The Bride tracks down the last three names
on her list and finally finds herself facing Bill. ACTION/CRIME
|
Kill Bill: Vol. 2 (2004)Written and Directed by Quentin Tarantino
Starring Uma Thurman, David Carradine, Michael Madsen, Daryl Hannah, Gordon Liu, Michael Parks Sequel to 2003's Kill Bill: Vol. 1 |
This two-part epic ends with an explosive finale that lived up to the first one in story, but not in action. That's not to say it was bad, I still highly enjoyed it. It's just missing the sheer violence and mayhem that made the first one so exciting. I was thoroughly impressed with David Carradine's portrayal of Bill. Carradine gave Bill substance and made him sympathetic, something fans of the first one thought impossible. In the first one, Bill was less of a man and more of a force of nature. The mere mention of his name caused blood oaths to be broken and armies to fight in his name. The fact that he could be a man with feelings and a child was alien.
I also liked that this film is half sequel, half prequel, giving us insight into the Bride's training with martial arts master Pai Mei and her early days with Bill, when they were still in love. I was pleasantly surprised by Michael Madsen, as he played Bill's brother Budd as a washed up drunk who was once a great warrior, making even the audience pine for his glory days. Budd's murder at the hands of Elle Driver (Daryl Hannah) leads to one of the most brutal and unexpected scenes in Tarantino's career. Trust me, first timers. You'll know what I mean when you see it. It's safe to say Tarantino knocked it out of the park with this two-part epic. As I said when I reviewed part one, these films are his magnum opus. They contain a different sense of drama that his other films don't have. Honestly, the Bride is the best protagonist he's ever written and it's on the strength of Uma Thurman's flawless performance that these films continue to wow me with every viewing. I'll never tire of them. |