| Rating: **1/2 |
| Plot: The Bride is back for one last round of mayhem as she sets out to finish off what she started with O-Ren and Vernita. Once she's done with Budd and Elle, she'll finally get her chance to kill Bill, but can she face her daughter? Review: Kill Bill is a film that I was initially skeptical of that I was actually proven wrong. What looked to be a silly cash-in on the "wire kung-fu" craze turned out to be a great homage to classic kung-fu flicks. Sure it didn't really feel like a Quentin Tarantino movie, but it was still great fun to watch. So some months went by and volume two finally came out. Reviewing Kill Bill vol. 2 has been the toughest thing I've had to do as a reviewer since giving Silent Hill 2 an 8. First of all, it's partially because of the "last time, on Kill Bill" feel I got from the opening and slightly unnecessary recap of the first film. Last time being many months ago, so a lot of the momentum built up from the first movie has been lost and sadly was never regained. So Kill Bill vol. 2 feels more like a sequel than what it was originally intended to be: the second half ot the movie. Secondly, it's because vol. 2 wasn't what I was expecting. I know it would be tough to match, let alone surpass the carnage that was the "Crazy 88 slaughter," but I expected a harrowing and memorable climax. I expected to jump out of my seat and leave the theater telling my brother "was that not the coolest fucking thing ever?!" What I got instead was a much more subdued conclusion, and at times I felt the film waned and lost my interest too many times. Also the point at which the film picks up from the first volume felt entirely confusing, why not just pick up where the first one left off with the Bride on the airplane? Vol. 2 was more about Tarantino-esque dialogue than it was about bloody vengeance. Okay, okay, I know that's what Quentin does best and everybody (including me) likes it, but why go through all that trouble to make a movie different from all of your previous projects and then during the second half make it like all your other movies? Kill Bill was supposed to be about revenge, kung-fu, and all the classic Asian movies Quentin's seen, so why make the movie's flow more along the lines of Pulp Fiction and Reservoir Dogs? I have absolutely no idea, the only real way to know would be to crawl around in Tarantino's head and get some answers. Maybe it was Quentin's way of going against our expectations so we'll all say "what the hell is he doing?", maybe it's Quentin's cinematic vision...like a beautiful painting or some pretentious crap like that, but my theory is this: he felt like it, which is entirely what the Kill Bill movies are about, just him being a fanboy and doing whatever he wants and being artistic just for the sake of being artistic. I guess us mortals just can't begin to comprehend the genius that is Quentin Tarantino. The film doesn't feel bland, if that's what you're thinking and Quentin clearly knew how he wanted each and every shot to be like. As usual it has great cinematography and the whole "Pai Mai" sequences were a movie within themselves. There is some action, but nowhere near as much as in the first. The highlight was the fight between Elle and the Bride, which was cut way too short of its full potential. Still satisfying, though. I knew there was no way in hell a ragged-looking Michael Madsen was going to fight, let alone kung-fu fight the Bride, but I was kinda hoping he would. Sigh, at least it's cool to see he still does movies after Reservoir Dogs. The performances were good and everybody pulled off their roles so well that even when there wasn't any chop-sockey action I was still entertained. I'm also pleased to say that David Carradine completely dominated every scene he was in. He was a little overweight, a little over-tanned, had withered hair, and looked like he was just starting to sober up from some hard years of drinking and/or doing drugs...and it worked in his favor. Carradine made every single one of Bill's lines absolute gold, way to go and just goes to show he can act as well as kick someone's ass. But I have to confess, I was looking forward to a more climactic battle between Bill and the Bride. Still, great performances by everybody and of course Uma Thurman is just as good as she was in the first Kill Bill. I know that this review has mostly been about the "zen" of Kill Bill vol. 2, but that's just the kind of movie this is. It's tough to describe, and more importantly it just depends on what kind of movie-goer you are. Some people are going to love it, and some people are going to hate it. I'm somewhere in the middle. It wasn't what I was expecting, but it was still a good movie and I recommend you see it (after seeing the original first, of course). However, I wouldn't go nuts and catch it at the theater, I say wait around until it comes out on video or cable. Kill Bill vol. 2 is without a doubt Quentin's vision...as to what that vision is, what its purpose is, and what's it a homage to is completely up to you. |
| Review by Jim |
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