements of Volume One while keeping the thrill level high.
The comic-book style plot remains, this time stylistically shifting from a Kung Fu approach with a hint of Spaghetti westernism to the other way around. From the first moments of the film, however, it becomes clear that this half of the story is much more concerned with the finer points of The Bride's quest for revenge, highlighting more details of her psychological and physical struggle overall rather than concentrating on the fact that the only way she can progress is to leave hundreds of dead bodies in her wake.
The famous slaughterfest of Volume One may be over, but don't expect not to be on the edge of your seat. Tarantino is up to his old tricks as well as ever, for example, switching the order of the plot presentation to enhance the drama (the incredible tension in the first sequence is created based on the fact that the viewer already knows the outcome, but has not met all of the characters involved or even seen the outcome itself unfold - indeed an impressive storytelling feat). It is easy to imagine many of the predicaments The Bride finds herself in to be treated poorly by other directors - they are sometimes predictable and even a little cliche, but Tarantino's incredible style makes for a completely fresh and powerful viewpoint that makes these plot elements seem all but bran new. I saw this movie at a special screening on a university campus, and rest assured that there was no shortage of intense audience participation through the entire film, complete with outbreaks of laughter, shouting and cheering.
Tarantino's ever-present element in Volume Two makes him seem as much a screen star of the feature as the actors. The direction itself is expertly executed, with incredible performances elicited from all the principals. Uma Thurman (The Bride) and David Carradine (Bill) are the most memorable, and when they are on screen together there is an unlikely chemistry created which is almost more powerful than either of them inividually.
As a standalone film, Volume Two is better than Volume One. It has a clearer sense of direction, more crystallized and lucid development, and, of course, it has the advantage of being able to provide a conclusion (an element by necessity lacking in Volume One). For this particular reason, I have to say it is almost unfair to judge either film individually, especially now when most of the entire moviegoing world is waiting to see how the saga ends. I saw Volume Two screened directly following Volume One in the same session, and I would deem this the ideal viewing situation.
Overall, Kill Bill gets very good marks, and comes highly recommended from this reviewer. Anyone at all who enjoys a good thrill will not be disappointed from the latest release from one of the premier contemporary American directors.