Tarantino's Brilliant Homage to the Classics Overlooked by the Fatuous Academy

Rating: 10/10 (17 April 2004)

Kill Bill Volume 2 is brilliant, although you really do have to have a vast knowledge of films to appreciate it for what it is - a great homage to cult cinema/filmmaking. The references are everywhere - the whole master/disciple relationship of Pai Mei (Gordan Liu) and the Bride (reminiscent of Liu's 1978 36th Chamber of Shaolin - probably the best martial arts film ever made). Also, the Leone-esque narrative construct with long, drawn out takes. All the close-ups of feet (similar to De Palma's infatuation with hands). Even the whole buried alive sequence and rising from the grave conjures up images of De Palma's Body Double/Carrie. This film is true brilliance, and is a great end to an epic revenge saga. The only problem I had with it, was that I was so disappointed that it was over.