Review: Kill Bill: Volume 1

By Jack October 7, 2003 5:36 PM

It's been six years since Quentin Tarantino's last film.  Friday heralds his return with an extremely violent homage to urban action films following the story of a female assassin attacked on her wedding day by her group leader, Bill. She wakes from a coma and seeks revenge.

Violence has never been so much fun.

It's been six years since Quentin Tarantino's last film (Jackie Brown, 1997) that might be why he's so excited about his latest film Kill Bill Volume 1.

While the story he's telling here is simple -- an assassin known only as The Bride (Uma Thurman) seeks bloody revenge against the former allies who tried to kill her -- Tarantino uses his famously non-linear storytelling style to retell Francois Truffaut's "The Bride Wore Black."

Kill Bill is part parody and part Tarantino's homage to samurai movies, urban action flicks, Hong Kong gangster dramas, Japanese anime, chop-socky kung fu movies, bad ass blaxploitation films, and spaghetti Westerns as he takes lowly exploitation cinema to new heights.

The violence is indeed highly aesthetic, sometimes poetic and often humorous, but in most cases extremely graphic. ?All this is played to the brilliant choreography of Yuen Wo Ping (The Matrix and Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon). All of the fight sequences are stunningly well executed. Regardless of what Tarantino tells you, don't take your children to this film.

Robert Richardson's cinematography, both in color and black and white, is fluid, brilliantly lit and dazzling to behold. Sally Menke's editing moves us swiftly through the chapters, while costumes and sets are eye-catching delights. A terrific anime sequence makes a striking and original way to give us O-Ren Ishii's back story.

Unfortunately, to finish the film I'll have to wait, along with everyone else, since Kill Bill: Volume 2 will not be released until February 2004.

Written, Directed, Produced by: Quentin Tarantino
Cinematography: Robert Richardson
Editing: Sally Menke
Starring: Uma Thurman, Lucy Liu, Michael Madsen, Vivica A. Fox, Sonny Chiba, David Carradine, Daryl Hannah and more.
Trailer: Click Here!

Buy the soundtrack on Amazon.com and support support dtheatre.com!

Visit Official Kill Bill Site

| comments: 4

Reader Discussions:

Post YOUR opinion too!

Thumbs up   reply

Posted by A random shemp (No Email) on October 23, 2003 6:59 AM

I saw this movie and liked it cos there was sword fighting and stuff.

Kill Bill   reply

Posted by A random shemp (No Email) on November 21, 2003 7:53 PM

From beginning to end, not a dull moment. Every frame, from the '60's retro "feature presentation" to the 5 6 7 8's 50's punk through to the revelation that the baby survived, I have been spellbound; not once, but 4 times!! Way to go QT! Can't wait 'til February!

kill bill   reply

Posted by A random shemp (No Email) on November 27, 2003 3:52 PM

I think this is one of the most unique films in movie history. Exelent blend of effects including anime and in some parts black and white. uma did a suprisingly good job, And a very convincing martial artist too.  It also had one of the best cliffhangers I have ever seen. In spots if may get boring but then It leads to the final sequence with the yakuza. STUNNING!!! Go and see It!!!

KILL BILL KICKS ASS!!!   reply

Posted by A random shemp (No Email) on November 30, 2003 3:50 PM

This movie has two things that i am a huge fan of. Action and Tarantino. This movie was nonstop fun and adventure and I'm sure that Volume 2 will be just as sweet.