Quentin, stop the drugs man!

Rating: 3/10 (20 September 2004)

As if the first wasn't bad enough, I tortured myself a second time. I just don't get some of the other reviews which herald Quentin as the Ali-Baba of cinema. I'd say he's more like one of those guys from "Dude, Where's My Car" who watched waaaaayyyy too many samurai films as a teenager.
I won't disparage Uma Thurman or David Caradine for their continued roles, as they had to be committed a second time, although why Tarantino broke the film into two is beyond understanding. I will say I am surprised that Thurman and Caradine agreed to do this film in the first place. Maybe Caradine feels he's getting washed up or had some fantasy of playing an evil "Grasshopper". As for Uma, I think she put too much faith in Quentin after their time together in Pulp Fiction, which I enjoyed despite its taste for gross violence. This film takes the same idea of violence but then dubs in "Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon" into it. Thank heavens Quentin didn't ask Travolta or Jackson to show up as ninja bandits! And again, we have the philosophical mumbo-jumbo mixed in amongst expletives delivered in an silly macho tone. I guess the only good thing I can say for the sequel was the same thing I said for the first film, it has good action, albeit this one has a lot less. Sorry, their isn't another Crazy 88's fight. I say good riddance. 3/10