Ah... Kill Bill. The brilliance and my current obsession. *Sigh*

Well, it's passed Kill Bill Volume 1's anniversary for it's first theatrical run. There have been dissapointments here and there, saying Volume 1 had "too little substance" and Volume 2 having "too much substance"... Jesus.

Well, now that both Volumes are out on DVD, now we can not just focus on one Volume. We can focus on 1 whole film.

While Volume 1 IS very different from Volume 2, which is kind of odd, they both have a rightful place with each other. The first 1 and a half or so hour introduces you to the Bride, played by the fantastic Uma Thurman. We don't really get to know her, but you do feel for her when you know she lost her baby. There's not much to the story, this bitch has been fucked up, and wants one thing. Revenge. The homages to kung fu flicks and the little western homages here and there for the first Volume are very fun to point out. The House of Blue Leaves sequence, is one of the best action sequences, ever. The action scenes are so fun to watch (mainly the Bride's fight with Gogo Yubari), they go by, fast.

Now, while the second half of this saga might not be as well liked as the first, it's my personal favorite. The Bride, well Beatrix Kiddo, is well made into... well a human, as you can see in the training with Pai Mei scenes and when she first arrives at Bill's home. And the homages are mainly on Westerns for the second half.

As I watched this 1 epic film back-to-back, I just realized that while this isn't my favorite film ever, this film still has a very special place in my heart. Tarantino has done a fantastic job with this material, which if he handed the script to another director, it could have been a disaster. Also, the film is very different from the script, which is a great thing as the script dragged a lot. (Though I would have loved to see Yuki's Revenge )

The cast is excellent. Uma Thurman, who I only saw in Pulp Fiction, Batman and Robin (Which I thought she was actually good in despite the film...) and some other films hasn't really proved that much. But here... This performance is just... so perfect. I would never dream of think or anyone else playing this part. For me, Uma is Beatrix Kiddo, and this is what she'll be remembered for. It's a real damn shame she won't at least get an Oscar nomination. Hmph.

As for the supporting cast, their all quite excellent as well. Lucy Liu, who hasn't really impressed me with anything, is actually really good. (Though I would have personally had Zhang Ziyi in the part. *sigh*) Vivica A. Fox... didn't really show anything in the 10 minutes she was in as I thought that segment had weak dialogue. Michael Madsen is great as Bill's younger brother, and Daryl Hannah.... she's a little fireball. Elle Driver is 1 of my favorite characters, she's just plain cool. David Carradine plays Bill with a deadly charm and delivers his dialogue perfectly.

Kill Bill is my personal favorite of Tarantino's 4 directorial films. While it isn't as groundbreaking as Pulp Fiction, it's quite an accomplishment and a wonder to watch.

- A+

i have only seen the first one and it was average and i think its overrated imo...the storyline is good...i'll discuss later because i have to go...overall A-

The first one is a frenetic, non-stop barrage of action scenes and movie homages, while the second one is a character-driven, rich dialogue-heavy film with action scenes spliced in. I personally prefer the second one, just for the Pai Mei scenes. Still, they're not as great as Pulp Fiction.

A for both, brillant.

I liked them but they are definately overrated. B for both together.

A for both, although I do feel that when someone says the movies are overrated, they are correct. I feel the movies are deserving of an A on their own merit, not the merit bestowed upon them by critics.

One thing I didn't notice in Vol. 2 (which I just watched again), is how long the last 35 minutes are. It really drags out. Not in a bad way, though. It could easily be boring and awful to sit through, but it trudges along. Still, really long.

Volume 1 was great and 2 was a nice follow up. One question would be how would this be a one movie either like 2.5 or an LOTR epic like 3.5 hours.

How do you think it would have come out as 1 monster movie.

Volume I and II are both excellent in their own aspect. The first was more action and less about characters and plot, while the second covered all of that. Together, both make a masterpiece of revenge. A

I give both of them a A-. They are both great films, and IMO deserve more money from the BOX office.

there both equally great, the fight scenes are awsome!! oh! and lots of blood!!

