Rating: Summary: Can't wait for the sequel. Review: One thing that can be said for Quentin Tarrantino, he is committed to his vision. "Kill Bill, Volume One," his fourth feature length film shows that commitment. From the very beginning, QT lets you know that this movie has it's roots in '60s chop-socky cinema. When you hear the themes from "Ironside" and "The Green Hornet," you know this is going to be very different. When he starts quoting "Ancient Klingon Proverbs," you know it's not to be taken seriously.Uma Thurman is "The Bride." A woman left for dead on her wedding day, along with the rest of the wedding party. When she awakens from a coma four years later, revenge for the day in question is her goal. While this is filled with primarily cartoon violence, it is a bloodbath of cartoon violence. It never really stoops to gory. However, it is relentless in it's pursuit of another limb to vanquish. If you're squeemish about such things stay home. Otherwise, enjoy the twisted genius that is Quentin Tarrantino. It took a couple of weeks after seeing the film initially to decide I liked it. But once that was set in my mind, I determined that it was great.
Rating: Summary: VERY Violent. VERY Tarantino. VERY unexpected. Review: I want to make my reviews accurate. If I rated this low because I don't want violence in movies, I wouldn't be being honest to you. My preference shouldn't reflect how well the movie does the job it tried to do. This movie wants to shock you and be violent and try to do both of those things with a sense of humor. That is what is does too. So it warrants 5 stars for doing exactly what it tries to do. I liked the movie and I don't like these kinds of movies. But I don't like them because I don't want it to make others think violence is normal and fun. This does make it seem like fun. That is wrong. But the movie does this better than any I've seen.
Rating: Summary: Style more than content Review: "Kill Bill" looks like a tongue in cheek Valentine's Day card to a whole range of sensationalistic and schlocky movies. There are homages to Blaxploitation movies, to Chinese kung fu and swordplay films, to samurai films, and to Japanese manga (or animation). The story doesn't seem all that important. It's certainly not complicated. On her wedding day a pregnant woman initially known as the Bride and later known as "Black Mamba" (played by Uma Thurman) is shot and left for dead by a group of assassins from the Deadly Viper Assassination Squad headed by Bill (David Carradine). After she awakens from a coma she resolves to get revenge on Bill and the assassins. From that moment on "Kill Bill" is a simple revenge movie, of the kind that dominated Shaw Brothers output in the seventies. It's also an exercise in style that both admires and sends up the movies its based on. Among the evil characters Black Mamba is coming up against a O-Ren Ishii/Cottonmouth (played by Lucy Liu), Elle Driver also known as California Mountain Snake (played by Daryl Hannah), Michael Madsen as Budd or Sidewinder, and Viveca A Fox as Vernita Green aka Copperhead. We can't know what Tarantino's entire plan is until we see part two, but part one does show Tarantino at the peak of ihis craft. He manages to veer from tension to violence to humour from sequence to sequence. But to laugh, you need to be willing to take cartoon-like violence (quite literally in a cartoon at one point) and buckets and buckets of blood. There are also a lot of dismembered body parts flying around the screen. When heads get chopped off, blood spurts 10 feet up into the air like a fountain, in a completely unrealistic way. Overall the movie is a masterful exercise in style, and a very knowing one. We're invited to stand back and look at it almost as an essay in the movies its quoting. In that sense it's almost like a Godard film. Tarantino's much helped in all this by cinematographer Robert Richardson, who also shot Oliver Stone's "Natural Born Killers". Like Natural Born Killers, this one uses a lot of different techniques and looks, as well as some stunning camera movements. As it's a homage to 1970's exploitation movies the music on the soundtrack is mostly cheesy 1970's stuff. But my main reservation about Tarantino, at least on the basis of his first two films., comes to the fore again. He's great at style, he's great at coolness, but he's really not so hot on presenting emotion or characters we can care about. Even the horrors that lead to the whole revenge scenario are underplayed stylistically, chopped up and rearranged so we're not too involved in them. That's one thing that's NOT like the movies he's quoting, where the original action that starts that course of revenge is usually shown graphically enough to tie our stomachs in knots and encourage us to root for the main characters. Yuen Wo-ping is credited as Martial Arts Advisor rather than Martial Arts Choreographer, and I think there's a good reason for that. Often during action scenes on this kind of movie you feel that the director has taken a break while the martial arts guys do their stuff. Here, as on "Crouching Tiger" you feel that the director's maintained a lot of control over the fight scenes. Even in the fights, this is still a Quentin Tarantino movie. And what fights they are. Watching Kill Bill I realised that I often complain about the fights in Hong Kong movies going on so long you look at your watch. Here the fights go on even longer, and yet they are so clearly filmed, broken up so effectively by different filming techniques and location changes,that - for me at any rate - they never did seem too long. I don't know how deep it's all going to turn out to be. But still I loved part one and can't wait for part two. It's terrific cinematic fun as you watch it, but it remains to be seen whether it's ultimately going to be movie fast food or a more satisfying meal.
