Tarantino goes back to what he does best

Rating: 9/10 (15 April 2004)

Like a good director should, Quentin Tarantino has saved the best for last with Kill Bill Vol. 2. The second film is an emotionally charged finale that will leave you with a smile on your face. Without a doubt, this is Tarantino's finest work especially considering that this is supposed to be one giant film. What he has done is taken everything he loves about cinema and put it all into a gem of a film, and this really comes through in the second volume. Kill Bill Vol. 1 was Tarantino's exercise in making an action movie, Volume. 2 is his Citizen Kane. I haven't enjoyed a movie this much in a long time, and the critics agree that this is one of the best films of 2004.
While the first half of Kill Bill was a crazy mesh of violence, the second half is a poetic character-driven opus that truly is a heartfelt piece of filmmaking. With Volume. 2, Tarantino goes back to what he does best, and that is showing interesting characters, who deliver the coolest dialogue around. There isn't near the amount of action that Volume. 1 contained, and that turns out to be the strength of part 2. We are finally allowed to see Bill's character and his relationship with The Bride (Uma Thurman). David Carradine plays Bill with a smoothness that oozes cool and is totally lovable. Bill can be a mean SOB but he has a purpose and thanks to some excellent scenes with he and The Bride, we get to see his side of the story. Let me say that it is not what you think, and if anything you will adore the character. Carradine delivers his lines in his own unique way, much like Christopher Walken does. In one scene, he talks about why his favorite character is Superman just before the big showdown and you can't help but love the guy.
Other interesting characters inhabit Volume 2 as well. The coolest member of the Viper Squad, Budd, is a cowpoke that realizes the error of his ways and works as a bouncer doing crap work. Michael Madsen plays him with such an air of humility, that you might feel sorry for the guy. Budd is a modern Charles Bronson as a poster in his trailer home references. Not to give too much away, there is a scene involving Budd and The Bride that will have some feeling very claustrophobic just after a dialogue about a flash light and mace. There is a scene with the one eyed Elle Driver (Daryl Hannah) fighting The Bride in very close quarters. This is the best cat fight that will probably ever be seen on film and ends in a shockingly funny way. Be on the lookout for a surprise cameo by a famous Tarantino thesp. Of course The Bride needed training for all of the martial arts, so we get a wonderful flashback sequence of her training with Pei Mei. The training sequence is both hilarious and painful, providing some great glimpses into who The Bride is.
Everything surrounding the production of Volume. 2 is top notch. Every chapter is shot with a different film stock, giving each one a different style. Unlike the previous film, Tarantino lets the shots go longer instead of quick cuts, thereby letting us view the characters and events more naturally. Tarantino still uses tricks from his fun bag such as the old fashioned background projections or colored objects in black and white scenes. The music is much more natural and effective in part 2 as well. Robert Rodriguez and his Spanish guitar provide for a cool spaghetti western soundtrack, even Ennio Morricone is used.
Tarantino has delivered a very cool flick and the best film of his career. Kill Bill Vol. 2 is a moving film that is the culmination of what makes cinema fun. If you weren't a fan of Volume 1, you may want to give 2 a chance as it is a much different film. We are shown the motivations of these characters and reminded why The Bride is doing what she is. When you laugh and almost cry when a character delivers a line, that's good cinema. A film that leaves you with a huge smile on your face should be seen and seen again.