A

Kill Bill - B

The first is better than the second. Overall a nice franchise.

Seeing as that they were originally one film, released in two segments, I think it best to grade as one.

That being said, it breaks the rules, with the first half being the frenetic action packed portion with the second developing the characters and allowing for ample dialogue. With that being said, the film occupies the #3 position in my all-time favorite films. A+

Together these films are a masterpiece that rival Pulp Fiction for its genius. I have no idea how Tarintino is able to come up with such films but he does and it is great.

Fingers crossed for the combined feature to come out soon.

Kill Bill Vol. 1 - B+

Kill Bill Vol. 2 - A

As one film, probably an A

Vol. 1: A
Vol. 2: A

Overall: A

Quentin Tarantino's best!

1 out of 1 people found the following comment useful :-
What a fraud!!, 10 October 2003



*** This comment may contain spoilers ***

Kill Bill is a fraud. Terrible, terrible movie! SPOILERS

Spoilers within this post. Enter at your own risk!

I just got back from the noon showing of Kill Bill in which the theater was half full (for a noon showing, that is huge. The theater is one of the bigger ones at the Queensway in Toronto, so it will do well this weekend). What I witnessed in that 100 minutes in the theater can only be described as Tarantino's flipping of the bird to all of us as he looks in the mirror and congratulates himself on being the smartest man in the world. Straight up, Kill Bill is one of the biggest disappointments I have seen in my life. After masterpieces like Reservoir Dogs and Pulp Fiction and other greats like True Romance, you would think that Kill Bill would live up to those lofty expectations bestowed upon it by virtue and name recognition alone. But not only has Tarantino told us all to **** off, he he has done it while laughing in our faces.

Kill Bill has all of Tarantino's quirky and weird trademarks in it. And it contains strange techniques that at first you think is simply an homage to a film genre. But in reality, what QT did here was get too cute and at the expense of artistic integrity. What we are left with is more Matrix style garbage, a 10 minute anime introduction to Lucy Lui's character, black and white photography for no reason and the bleeping out of the bride's name just because he can. All of this is looked at as being brilliant by the critics and those in similar circles because Tarantino has a free pass right now. His films have enamoured critics for 10 years now and this one is no different even though it is a shadow of the opulence that we are used to from him. To sum it up, this film is all style and has no substance. The style is there, but for what purpose? Why does he choose to do the things that he does? Is it just because he can? Or is it because he thinks he is so much more clever than the rest of us? You guys thought Matrix Reloaded was pretentious, this film might as well be the Architect meets Socrates meets Locke, meets Rouseau meets Japanese smart guy meets Marx. That is how it comes across. Pretentious doesn't even begin to describe it. There is even a blatant rip off of the burly brawl in this film right down to beings jumping up a flight of steps to come and meet the heroine.

I knew I was in trouble five minutes into the film when it just didn't feel right. You know how in Pulp you just knew you were in for something special? You just felt it with the dialogue, the acting, the soundtrack and everything that encompassed the film. Well Kill Bill has the opposite feel to it. None of that magic is present and it is just a bunch of people getting sliced and diced and maimed. There is no snappy dialogue and that is what QT is good at. Tarantino is a lyrical genius and he abandons that here and goes Wachowski Brothers on us and it just doesn't work.

I despised this film with every fibre of my body and it left me in a p***ed off and foul mood. Shame on you QT. Shame on you for starting to believe everything that was said about you. Now wipe that stupid smile off your face and go clean Harvey's shoes and polish his golf clubs. There is a lot of sychophantic baloney going on here and I thought you were bigger than that.

F or a 1 out of 10

Volume 1 - A+
Volume 2 - A

Teeehee. I've finally caught up with the rest the world and bought these.

Both are such polar opposites of eachother, and still manage to make a great movie when watched together. They both deserve an A.

I would give it an A- for both of them. I really liked it.

I remember at BOM when Baumer went on his anti-Kill Bill rant in October of 2003. I read that whole re-post and it was a nice way to remember the good old days....