Rating: Summary: Best movie of 2003 Review: Kill bill was an awsome flick to watch. It wasnt tarnatinos best but it was an awsome movie to watch. The cast members were better than perfect with the casts of uma thurman,david carridine,michal madeson,lucy lui,vivaca A fox and more. The movie is a simple revenge movie with lota action. This was probably the most entertaining movie of 03. The anim was beatifly made done for lucy luis character. The story is simple. Uma thurma(Bride)is beatin and killed. But some how she survives. Her boss bill kills her on the day of her wedding and now Bride returns after few months in coma and now looking for reveng. Now all she wants to do is kill all the members who beat her to death and the man who put a bullet in her head...Bill. This isnt just another revenge movie. Its tarantino's Revenge Movie! Tarantino needs no introduction cause he knows what the hell hes doing. The film is filled with action. I cant really explain any thing or use big words cause IM just not that type of person. Uma thurman did marvales in this movie. I applaud her for this. She hadnt bin in a movie for a while to. The only movie she stard in was an HBO original movie Wich she did great in! Im glad how they took parts from the whole movie and seperated them so they make it into 2 part epic adventure. The movie is very entertaining and extreamly violent filled with gore decapitation and lots and lots of blood spraying. If it wasnt for the black and white this movie would have bin NC-17. For one example an asian girl who works for yakuzas ask this man if she wants to have sex with him. When the man says she jams a broken glass bottle of wisky into the mans stomach,when she takes it out his intestince and liver start spraying out of his stomach all over the place. Its Very Violent! But that shouldnt stop you from watching this wild and entertaining film. I cant wait till 2 and 1 on dvd come out!
Rating: Summary: Does what again, exactly? Review: A review here boldly proclaims "Tarantino does it again". Does what? This is the first movie of his that completely sucked. He hasn't done this before, but I knew eventually he'd choke. Mr. "Cinema of Cool" is so overrated; he had to implode sooner or later. Besides all he has to do is come to Amazon and read all the reviews from the fan-boys to make him feel better, but in his heart of hearts, he knows he made a piece of s(beep)t, unless he suddenly forgot what makes a good story, if not a good movie. What I find most amusing is this feature Amazon has, for people to click on a button to express weather a review helped or not. What people really use it for is to slam reviews that they disagree with. Have you noticed how all the bad reviews here are helping no one, and the good reviews are helping everybody? In other words, people who have already seen the film, have made their decision and therefore need no help will click on how a review they disagreed with didn't help them. Ahhh welcome to the internet; a world populated with testosterone-driven children, which explains all the great reviews for Kill Bill. Get ready to start clicking on how this didn't help you, even though most of you don't need help. When this movie was about to be released, I was interested. I knew it was going to suck, just by watching the way Uma held her sword in the trailer; no skills whatsoever. But it's hard to find a great action movie that delivers the whole package, so we give it the benefit of the doubt. Personally, I enjoyed a couple of Tarantino's movies, but he's nothing special. If he was, he wouldn't have spent the whole of his "hiatus" conjuring up this crap. If that's not enough I later hear, so he can make his movie longer, he breaks it into two movies, and now we have to pay twice to see one movie. Not I. On that basis I refused to see it. My friends, my brother, everybody was praising this movie, and how great it was and how I must see it. I refused to see it. After several days of peer pressure I saw it, but I refused to PAY, and I'm happy that I did. I could tell from the word "go" this was going to be some self-indulgent waste of time. At least he didn't try to act in it, "Okaaaaaay Jules, Don't jimmy me, Okaaaaay." So now I've seen Kill Bill. This movie sucked to high heaven, and because Tarantino made it, and he's some kind of indie maverick, I'm supposed to believe that it's really artistic and stylish and I'm missing the point or something. To that, all I have to say is this: If a story doesn't grab hold of me the movie sucks, "Okaaaaaay Jules?" Tarantino didn't offer anything new. It's the same old, same old with pointlessly long action sequences, piles of limbs and pools of blood covering up and unimaginative, derivative waste of time and money, which is why I'm smarter than all of you... I refused to pay. This movie is a paradox. We've seen the revenge flick so many times, and stories that succeed are the ones that offer us something new. I honestly don't get it. The only thing that separates Kill Bill from any derivative action film is the over-abundance of blood and violence, and THIS is what is getting five stars from you chuckleheads? Yeah, the cartoon violence is great. I loved it all... except there was no story behind it, and too little character development, and in one case (Lucy Liu's) too much. Move your cursors to where you click on how this doesn't help you and get ready. I only use that feature to count the suckers I piss off with my reviews anyway, so here it is: The bottom line is this movie sucked. So do most kung fu and karate movies and I love them, because good fighting in movies is great! Screw the plot! The problem here is the fighting sucked too. The violence was great fun, but I'd rather sacrifice the gore for a story that won't insult my intelligence or at least some fighting skill. Uma swings her katana at her enemies like my mother would swing a broom at a rat; terrible form. If she trained for months, or whatever, to get ready for this movie then we need to find who was training her and kill HIM... or her. Look, with all the fan-boys giving this five stars you may as well see it if you haven't. Hell, you might like it, but take my advice... Don't pay.
