Flipside Movie Emporium

[Danny Baldwin]

Well, it has arrived, and I can't say I feel much differently about it than the first. I enjoyed it, and while more accomplished, it's less memorable than Vol. 1, the very thing I think Tarantino thrived on in the first. I guess it just isn't for me; while I liked them both, I was never amazed.
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Danny Baldwin

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[Hawkwing74]

Some of the pacing in Kill Bill 2 seemed very, very slow, and then there would be some incredibly shocking scene. The ending also left me depressed, although I'm not sure it should have ended any other way.

[Danny Baldwin]

My review is up:

www.bucketreviews.com/killbill2.html
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Danny Baldwin

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[Fred C. Dobbs]

I saw it this afternoon, and I will post my thoughts later. All I can say right now is, I was knocked on my ass, I thought it was amazing, and on-par with Jackie Brown for my fave Tarantino film.
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"Pino, fuck you, fuck your fuckin' pizza, and fuck Frank Sinatra."

[matt header]

I just came back from it. Beltmann, on another thread, related the major fault I found with the film (BB's reaction to Bill's death) but I was still fascinated. The tone is wildly different and Tarantino's surprising contemplation of themes (the family, isolationism, the fact that revenge isn't completely satisfactory); stylistically, at least, there does not appear to be a false note in the entire film. Not quite as vibrant as Volume 1, but I think it's equally awesome on its own level.

[Fred C. Dobbs]

Kill Bill: Volume 2 (2004)

Director: Quentin Tarantino

Starring: Uma Thurman, David Carradine

Viewed on 4/17/04, Reviewed on 4/18/04

Review Written by Lyle Horowitz

Rating: ***** (of *****)

Preface (Blah, Blah, Blah, Blah, and Blah. Please read.):

After seeing Quentin Tarantino’s Jackie Brown (1997), I was sure that Tarantino would not be able to ever make a better film. The actors, dialogue, soundtrack, and character development in Jackie Brown were so spot-on, I was convinced that this was Tarantino’s masterpiece. Well, after just seeing Kill Bill: Volume 2 (2004), I have to say I didn’t like it more than Jackie Brown, but I liked it JUST AS MUCH. In Kill Bill: Volume 1 (2003), you get non-stop action and ultra-violence, but in Kill Bill: Volume 2, you get sharp writing, character development, excellent atmosphere, great sets, excellent shots/direction, and Tarantino’s best soundtrack to date. In fact, Kill Bill: Volume 2 is so good; it makes Volume 1 even better, because now, you really care about the characters. If you go into Volume 2 expecting a film similar to Volume 1, you will be disappointed. I am actually having trouble believing this was actually made to be ONE film, because both are so different, and have a totally different “feel” to them. There are some very gory bits in Volume 2, some spots in the film actually made the theatre cringe in unison, but overall, if you are expecting a splatter-fest, go watch Volume 1. Volume 2 is more character-driven, but in my opinion, there is nothing wrong with that at all, it made the film that much better. While Volume 1 pays homage to the Kung-Fu, Samurai, and Grind house films Quentin admires, Volume 2 is heavily influenced by Spaghetti Westerns, Grind house films, and even Film Noir! Usually, in writing a review, I do it in a way that is pretty uniform, but I still need repeat viewings in order to completely organize my thoughts. I’ll write my thoughts on the film, and if need be, modify the review as many times as I need to.

The Plot (Blatantly stolen from IMDB, since plot summaries are useless, and nobody reads them. I guess there is spoilers for those who haven’t seen Volume 1, but who hasn’t by now?!):

There were five on her list. Now it's three. O-Ren Ishii and Vernita Green were the first to fall, now The Bride (Uma Thurman) is out to finish the job by killing Elle Driver, Budd, and last of all, Bill (David Carradine). If the final three aren't afraid now, they better start, because she's coming for them. However, something has thrown off her plans a bit. Her daughter (whom she was pregnant with as she was getting married) could actually be alive. What affect this will have on her quest for vengeance is unclear, but one thing is clear. She isn't going to stop until she's killed Bill.

The Film (Some spoilers lie herein, if you haven’t seen the film yet, I suggest you don’t continue reading this, and if you do keep reading…too bad.):

David Carradine as Bill: Wow. I don’t think anyone can question Carradine’s acting chops again. Just like when people said that Pam Grier was a bad actress, (Without warrant, just because she starred in Blaxploiation films, which I happen to love) Quentin proves that Carradine really is a GREAT actor, and if he doesn’t get nominated for Best Actor at the 2004 Academy Awards, something is wrong. Carradine has this “screen aura” around him, and has some beautifully delivered dialogue, especially in the “Legend of Pei Mai” sequence, and the “Superman” monologue. Some people were disappointed with Bill’s demise, but I thought it was perfect. We didn’t need another huge swordfight. Remember, sometimes less is more. Again, wow.

