Lighter on action than the first, Volume 2 drags through its attempts to provide emotional backstory, but leads up to a good climax

Rating: 5/10 (20 June 2019)

I found Kill Bill 1 to be a pure action movie completely lacking in personal interest, but so well done and energetic in the action set pieces to keep it enjoyable. Volume 2 is much lighter on action and tries to establish some emotional investment in the characters, but as that was the big weakness of Volume 1, it wasn't much better here. The first two acts (or the chapters before the final one) were quite a slog, as it was more seeing her past training and minor events, either before the wedding or with Bud. I don't think we really learn much about her character beyond what we knew of her as an intense killer from the first, until that final act. The fight between her and Elle is really well choreographed (though how could she just pluck her eye out? That just isn't how that works) and reminiscent of the action of 1. The final conversation with Bill is far and away the best part of the movie and what makes it watchable. Finally, we understand why Bill tried to kill her and why there is so much intensity in their relationship. It all fits into place clearly, and the conclusion in how he is killed is very fitting. There's a bit to ponder in redemption and one's reaction to shocking events, but it's still not a particularly deep movie, the ending just explains how it all happened. The good and satisfying but unexceptional ending certainly fails to make up for the boredom of the majority of the film. Kill Bill as a 4 hour movie is a passable action set piece and is classic Tarantino, but isn't anything I would ever recommend.