Rating: Summary: Tarantino doesn't hold back. Review: Like most of Tarantino's work, he doesn't hold back. He puts people in situations that some of us that are watching it wish we'll never end up in. That's the great thing about him. He basically speaks his mind and does what other people don't have enough guts to do because they're afraid of what others may think of them as a person.Kill Bill basically takes every dark comedic moment Tarantino has to offer and injects them with steroids. From the moment the movie starts, to the cartoon segments, to the vast fight scene showing Uma Thurman as a Warrior Princess that should not have been messed with. There was not one dull moment in the movie, and for the viewers that found one, Tarantino made up for it in the following scene. How many Kung Fu movies have there been? A vast majority of fighting movies are Kung Fu. Tarantino is a classic director. He took what he likes from others films. He took the best part of it and molded it into his own. I hear every now and then people say he's a rip off and he copies everyone. If that's the case then every single director except the very first one to have ever existed is a copy cat. That's what makes a director, taking what you like, putting yourself into it and making it your own. Just when you think he'll let you put your head above water and come up for some air, he pulls you back down and shoves some more of it in your face. And the best part is. Some scenes in here people are afraid to admit they like because of what others might think. But if Tarantino did the same thing, there would be no Kill Bill.
Rating: Summary: Volume 2 Is coming Review: I have just seen the Trailer for Kill Bill Volume 2. I cant wait. The orginal release of this film was for Feb 20th, but due to reasons Mirimax wont say, it was moved back to April 16th. It'll probably be worth the wait, The preview can be seen at apple.com, click on Quicktime, Then click on Moive Trailers, They'll give you a list of movies to come out. Under the Mirimax sign, you'll find it. The preview dosent show much but it gets you to want more. Check it out if your a Big Q.T. fan.
Rating: Summary: A Good Movie For Those With An Open Mind Review: Quentin Tarantino's "Kill Bill Vol. 1" shows the kind of brilliance that is meant to be shown in films. This is why the movies are around. I'm sure most of us know the story, but for those who don't: Kill Bill is the tale of 'The Bride' on a quest for revenge against a shady man named Bill. When she was at her wedding, she and her husband were attacked and left for dead, only she wasn't (otherwise, there'd be no movie, would there?). So now, she has devoted herself to taking her revenge out on her former teammates. There have been arguments and critics who have said the movie was too violent ("Let's just call it pornography. And let's just admit it's indefensible." - Mick LaSalle), and that's not entirely untrue. This movie contains an unbelievable abount of blood in it. Of course, if you've seen the 'Freddy vs. Jason' movie, then you shouldn't be shocked. Throughout the movie, limbs are flying, people are being sliced in half, and heads are rolling (literally). However, other critics see things differently: "The movie is not about anything at all except the skill and humor of its making. It's kind of brilliant." - Roger Ebert. I have to agree more with this than the former. Kill Bill is Tarantino's way of saying "Hey! Look what I can do!" Kill Bill is in no way a kid's movie. It is very gory, with body parts flying, decapitations, etc. But, because of the way it is directed, it is beautiful at the same time. And, to be perfectly honest, the look of the blood is exaggerated so much in certain parts that it looks fake. For the open-minded, this movie should be one of the best movies made in quite a few years. For everyone else, I have one request: Don't wast your money and our time buying this movie, then telling everyone how stupid you think it was. If you don't have an open mind, bye-bye. If you can accept the unbelievable, then this movie is for you.
