Kill Bill: Vol. 2
RATING: 9/10

Review Date:        April 16, 2004
Director:             Quentin Tarantino
Writers:              Quentin Tarantino
Actors:                Uma Thurman as The Bride (Beatrix Kiddo)
                           David Caraddine as Bill
                           Michael Madsen as Budd
Audience of Choice:                 Thriller/Action/Tarantino Fans
Year of Release:  2004

STORYLINE: There were five on her list. Now it's three. O-Ren Ishii and Vernita Green were the first to fall, now The Bride (Uma Thurman) is out to finish the job by killing Elle Driver, Budd, and last of all, Bill (David Carradine). If the final three aren't afraid now, they better start, because she's coming for them. However, something has thrown off her plans a bit. Her daughter (whom she was pregnant with as she was getting married) could actually be alive. What affect this will have on her quest for vengeance is unclear, but one thing is clear. She isn't going to stop until she's killed Bill.

MY REVIEW: First things first. This movie is totally different from Volume I, and it actually makes more sense to have the films the way they are as opposed to what Tarantino actually wanted to do to begin with. What I am referring to, of course, is the splitting of the movies. Volume I plays like a wonderful combination of different genres, action, and style. It has anime in it, tons of stylized directing choices, and an incredibly long and cool samurai fight/massacre that used over 200 gallons of fake blood. Volume II, on the other hand, is just as good as the first, only completely changed in style, tone, look, and attitude. Wait, before I make blatant statments like that one, maybe I should look over the facts.

     There was positively no depth in the first movie, but that's part of what made it so easy to like. Volume II has this missing depth, and even though it lacks the action and campiness of the first film, it has enough to sedate lovers of the previous installment none-the-less. I loved each bit of action in the sequel, and especilly loved most of dialogue. There was a certain humor that we just don't get to see everyday. Now, if you have only seen Volume I, you think I'm referring to similar dialgoue, but I'm not. The first Kill Bill movie had plenty of jokes that were campy, silly, and goofy, while this movie has more of a serious tone that adds to the subtle jokes. After you watch the movie, which you definitely should, you will understand what I mean. Tarantino has something as a writer and director that many don't have. Actually, scratch that. Nobody has is more like it. His ability to use refrences and combine humor with action is simply brilliant. He also has a way with the camera that leads up to the best looking and most enjoyable to watch movies ever.

     The acting this go-around is way better than Volume I, and you can feel the intensity. The more serious tone and attitude adds to this effect. This isn't to say the movie was lacking in humor or action though. There is actually more jokes and funny refrences in this sequel than there was in the first, the only difference being the noticeability of these jokes. If you watch the old "B" Japanese kung-fu flicks or Spaghetti Westerns, you will more than likely appreciate this humor. Another source of laughter arrises with Pai-Mei, the master trainer. He is the one who teaches The Bride all she knows, and is the reason why she just cannot go down and stay down. His scenes are hilarious and ridiculous at the same time, but this is not only a good thing, it's a great thing. It lightens the mood a bit which is needed with a movie of this nature.

     There is actually a single complaint that I have. Certain scenes in the movie were just overly long and un-needed. Most of the scenes I'm referring to served the purpose with points in the movie, but should have been cut back a bit to make the movie easy to take in and enjoy. Tarantino has been said to write too much for his scripts, and he proves it in this movie. This is only a minor complaint, though, especially considering that not a single scene was actually "bad", just a few were too long. And hey, if this is the only complaint I have about a movie, it must be one great fuckin' movie!

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