the split makes sense.

Rating: Null/10 (14 May 2004)

First, let me start off by saying that it's a shame that volume one is not among the "best action sequence" nominees at this years mtv movie awards. After falling in love with volume two, i've realized that the action sequences might have been the best part about volume 1. But, if volume 1 happens to be the ONLY tarantino movie you enjoy, then you'll probably wrestle with enjoying this one.
david carradine does an amazing job as the title character. His sentimentality, interwoven with his evil nature, is the "cherry on top". I'd never really seen him act before. I'm only familiar with him "walking the earth" on Kung-Fu. David probably has the most lines in the movie. I wish i had other david movies in mind to compare this too. Quentin is the only person who can swim in left field with a full-proof game plan. Quentin is a genious. Gordon Liu, who played Johnny Mo in vol. 1, is awesome as well. He plays Pai Mai, a very old Kung-Fu teacher. What's impressive about his scenes, and more reasons why quentin is a genious, is the attention to authenticity. One noticable difference between the kung fu movies of today versus yesterdays' is realism. i can imagine hard-core fans of bruce lee disapointed in the lack of realism in movies like Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon for example. The Pai Mai scenes make the modern kung fu classics more believable and, in the long run, produce everlasting movie magic with it's attention to "human" details. Michael Madsen, who plays bill's brother, has the most memorable role in the movie. I've seen him in enough movies to think i knew what was going to happen when the movie pulled me into his story. I was wrong though. His character was very bold. It would be very easy to compare him to his role in Reservoir Dogs, but this character was so bold and real that it feels like it's from Pulp Fiction. But, he wasn't the coolest person in the movie. That was Elle Driver, played by Daryl Hannah. If your a fan of hers, then this is the movie to put on your pedestal. Daryl was like the Sandra Bullock of the 1980's. I forgot about that during this movie. Daryl Hannah kicks butt as the villain. Surprising, because i wasn't very impressed with her introductory scene in vol. 1. Quentin gives her her time to shine in this one. Those who were in love with her during the eighties will be in love with her again. She is very sexy, until . . .
Volume 2 works on a level that's more satisfying then volume 1. Volume 1 was a samurai/yakuza homage that was filled with GLIMPSES of characters, the latter is a western kung-fu movie spilling with character simultaneously bringing the saga into full circle. Other highlights include Cinematographer Robert Richardson's beautiful capture of the mid-western landscape, and Robert Rodriguez's acoustic/electric guitar score. i wish it would have been included on the soundtrack c.d. hint hint