You can be a QT fan and NOT like this movie!

Rating: 6/10 (1 May 2004)

SPOILERS!!!!!!!!!!!
If you didn't like Kill Bill volume 2 (KBv2) too much but loved the first, you're not alone. Unfortunately the most common defense I hear by supporters is that if you didn't like it, you didn't understand it (as if it were Shakespeare) or you're a simple action-movie junkie who needed a fix.
I've enjoyed many other films where dialogue successfully keeps the film engaging and interesting, driving the plot forward (i.e. Miller's Crossing, Chinatown, One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, Reservoir Dogs etc.) and chuckle at this poor attempt of KBv2 to do the same (yes I know QT did Reservoir Dogs).
I can appreciate nearly any kind of film type in what it tries to do, as long as it does it WELL. At first, I didn't know what to make of KBv1 because it didn't have the usual QT banter we're all used to. I wasn't sure where he was going.
It didn't matter in the end because the action was more than satisfactory, and some of the best communication in the film was subtle and not endlessly over drawn: Oren Ishii and Beatrix's profound respect for each other as warriors behind the HoBL, Beatrix's deep appreciation of Hanzo's assistance towards reaching her goal, Bill's mysterious and omnipotent puppeteering in the background in key scenes... you didn't HAVE to be knocked over the head with a play-for-play explanation as to the motivations of the characters - a lot was inferred.
In KBv2 however, nearly everything is explained to us as if we're eight year olds. Talk talk talk talk talk. In Miller's Crossing, the dialogue is cleverly written and serves to constantly reveal layer after layer of it's complex and twisting plot with hints of symbolism throughout to reveal the emotional state of the characters.
In One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, the dialogue-based script (based on the excellent Kesey novel) successfully holds up to light the conflict created when one tries to inject individualism into a repressive system designed to force the masses into conformity. It's entertaining, disconcerting and unpredictable all at the same time.
So here comes KBv2. I know it's not meant to be particularly deep, but it decides to put aside the rock'em sock'em excellence of the first film to spoon feed us the plot details in the second. Well that can work better if the dialogue had something to offer - sadly, KBv2 for many it seems, does not. It's often over drawn and heavily in need of editing (why take so long to make a simple, barely important point?).
Bill's parables, some of which are interesting (Clark Kent), take faaaaar too long to say something. By the end, everytime he opened his mouth you knew he was going to just begin babbling off another 5 minute story ("the truth serum doesn't take effect for two more minutes! babble babble babble"). The mexican pimp only adds to the tediousness of it all. Budd didn't say one memorable line the entire excessive time he was on screen (except the 'and we deserve to die shown' in v1).
While KBv1 said a lot (despite some cheesiness) by saying less, the excessive talk in KBv2 could've served the audience better by being tighter and more engaging.
The other main disappointment of KBv2 (when compared to KBv1) is in the way it handles it's "genre homage". The Japanese samurai attitude is well represented in v1, as is it's nod to Japanese modern pop culture, along with the taste of 70's american pulp fiction (glasses, van, music, Vernita). In v2 we get a taste of old school Chinese film influence which is the highlight of the movie.
But I take a strong exception of KBv2's attempt to be compared to the great spaghetti westerns, which makes up the theme of at least half the movie. Besides being in a western setting, mimicing the music, and maybe biting a few camera shots and angles, it has NOTHING to do with the Sergio Leone/Eastwood classics. Go watch the movies yourselves (Fist Full of Dollars, A Few Dollars More, The Good the Bad and the Ugly). You don't "feel" none of that greatness in KBv2.
For instance, there's no one as pitiful as Budd in those movies. Also, there's no character presented with the awesome presence of Eastwood's "Man with no Name" character. There's no intensely skilled and confident antagonist like Lee Van Cleef (who at least proves his skills by doing something on the film, unlike Bill). The style and coolness factor of those films is DEFINITELY not in KBv2, which only adds to the disappointment of what's left. Even Sam Raimi's "The Quick and the Dead" is a much better homage to this genre.
I didn't like how we are to assume that a character deserves their title as a world class assassin. Oren Ishii -now she deserved all the awe and respect we gave her by the end of the KBv1. She is by far the only DiVA (besides Beatrix) to be fully fleshed out. The Metal Gear Solid approach to give us background on the villain was successfully used with her, and I wanted it for all the DiVas and Bill. Do we get it? No... too much time instead is wasted on unedited dialogue and a weak Western side plot.
Budd's character - we're supposed to assume he's a great DiVA assassin? Throw us a friggin bone to chew on QT! After Oren Ishii's innovative background introduction, can we see at least ONE awesome flashback of Budd in top form? Something where he's not a portly oaf, slobbing along cleaning up dirty toilet water? Contrast is what's missing to fully appreciate his degradation because we don't have a clear point of reference to compare him to. So for 30 minutes of the film, we see him arching his eyebrows and mumbling nonsense... what a waste.
Vernita Green - In v1. we at least get to see she's all that in the first scene of v1, but then she completely disappears for the rest of both volumes! Another great opportunity wasted to make room for endless babble. A flashback showing her origins and entry into the DiVAs was SORELY missing. A great story wraps up loose ends like that, and to tell O.Ishii's story fully without giving the others a near equal treatment is just plain sloppy, let alone the fact that the alternative given was far less entertaining.
Elle - Her constant presence in v2, along with a presentation of her disposition in v1 was at least a good attempt to flesh out another DiVA. I enjoyed what was there, but would've also like to see her and Bill's past relationship highlighted. A minor request, but at least her scene with Pai Mei was included.
Bill - As much as I liked him in v1. I disliked him more in v2. As a character, he had all the potential in the world but comes across as extremely underwhelming of a main villan. Like Budd, we get nothing to show he's the most dangerous man in the world.
With Hanzo's eyes trembling at the suggestion of Bill in v1, after seeing what DiVAs like Vernita, Elle and O.Ishii are capable of under his leadership, after seeing Beatrix kill over 100 dangerous people just to get at him, THIS is all we get?!?!?! How underwhelming can a main villian be?!

