Kill Bill 1 & 2

the one line review:

superb blood soaked kill 'em up

the overview

When originally released, we were given the first one, then made to wait about a year to see the second. And although not exactly dangling over the edge of a cliff, you're given so much in the first, that you simply have to see the second. Funny that, given that they were specifically written as two films, and it's not a film and sequel (which have a habit of being shit), this is a film in two parts. I want to call it a duology (like trilogy, only 2 parts not three), but that word doesn't exist.

the plot:

Uma Thurman is The Bride (yes, another film, where the main character doesn't get a name), and is a member of a deadly assassin squad (The Deadly Black Mamba Squad, or something). On her wedding day, she is left for dead by the other members of her team. When she wakes up from her coma, she goes on a rampage, killing everyone involved, finishing with the leader of the squad, Bill (hence the name).

the verdict:

Tarantino does well with this. This film is big, and it needed two parts to give it what it deserves. It really is no holds barred, as all the fighting scenes (of which there are lot) are gore filled and stunningly macabre. You really get the sense that whilst filming, someone might have asked "Shit, dude, do you really think we can do this?" and Tarantino would have replied with "Hell yeh. Do it. Do it again. And add some more blood. And make the head roll down the road a bit." because this really includes some gore. But it's great.

It's different to your typical martial arts films, like Hero, or that one with the Tiger and Puff the Magic Dragon. Those films are shot in the elegance of martial arts. This film portrays martial arts as the deadly force, with big ass swords, lots of blood and lots of guts.

Uma Thurman is superb, as the vengeful woman. There are some good performances by the others involved, including Lucy Liu and one of the blokes out of Reservoir Dogs. And Chiaki Kuriyama as GoGo Yubari is splendid - I don't think I've ever been scared of a 5ft Japanese girl... except when she's wielding a fuck off big chain with a massive spiky ball on the end.

These films would have got 5 bums, no question, except that, after the intensity of the first film the second is much slower, and a little disappointing. It should have been the other way round, but then maybe that wouldn't have peaked the audience's interest.

You really have to watch these films. They're Pulp Fiction meets House of Flying Dagger. They're a Japanese martial arts film, with a perfect sprinkling of Hollywood on top, with a side helping of Tarantino brilliance.

go on, call me fat, i dare you

All movie reviews