Kill Bill: Vol. 1 (2003)

KILL BILL VOL. 1 (2003)

Rating: 5/5 

Top Ten of 2003: #2

REVIEW BY JOHN ULMER (Copyright, 2004)

Quentin Tarantino's fourth feature film, "Kill Bill," is a rollicking rampage of revenge. Fast, brutal, and stylish, the film reunites some of QT's favorite elements from well-known Asian martial arts films with an American twist. But have no fear, people of Japan--Quentin pays true respect to the classics of the genre, and the individuals who made them. He takes what most audiences are unfamiliar with and presents the varying shreds of material as a splendid mainstream whole (even down to segments of anime).

Sure, we have had to wait for another installment because of fat cat Harvey Weinstein, who was after the big bucks when he suggested the film be split into two separate "volumes," but I think I actually prefer "Kill Bill" as two pieces. It just builds up the public appreciation for the film and provides us with a good catcher, and a hanging end. The matinee serials that "Indiana Jones" paid homage to used to do the same thing--I see no true problem with it. (Although I don't feel that having to pay for extra tickets to see the rest of the movie is a move made without marketing behind it.)

It's been a long six years since "Jackie Brown," and for Quentin, it's all been spent on trying to make this movie get made. His breakthrough was with 1992's "Reservoir Dogs," one of the greatest films of all time, and his 1994 modern-day masterpiece "Pulp Fiction" truly named him one of the best directors of this generation. (He has proved he can also act, too, in some of these films.)

"Jackie Brown," a very good movie (but admittedly not a great one), disappointed many of Quentin's fans, and so he has spent all of this time since that feature film trying to bring "Kill Bill" to the screen (an idea that originated during filming of "Pulp Fiction," when he created the film's tagline almost ten years ahead of schedule).

What he does with "Kill Bill" separates him from being another one-hit-wonder director. "Kill Bill" isn't as realistic or perhaps even as meaningful as his other films, but it's a masterpiece in its own right, filled with excessive bloody violence and revenge fantasies that come true. We all wish for a bit of revenge now and again. Some of us get it, and some of us don't.

The Bride (Uma Thurman) decides that she wants to get even with the people who tried to assassinate her four years ago, and she'll stop at nothing until she does. The Bride (whose real name we never firmly grasp) was massacred by the Deadly Viper Assassination Squad (Michael Madsen, Lucy Liu, Vivica A. Fox, Daryl Hannah) at the altar four years ago. Bill (David Carradine) was behind it all ("You find me sadistic, don't you?"). But four years pass and The Bride wakes up from a long, deep comatose. Some of her first thoughts?

"They killed nine people. They should have killed ten."

There's not much you can say about a movie like "Kill Bill" without giving away important plot points or funny moments. Much of the film relies upon Uma Thurman to keep it afloat, and she impressed me very much with this movie. Some of her one-liners and deadpan expressions will go down in cinema history as some of the best--and funniest. ("Your name's Buck, and you're here to--")

Tarantino has stuffed "Kill Bill" full of martial arts references. Tarantino (who used to work at a video store before he directed "Reservoir Dogs") is a huge fan of movies, and he's admitted to watching (on average) two or three a day. He's a film buff's director, a guy who actually knows something about film. Even The Bride's outfit she wears throughout much of the movie is that in Bruce Lee's final movie.

It's a disgrace that those Hobbits received Oscars over "Kill Bill," a much more exciting, involving, and relatable movie. I'm sorry, but although I found "The Lord of the Rings" well made, it was also a large knock-off of other films from the genre, and I think Jackson tried to bring too much depth to a story that simply has very little. I can't relate to Hobbits and wizards on magical quests. We can all relate to revenge. And I'm going to get a lot of nasty letters for saying that.

But Tarantino has delivered a truly original film, and one that should have been nominated for (among others) Best Original Screenplay, Best Picture, Best Actress, and Best Director. I'm sorry, but it's true, because this is a finer and more original film than any of the "Lord of the Rings" installment, despite how much of an impact they have had.

This shouldn't turn into a rant, which is why I am going to end my review by saying that "Kill Bill" is a film unlike anything I have ever seen. Yep, it's pretty strange, but it's also pretty fun and extremely well made. Quentin hasn't disappointed. After leaving the theater, I couldn't wait to see "Volume 2," and I'm already counting the weeks until its release.

- John Ulmer
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X-RT-RatingText: 5/5