Kill Bill: Vol. 2
Rated: R
Runtime: 2 hours, 16 minutes
Directed by: Quentin Tarantino
Starring:
Uma Thurman - The Bride
David Carradine - Bill
Michael Madsen - Budd
Daryl Hannah - Elle Driver
Gordon Liu - Pai Mei
So back in October, the masses finally got to see Quentin Tarantino’s first film in five years. From the shocking “Do you find me sadistic?”, to introducing Vivica A. Fox’s chest to a knife, to riding the Pussy Wagon, getting a sword that will cut God from Sonny Chiba, to slicing through a horde of Japanese Green Hornet fans, and then giving Lucy Liu a new haircut, Tarantino had captivated the masses. And then, we’re left with the great cliffhanger line of “Does she (she being Uma Thurman’s Bill Killer, The Bride) know her daughter is alive?” and roll credits. Now, a long six months later, it’s time for the conclusion.
What’s so striking about Volume Two is how different it is than Volume One. In the first part of this revenge tale, it seemed like Tarantino was just out to pay homage to his favorite kung-fu and grindhouse films and the massive violence was entertaining, but the film itself didn’t leave much to chew on in terms of themes or character development. But as it turns out, Volume One just sets the stage for the totally different animal that is Volume Two. First off, don’t go in expecting the massive violence of the first film. While there are still a couple of brutal fight scenes, there’s nothing on par with “Showdown at House of Blue Leaves". In place of massive bloodshed is Tarantino’s rapid-fire, musical, and instantly-quotable dialogue. Volume Two moves in a far more linear fashion than the first film as it takes its time to develop the remaining major characters. Uma continues her magnificent performance as The Bride, Daryl Hannah is deliciously sinister in her expanded time on screen, and Michael Madsen gives a quizzical and subtle performance as the only male member of the Deadly Viper Assassination Squad, Budd. And then there’s David Carradine as the titular Bill, an incredibly imposing figure in the first film without being in it. This time around he owns the film. Monologues which might stop the film cold in the hands of another actor, Carradine carries out with this incredibly mixture of fatherly-tenderness, romanticism, and murderous insanity. It’s the stuff that Oscar nominations are made of, and then subsequently ignored by a perpetually ignorant academy.
But what makes Volume Two even better than the first film is Tarantino’s confident direction and brilliant conjuring of themes never even noticed in the first film, now arising with the answers brought by the conclusion. It’s simply remarkable that two such different films could compliment each other so well. But it’s the little touches that make me enjoy Volume Two more than Volume One. The soundtrack is better. Granted, the soundtrack to the first volume is fantastic, but this one works even better, mainly because most of the tracks are Ennio Morricone’s, a composer who doesn’t even need a film to enrapture you in his score. There’s a sense of humor throughout which wasn’t as present in the first film. Sure, there was Hattori Hanzo, but being a more dialogue-based film, there’s more time for jokes and catchy lines and Kill Bill: Volume Two has them both in large supply.
If you didn’t care for Volume One, don’t bother with the finale. While the films may differ in content, they work together and you’ll still be spending two hours in a Tarantino film with characters you previously met in the film you didn’t like. For those that loved Volume One, expect to enjoy Volume Two at least as much as the first if not more. What you shouldn’t expect is the insane violence of the first film. Instead, you should expect are incredible performances, excellent dialogue, an awesome soundtrack, and the knowledge that those six months were worth the wait.
Words by
Matt Goldberg
4.28.04
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