Satisifying.

Rating: 8/10 (28 April 2004)

When 'Kill Bill Vol. I' finished last year; the anxious wait for the conclusion of Tarantino's revenge saga began.
Would The Bride get her revenge?
Would she be re-united with her daughter?
How many more people would she dismember?
Well, the sequel is here, and the result is good.
Very Good.
It's probably not as fun as Volume I (with its so-over-the-top-it's-almost-funny violence) but it's a lot more satisfying.
Volume II focuses more on lengthy explanations and unravelling plot points, with the low impact (but still bloody) violence taking a back seat. In lesser hands, this film could have been boring and slow, but Tarantino uses concise, witty dialogue to get his point across, which allows the film to move at a good pace. He even has time to indulge himself in some comic book mythology.
While you wouldn't expect a violent revenge film to be a bag of gags, Tarantino manages to wring big laughs from unlikely situations.
The film starts with The Bride (Uma Thurman) recapping the audience on Volume I, including the events with led to The Bride being in a coma. The film rolls on to The Bride's confrontation with Budd (Michael Madsen), who buries her alive. Fortunately for The Bride, knowledge gained from her flashbacked training scenes with Martial Artist Pai Mei (who hams it up in a homage to the old 'Monkey' series) and gets her out of danger. After Budd meets his surprising fate, The Bride goes after the one-eyed Elle Driver (Daryl Hannah). In one of the films' more memorable scenes, The Bride and Elle battle in a cramped caravan before an eye-catching conclusion. Kill Bill then moves to its lengthy conclusion with Bill (David Carradine), where retribution and surprises await.
As in the first film, Tarantino, a major movie geek, includes little nods to his, and the films', influences. There's also a great soundtrack, including a remix of the old hit "About Her" by Malcolm Mclaren.
Overall, this film is a unique experience, with lashings of humour, violence, intellectualism and even a bit of sentimentality.
These factors alone will ensure Kill Bill Volume II will enjoy a healthy box-office run. But the real impact may not be seen until Tarantino's baby is released in its almost inevitable Volume I/Volume II DVD package, which is sure to be a hit among fan boys and movie buffs alike.