Rating: Summary: part of this complete breakfast........... Review: First off, let me state that while I have enjoyed all of his movies, I have not, until now considered myelf a "Quentin Taratino fan." Second, I must elaborate on what one other reviewer wrote; the ladies of KILL BILL's Deadly Viper Assassination Squad (aka. DiVAS) would eat Charlie's Angels for breakfast with a side of wheat toast and a glass of orange juice. If you want an action movie with REAL women, see KILL BILL. The ladies of Quentin Tarantino's latest picture are beautiful without ridiculously tight or revealing costumes. They are sexy without laughable, double ententre dialogue. These women smart, strong, and dangerous. At it's heart KILL BILL is a simple revenge-action picture (albeit a excellent one). However, the film centers around the best-written female characters that Hollywood has seen in the last 25 years. And not one or two, but many. KILL BILL is a glorious synthesis of the Spaghetti Western, the Hong Kong Action Flick, Japanese Anime, the Samurai films of Kurosawa, the Mob Movie, and even a touch of the Errol Flynn Swashbuckler, from across the entire history of cinema. It is not a complex, emotional film, but a relentlessly enjoyable homage to every "popcorn movie" made before it. Plus Tarantino manages to add an unprecendented layer to these genres: women. Go see KILL BILL. You won't be sorry.
Rating: Summary: Tarantino tells the perfect tale without a plot. Amazing! Review: Quentin Tarantino is, without a doubt, one of the most skilled and enigmatic movie directors of our time. He has this maddening habit of making us wait a ridiculous amount of time between his films (a trait shared with kindred spirit Stanley Kubrick) and then astounding us with the product he gives us when he finally does create one. Even his less than stellar films such as 'Jackie Brown' still have style and flair that almost make the wait seem worthwhile. Following 'Jackie Brown', Tarantino felt the need to make fans wait six (!) years before his next film. In addition, he felt that need to split that film into two volumes in a move that smacked of poor editing and self-serving box office grabbery. Fortunately, the long wait and split film proved appropriate when one views with wonder the fruit that is, 'Kill Bill: Volume 1'. Given Tarantino's undeniable skill behind the camera and intimate knowledge of action and film noir, it was only a matter of time before he tackled the genre of Hong Kong martial arts films. 'Kill Bill: Volume 1' shows that Tarantino has an implicit understanding of the elements that allowed that genre to appeal to so many. While it is undoubtedly one of the most violent films ever committed to celluloid, the violence is almost comical in its use of ancient special effects techniques. It also seems to quite fitting given the nature of the story. The story focuses on the quest for revenge by an underworld figure known as the Black Mumba (Uma Thurman) against her former colleagues, the Deadly Viper Assassination Squad (or DiVAS), and their mastermind Bill (David Carradine) for their attempt to kill her, her unborn child, and her betrothed on Mumba's wedding day. They failed (barely) and now the Black Mumba is back to exact revenge against those who tried to take her life. 'Kill Bill: Volume 1' is unique in the sense that it tells a compelling story without really having much of a plot. The film is straightforward in the sense that it deals solely with Mumba's revenge, but it is not straightforward in how that tale is told. Little hints at the very beginning show the audience that this film follows the same non-linear episodic structure that most of Taratino's films follow. As Mumba (who is only once referred to by name in this film) prepares to confront one of her targets, one Ms. Vernita Green aka 'Copperhead' (Vivica A. Fox), she reviews the target's name on her checklist. One can see that the name O-ren Ishii aka 'Cottonmouth' (Lucy Liu) has already been crossed out, but we have not yet seen that battle. In the between the actual fight scenes, Tarantino has inserted little snippets of anecdotes that tell the tale of the characters who perform in this play. We get pieces of Mumba's back-story and a brief snippet of Green's. One of the truly remarkable departures of the action scenes is Tarantino's anime related telling of story of O-Ren Ishii. To tell her story in anime is both inspired and practical. Use of anime seems like a perfect compliment in a martial arts movie and the story of O-ren Ishii is so explicitly physically and sexually violent that to tell it in live action would surely have garnered 'Kill Bill'' a dreaded NC-17 rating. The fight scenes in 'Kill Bill: Volume 1' have been expertly choreographed and executed. One would be hard pressed to find a contemporary film that could make such graphic violence seem like ballet, but 'Kill Bill'' manages it. The scenes where Black Mumba fights O-ren Ishii and her 'Crazy 88s' assassination squadron are the most expertly done and stimulating to watch. For extra flair, Tarantino has included Hong Kong legend, Sonny Chiba, in a role as Mumba's mentor, Hattori Hanzo. The other, smaller characters also serve to enrich the overall scope of the film and provide suggestions at what has passed and hints at what is to come. While initially seeming like a poorly conceived ploy, the division of this 'Kill Bill' into volumes 1 and 2 seems wholly relevant after watching the first installment. There is a naturally break in the story as Mumba rests for her assault on her remaining targets (Bill, included) and it ends with as fantastic a cliff hanger as there has been in more than two decades of film. To put these two installments together into one might have watered-down its impact. Now, audiences will be left to wait a few months for the next installment to satisfy their hunger for the rest of this story. Few films carry that kind of power anymore. 'Kill Bill: Volume 1' is a film that does.
|