FILM-FORWARD.COMReviews of Recent Independent, Foreign, & Documentary Films in Theaters and DVD/Home Video
KILL BILL: VOL. 1
Though chockfull of director Tarantino's trademark verbal and visual wit, Kill Bill also
works as affectionate homage, doing for martial-arts films what director Sergio Leone's
"spaghetti Westerns" did for the quintessentially American cowboy genre. A woman known only
as the Bride (Thurman) seeks revenge after her boss, the titular Bill (Carradine), attempts to kill
her as a consequence of her trying to leave his crime organization. Bill and his Deadly Viper
Assassination Squad - of which the Bride was a part - gun down her wedding, causing her to lose
her unborn baby.
Kill Bill is about as close to a cinematic cultural appreciation as a film can get. This is reflected in not only in the many kung-fu action sequences, but also in the
use of mind-body meditation, and the mysterious drive behind such lofty notions as justice,
honor, and punishment that motivate the characters. Besides having a non-linear narrative structure,
much of the exact details of the relationship between the Bride and Bill are left ambiguous - as is
what transpired at the event that is the impetus for the story. Even how Bill looks is left to the
imagination. Additionally, at one point, the Bride's name is bleeped out. Moreover, Tarantino
mixes genres, including an amazingly beautiful anime sequence.
The dialogue is written - and delivered - in typically quirky Tarantino fashion. In particular, Vivica
A. Fox, as Vernita Green, one of the Bride's former cohorts, displays her penchant for talking in
the director's style - equal only to fellow Tarantino thespian Samuel L. Jackson - in a set piece
that is one of the film's highlights. The role of the heroine is a tour de force for the charismatic
Thurman - to be expected, since she originally conceived the character along with Tarantino.
There is one moment in which the Bride wakes up from her coma that is devastatingly
heartbreaking.
The rest of the ensemble is just as strong: Hannah gives what could be her most ferocious
performance as assassin Elle; Liu is perfectly dead-pan as killer O-Ren; and Chiba hysterically
pokes a bit of fun at himself as the archetypal Hattori Hanzo. Finally, there is the wonderful
music. Tarantino's choice of Nancy Sinatra's rendition of “Bang Bang” as the virtual theme song
is emblematic, transforming an item from the pop-trash bin into what he envisions to be its
potential as the foundation for a work of art.
DVD Extras: The "making-of" featurette provides some informative moments, such as
Tarantino's description of how technicians at Beijing film studios have lifetime contracts. Some
segments with the Wu-Tang Clan's RZA, who provided much of the film's original music score,
are also worth watching. The featurette, though, is more of a promotional tool than anything else.
The musical performances by The 5,6,7,8's, where the footage looks like coverage for the film, are
lame novelty items. (Tarantino intends to release both volume one and volume two, in
current release, as a special edition DVD with additional special features.) Reymond Levy
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