Yet again, QT is disappointing.

Rating: 4/10 (28 June 2009)

I'm not quite sure how to grasp QT. Frankly, I think he's a very good director (and a so-so action director) and makes good choices when it comes to a DP, editing and music. The guy himself I think is a nut (not in a good way) and it shows in his writing.
Both Kill Bills are soulless. This is a revenge story between one psychopath against a group of psychopaths. I do have to say that QT does write interesting individual scenes, his trademark. And he probably gets good actors 'cause they're fun to play. But at the same time they are original, but as original as mashed potatoes and chocolate syrup. They're tired clichÃ© characters repackaged with the QT brand, and that somehow is fresh?
And those scenes in question. They're usually very colorful but also very trite. They rarely have an actual point.
And QT doesn't know a thing about character development. Maybe that's his point, but he seems to write AROUND almost anything interesting that might come out of a story about these people. To give a comparison, the original The Crow is a very passionate revenge story about a character that you're invested in. But why do we like The Bride? 'cause she kicks ass? Who cares? I know NOTHING about this woman 'til the very end, when a weak excuse of how she SUDDENLY changed into a good guy when she found out she was pregnant.
The only spark of character development was when Michael Madsen said "she deserves her revenge." Out of 4 hours? And this set-piece of action with the 88 at the restaurant. It was just a jumble of movements and gallons of blood. (I personally hate that wire stuff.) Even at his worst, a Jackie Chan movie has more rhythm and clarity to their action scenes than this. And even at its most corny and basic, a John Woo film has characters that you are invested in.
I know I'm in the minority on this, but I just don't get it. No, this isn't about the violence. QT is the demigod of cinema, but what is he saying about anything? It's not that hard. Movies are suppose to be stories about characters. And then do whatever the bleep you want after that. But if it's about slick pretty people doing bloody things, any hack can give you THAT!