Uma Thurman as The Bride (I choose not to reveal her real name): Looking VERY good, Thurman is excellent in Volume 2, and outshines her performance in Volume 1 and Pulp Fiction. She kicks so much ass, and has so much class, I wouldn’t be surprised if Thurman was nominated for best actress. The scene where she is escaping from the casket after being buried alive, and when she fights Elle Driver, are terrific, tense, claustrophobic, action-packed, etc.

Michael Madsen as Budd: Although Madsen doesn’t play his usual badass character, (Reservoir Dogs, Donnie Brasco) this was by far, my all-time favorite Madsen performance. In fact, you actually feel sympathetic for Madsen at some points, even though he is still a murderer, and a vicious criminal.

Darryl Hannah as Elle Driver: You feel sympathy for the other two people on The Bride’s Death List: Bill and Budd, but with Elle, you really want her to get hers. An excellent, funny, gory, well-done fight with The Bride in Budd’s trailer is one of the highlights of the film. The stand-off between The Bride and Elle with the story about how she lost her eye, how she retaliated, and then when Elle gets her just deserts, and THEN what The Bride DOES to Elle’s missing body part…oh man…this is why I love Tarantino.

Gordon Liu as Pei Mai: Haha. SO funny. SO goddamned funny.

Cameos: Sid Haig and Samuel L. Jackson are excellent in small cameo roles, among others. Classic.

The soundtrack: What a soundtrack. Johnny Cash, Ennio Morricone, two of my favorite artists, and they really blended into the film like a chameleon. I will definitely be buying the soundtrack to Volume 2, which is a lot different (and better) than the disappointing soundtrack for Volume 1 (Even though that had ‘Battle Without Honor or Humanity’ and ‘Twisted Nerve’, as a whole, a let-down).

How it stacks up to Tarantino’s other films: Kill Bill: Volume 2 is on-par with Jackie Brown, my personal favorite Tarantino film, and one of my favorite films of all-time, which makes Kill Bill: Volume 2 tied with Jackie Brown as my favorite Tarantino film, and also making it one of my favorite films of all-time. Closely behind Jackie Brown/Kill Bill: Volume 2 is Kill Bill: Volume 1, a real balls-to-the-wall action film, which pulls out all the stops to entertain the viewer. Next is Reservoir Dogs, a film that’s taken me a long time to warm to, but it really is a great amateur piece of work. Lastly, Pulp Fiction, which if it weren’t for a horrible middle segment with Bruce Willis, would be higher on the list. Still, Pulp Fiction is entertaining with good writing and some intense scenes. Tarantino has proved he is one of the best directors working today.

Films Tarantino was influenced by for Kill Bill: Just to name a few – and Once Upon a Time in the West, Lady Snow-Blood, Lone Wolf and Cub, City of the Living Dead, Suspiria, Sisters, Deep Red, Dressed to Kill, The Great Silence, Fistful of Dynamite, Django, The Seven Samurai, Eaten Alive, Battle Royale, Black Sunday, Blood and Black Lace, Ichi The Killer, Versus, The Hills Have Eyes, Coffy, Truck Turner, The Twisted Nerve, Enter the Dragon, Game of Death, Thunder Road, Chinese Connection, Five Fingers of Death, Death Rides a Horse, Point Blank and The Good, The Bad and The Ugly. There are many, many, many more; but these are the ones I can think of off the top of my head. Obviously the other films Gordon Liu has starred as Pai Mei in are influences, as well as many of the film noir’s of the 40’s and 50’s.

Note: Stay after the credits. During the credits, Quentin pays his respect to the actors and directors who influenced him to make the film. Among them: Lee Van Cleef, Sergio Leone, Lucio Fulci, Charles Bronson, Sergio Corbucci, etc…and after the credits, a short, 10-second outtake, but it’s worth it. Very funny stuff.

Overall: See Kill Bill: Volume 2. It’s going to be hard to top this one for 2004. As a matter of fact, this is the only 2004 film I’ve seen thus far (Although I will be seeing Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind next weekend) and I doubt any other 2004 will top it. A revelation. Yeah, that sounds about right.
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"Pino, fuck you, fuck your fuckin' pizza, and fuck Frank Sinatra."

[Hawkwing74]

minor spoiler:



I found it highly ironic how Michael Madson's character was willing to take such crap from the guy who ran the strip club when he used to be a hired killer. That whole scene, I was waiting for him to snap.

[beltmann]