Tarantino outshines even himself with fourth feature film Kill Bill
Photo Courtesy Miramax Publicity
Uma Thurman stars in the movie slicing and dicing her way through thousands of opponents including Lucy Liu’s coldhearted character.
Remember when the overdosed druggie gets a gigantic hypodermic needle to the heart in Pulp Fiction? Once again, director Quentin Tarantino has infused his latest film, Kill Bill: Volume 1, with such an adrenaline kick that even though narratively soulless, it still provides some of the most exhilarating moments captured on celluloid in memory.
Tarantino, the movie geek darling, finally brings a script to the screen after a six-year hiatus, and it noticeably lacks his trademark pop-culture-referencing dialogue and witty banter. Instead, he’s opted to create his love letter to the kung-fu genre, relegating the humorous element to a supporting, but still present, role.
The plot summary will be relatively short, because frankly, there is no plot. And it does not matter in the least as to the sheer entertainment jolt delivered from start to finish. Uma Thurman plays a nameless character known only as “The Bride.” Left for dead during her wedding ceremony after an ambush by the Deadly Viper Assassination Squad, she seeks revenge on the crew behind the party slaughter.
Crossing off names one-by-one on a to-do hit list, this solitary revenge machine sets out on a mission to travel the world disposing of her enemies. The ultimate goal is, yes, to kill Bill, the mastermind.
Speaking of violence, there’s lots of it. Not the quick hint and then cutaway wimpy version, either. The rapidly mounting body parts initially engage the recoil reflex from their graphic and grotesque nature. Then it evolves into an almost running gag throughout to expect the next severed limb spraying a geyser of blood in shower nozzle fashion. For a moviegoer who usually outright despises straight-up action without story development, Kill Bill manages to dispel those concerns because of the visceral thrills and goofy-grin fun factor.
It’s not hyperbole to state that this film takes the much-vaunted Matrix Reloaded beat-‘em-up moments, “Burly Brawl” included, and smacks them around to leave no doubt who’s king. Disappointed watching Neo toss hundreds of obviously computer-generated Agent Smiths like rag dolls? Take a look at Thurman’s martial arts ballet as she lays waste to a group the same size of flesh-and-blood Japanese yakuza.
Whether dancing up a staircase railing or wielding a massive sword, she assumes command of the stage and highlights why the production halted to wait until after her real-life pregnancy.
The eye candy jumps out in nearly every shot, from the use of gritty black-and-white footage and slow-motion elegance to fights silhouetted in the darkness employing extremely creative weaponry. Prepare to be stunned by a beautiful and lengthy anime sequence that simply shows up during the middle of the live action to establish personal background.
An eclectic soundtrack highlights fine musical taste, as obscure selections evoke the desired mood of the moment, whether it be tormenting sadness or impending doom of colossal carnage.
Had Tarantino trimmed the fat, the end result could have been a perfect concoction that still exhibits style without substance, and all in a single movie.
As it stands now, despite the indulgences, the first installment constantly keeps presenting innovative visual tricks and breathtaking choreography. Even without the cliffhanger ending, you’ll be marking your calendars for a return trip to catch Volume 2 in February.