He sits around playing the unassuming assassin who blows his Kung Fu flute and intimidates by cutting sandwiches with a butcher knife, all the while just talk talk talk talk talk on end, non stop... shut up already please and get to the point. Screw that, throw us a friggin' bone QT! I understand that a scene of him in hardcore killing action was cut - it might've helped, but still he disappoints. And to go out like a punk at the end of KBv2 (some elaborate beach fight with Beatrix was not filmed either). Oh man what a waste. Beatrix kills dozens of enemies just to take out Bill in seven seconds at a coffee table by attacking his heart (corny symbolism)... booooooo!
KBv1 wasn't particularly deep, but it found it's purpose and pulled it off well: it had many innovative presentation styles, an unexpected anime sequence, a death attack theme riff to get us pumped for the ensuing battle, perfectly layered and memorable musical themes, PLENTY of exciting action, and interesting, memorable characters (Vernita, O.Ishii, GoGo, Hanzo, Crazy 88s, Buck, Sophie, a mysterious Bill, Elle the nurse, even "Charlie Brown" etc.).
KBv2 is appallingly weak in comparison. Innovative presentation styles? The B&W church scene is a nice unique intro but WAY to long at 30+ minutes (plus the HoBL B&W takes away some of the uniqueness for the series). Pai Mei's scene is infinitely awesome, but the burial scene is just above interesting. The remaining 80% of the flick is just a standard movie.

Memorable music? Only one of the themes in the final credits caught my interest... notice how there is no buzz about the music like the film before? Even the death musical riff feels out of place... Beatrix doesn't kill anyone with it! The serviceable but forgettable music in v2 is definitely a disappointment. Compare that to KBv1:

Bang Bang in the opening credits - Twisted Nerve's evil whistle tune in the hospital - The soft humming melody when the Bride sees Hanzo's swords in the attic. - The Flight of the Bumblebee during the Tokyo motorcycle ride - 5678's songs in the HoBL - Don't Let Me be Misunderstood opening in the Japanese garden's final battle

That's musical greatness in one single movie! How could KBv2 be so average in comparison?!
How about interesting characters? Bill went from cool unseen in v1 to boring and long winded in v2. Strip bar characters are forgettable, no one in the church opening (even the great Sam Jackson) raises an eyebrow, her husband-to-be was a joke, the mexican pimp was a waste, Budd was just plain blah with no background story, the Korean assassin added nothing, and B.B. was a one-dimensional, smile-happy character as the emotionless Nikki was in v1. Pai Mei and Elle are all in the movie that are memorable.
KBv2 was not wrong for going in a different direction, it's wrong in the execution of it. While not as bad of a sequel as Reloaded and Revolutions, it has too many problems from the gifted filmmaker to be as basic as it is.

There are people who obviously liked, loved, or are enamored with KBv2... I have no qualms with you. But try not to paint every critic as a disappointed action junkie. What QT tried to do in v2 is actually more difficult than making a decent action film sequel, but the payoff could've been more satisfying, and in my opinion it misses the mark.