I have never EVER had such a completely polar reaction to a film.
Before Kill Bill I had never seen any of Tarrantino's movies. I was hyped to see the film because my friend was a HUGE Tarrantino fan. I thought even right before the movie started that it wouldn't be "my thing."

But as the movie started and all through I was captivated and completely in love. I was impressed and from the beginning I had that feeling that this was something special, the exact opposite of baumer's.
I awaited Volume 2, everything Volume I wasn't.

Alone, they stand as great films, together, it is a masterpiece of modern cinema, among the long list of greatest movies ever made.I gave Volume 1 and A back in 2003 and Volume 2 an A in 2004, but together (still awaiting the press release on the release date of the entire film coming out this year) it's an undoubtful A+

I have since seen all of Tarrantino's films.
I have immense respect for Pulp Fiction as a masterpiece in film-making and a turning point in American cinema.
I probably liked Reservoir dogs the most out of the 3 because it was so different and fun.
I thought Jackie Brown was a great movie, but just not on par with the previous 2 and now total 3 films.

In my opinion, some of the greatest films to ever be created in the last 10 years.

Seperately:

Kill Bill Volume 1
A terrific action film. The action scenes were well chereographed, very original, and took advantage of its surroundings, which I loved. Uma Thurman was terrific in this movie, cause she still had that ora of secrecy about her after this movie, but you knew enough about her to be satisfied. The scene at the house of blue leaves or whatever was one of the best action scenes ever created, and the Crazy 66's are classic. A great homage to Tarantino's favorites, and I liked the whole asian-Bruce Lee feel throughout the movie.

The Good:
-Action Scenes are highly original
-Characters are well thought out, and very well cast
-Pacing is excellent
-The Anime portion of the film was very terrific
-Good violence and nice that he took the whole "spilling blood" approach
-Great dialogue
-The Soundtrack was terrific
-The spaghetti western "zoom in, loud high pitched music orange screen" before she fought
-Gogo=:happy:
-Ended perfectly with Bill saying her daughter was still alive

The Bad:
-The Lucy Liu fight was all anticipation but lacked action
-Maybe just an OUNCE of color during the slaughter in the House of Blue tea leaves of whatever

Grade: A

Kill Bill: Volume 2
This is where the movie got good. You learned the history of the characters, you got deeper. It was the substance and witty dialogue that made me love this film so much. Uma was PERFECT in this film, as you saw the revenge and anticipation in her eyes. Daryl Hannah was hot in this film, and the fight scene between her and the bride was one of the best action scenes ever...up there with the House of Blue Tea or whatever. I liked the scenes where Tarantino showeed her training with that old guy. GREAT SCENES! David Carradine was terrific in his role, and deserved an oscar nod for such a brilliant job. The way he died was highly original, and EXTREMELY smart. The opening dialogue where she's in the car, and its black and white and she recaps what happens is great, very much a revenge story.

The Good:
-The story is great
-Action scenes are VERY original
-Nice Spaghetti Western feel to the movie
-Doesn't completely forget Vol. 1, but doesn't rely too much on it
-EXCELLENT dialogue
-Good death methods (the Black Mumba, the burrying someone alive, the poke her eye out, the 5 step thingy)
-Rock solied acting
-Ending made the whole movie feel complete
-Excellent beggining monologue
-Soundtrack was good as in the first.

The Bad:
-Dragged on towards the end

Grade: A+


Although both movies are terrific seperately, when you dedicate a day in watching both movies together, its worth it. Its a modern day masterpiece when watched together, and they deliver enough action and substance to be one of the best films ever released in the last few decades when watched together.

Overall grade: A+

Very much agreed on that one. So much build-up and the scene doesn't pay it off, even though what is actually shown, is beautiful.




Watch the Japanese version for color

oo00h. Thanks. I didnt even know theer WAS a japanese version?

Does it make the biggest difference like I hope?

Uh... minor spoilers.

I've seen the uncut version of V.1 from Japan. Basically the only things different are the Crazy 88 fight is in color (mixed in with a couple of encounters), the anime has a couple of more seconds, and you see Sophie's other hand getting cut off. These will probaly all be on the Special Edition coming out soon supposedly...