Good sequel, but not quite there!

Rating: 7/10 (21 May 2008)

KILL BILL, VOL.2 is a solid Tarantino offering, but having seen it several times, I still prefer KILL BILL, VOL.1. VOL. 1 literally cuts to the chase and although it had no character background and appeared plot less, it accomplished more with very little than VOL.2 did with a lot! And the LOT was a LOT of dialogue, a LOT of exposition, and a LOT of explanation! Trying to explain and justify everything and talk the viewer to death is not always a good thing. I'd seen Tarantino do the talkative stuff in PULP FICTION, which was brilliantly done. But KILL BILL VOL.2 is simply a retread, rather than being highly original.
I do think I understand why Tarantino did it differently from VOL. 1. I mean, if he repeats VOL.1, then he essentially presents more of the same, a plot less, action-oriented, bloodfest. But on it's own, VOL.1 is just a great film experience and even with it's open ending, I didn't care about a sequel. Ironically, I was not just enthralled by VOL.1 because of the great action, music, and swordplay, but also felt VOL.1 DID have its emotional, powerful moments, such as The Bride reacting to losing her baby, the Hattori Hanzo scenes, ORen's anime backstory, and The Bride and O'Ren's obvious emotional ties to each other.
VOL.2 continues the story of The Bride from VOL.1. Now we find out WHY she needs revenge on Bill and her former Deadly Viper Assassination Squad cronies. We finally meet and see Bill (David Carradine in the best performance of this film). Bill is the main reason that I really like this film. His character is world-weary, wise, and calm, yet at his heart he is spiteful, sad, and angry. I found myself completely focused on his character during the opening wedding rehearsal scene. Soon after Bill and The Bride's reunion, he has the squad massacre the wedding party, as we saw the result of this carnage in VOL.1.
Soon after we meet Bill's brother Budd (played by Michael Madsen in a really convincing performance). Budd is completely a broken man now, with a dead end job living in a trailer out in the middle of the desert. Bill warns Budd the The Bride is out to kill the squad and tells of how she did in O'Ren Ishii and her army in VOL. 1. Budd doesn't seem to care. When The Bride confronts him, Budd actually gains the upper hand and buries her alive.
During her burial, The Bride flashes back to when Bill put her under the tutelage of the great martial arts master Pai Mei. These are among the best scenes of VOL.2, a retro homage to those Bruce Li 70s martial arts flicks. It explains how The Bride learned her moves she used so effectively in VOL.1. She uses a technique she learned from Pai Mei to escape her grave that Budd put her in.
Soon after we meet one-eyed Elle Driver (Darryl Hannah in a really juicy role). Elle hates The Bride with a passion, mostly due to jealousy of her skills and her relationship with Bill. Budd has stolen The Bride's Hanzo sword (which Hattori Hanzo made for her in VOL.1) and is going to sell to Elle for one million dollars. Elle backstabs Budd by putting a deadly snake in the case containing the money. As Elle leaves Budd's trailer, she and The Bride have the big showdown. A really gritty fight scene, the polar opposite of the stylish presentation in VOL.1. We find out how Elle lost her eye and the end of the scene is kind of ironic, yet appropriate.
The Bride seeks out Bill for her final vengeance in Mexico. I really disliked the scene where she finds one of Bill's old mentors to track him down. It seemed so unnecessary and it was a really odd scene. I disliked the strip club scene where Budd was demoralized by his boss, too. I found these smaller characters to add nothing to the film and detract from the strong main characters. I really disliked The Bride's soon-and-never-to-be husband at the beginning of the film; he annoyed the heck out of me and her friends weren't much better. I just couldn't buy into the fact that a woman like The Bride would even be associated with people like this, even in her attempt at a new life away from being an assassin.
I still think VOL.2 has it merits, especially in the interactions amongst The Bride (whose name we learn in VOL.2) and Bill, Budd, and Elle. Their work really makes you believe these people have known each other for years and fallen out of favor with each other. The dialogue rambles on a bit much and meanders nowhere at times, especially with the supporting characters. Also, even though The Bride had a much tougher time conquering her final enemies in VOL.2, everything seemed strangely too "neat". Tarantino aimed more for realism, but didn't do a great job of making things "realistic". And you kind of have to do that with a film like this.