Classic Tarantino

Rating: 9/10 (5 May 2004)

Tarantino movies are almost a genre in themselves. Stylised violence, trendy sequences, all delivered with great panache and storylines that are original enough to be noticed. Reservoir Dogs and Pulp Fiction set a high standard to follow, even though they were acclaimed by audiences more than serious critics. Dusk till Dawn was something of a flop as vampire and gangster stories failed to gel, whilst the understated Jackie Brown seemed little more than an aberration from established Tarantino style. With Kill Bill and Kill Bill II, Tarantino is back on form with a vengeance. Part One demonstrated extreme and polished action scenes into which much thought had gone - for instance a martial arts stand off that contrasts genre wirework fighting some of the most realistic fighting on film since Bruce Lee; the overall effect was a surfeit of stunning action where viewers would probably have been content with the simplest of explanatory codas to justify the visual experience. Kill Bill II, on the other hand, rather than just filling in these holes, presents us with some fantastic characterisation and an underlying plot for Parts I and II that is as gut wrenching as it is believable. As we follow elite killer Uma Thurman in her quest to hunt down and kill Bill we are given insight into her physical prowess (learnt at the hand of a legendary and unique teacher), and dragged through the emotional turmoil that has sparked off the whole raison d'etre. Complex relationships between the members of the elite group of killers spiral into an insoluble dilemma for the two main players: one that can only be resolved by taking a heartbreaking decision. Kill Bill is a major triumph for director Quinten Tarantino and worth every minute.