Kill Bill: Volume 1
1/2

The trailers for Kill Bill: Volume 1 have been proclaiming it "The 4th film by Quentin Tarantino." Certainly this claim is just a bit pretentious, but that's not a really an issue: Tarantino has reason to be somewhat arrogant. No, the main problem is that this proclamation is misleading. Kill Bill is Tarantino's fourth film; Kill Bill: Volume 1 is only one-half of the product (Volume 2 is set to be released next February). In a move motivated by pure greed, Mirimax executives have decided to split the single three-hour film into two 90 minute halves. Kill Bill was originally written as an epic whole, and the decision to split it is, at best, maddening, and, at worst, unforgivable. It's really too bad, as what is here is an enthralling, exciting film - the best action movie of 2003 thus far.

Actually, the inelegant and jarring ending is the only thing wrong with Kill Bill: Volume 1. The rest is nearly perfect, a stunning homage to the kung-fu and grindhouse classics that Quentin Tarantino grew up watching. Tarantino takes influence from the Shaw Brothers, Bruce Lee, and numerous other movies. I do not posess the same level of film knowledge that Tarantino does, so I am unable to place all of the references, but that isn't a problem. It is possible to enjoy Kill Bill: Volume 1 with no knowledge of the types of films he has been inspired by. And even if you have seen all of his influences, I can assure you that you have never seen anything quite like Kill Bill; one could claim that Tarantino is stealing, but his product is wholly original.

Kill Bill: Volume 1 does not contain much in the way of plot - it is a simple revenge thriller (at this point; Volume 2 is supposed to have a more substantial plot), and its greatness comes from its amazing visceral experience. Uma Thurman plays a character known only as "The Bride" (her real name, when spoken, is bleeped out like a profanity on television). On her wedding day, her husband was killed, and she was beaten up and shot in the head. Not only that, but she was pregnant at the time, and her baby was stolen from her. Responsible for this were Bill (David Carradine, heard but not seen), and the "Deadly Viper Assasination Squad:" O-Ren Ishii, aka Cottonmouth (Lucy Liu); Vernita Green, aka Copperhead (Vivica A. Fox); Budd, aka Side Winder (Michael Madsen); and Elle Driver, aka California Mountain Snake (Daryl Hannah). But, instead of being killed, The Bride was put into a coma. Four years later, when she wakes, there is only one thing on her mind: revenge one the people responsible, and she sets out to get it. As Volume 1 ends, two of the Squad have been killed; the other two, along with Bill, are left for Volume 2.

Without a doubt, the most talked-about aspect of Kill Bill: Volume 1 is the action. The fights scenes, which have already been maligned by conservative pundits (and reactionary blow-hards) Bill O'Reilly and Michael Medved, are spectacular, bloody affairs - easily superior to those of other contenders such as The Matrix Reloaded. Beautifully choreographed by martial-arts master Yuen Wo-Ping (the man responsible for the fights in The Matrix and Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon), the battles are stunning wire-fu affairs. Characters dance around their opponents hacking and slashing as limbs, heads, and blood go flying. The gore is so over-the-top that very few people should be grossed-out; a limb is cut off, and a crimson spray flies out in every direction. The people complaining have not seen the film, and they are missing the point.

Despite the differences between Kill Bill and Quentin Tarantino's previous works (Reservoir Dogs, Pulp Fiction, and Jackie Brown), his obvious touch is still there. The dialogue lacks the same quotable lines that his previous films had, but they were more talky, and even now Tarantino's amazing skill with words is evident. He plays with the visuals, including a black-and-white sequence and a beautiful anime sequence about half-way through. His foot fetish is still in evidence, with many shots of walking (and stationary, and driving) feet.

Also in step with Tarantino's previous films, Kill Bill: Volume 1 has a non-chronological timeline. The film is separated by Chapters (like in a novel), detailing different parts of the story. Only a few of these chapters follow in a chronological order. Revenge Number Two is a less spectacular affair than Revenge Number One, so it comes first. The Bride's first killing, and Kill Bill: Volume 1's centerpiece, is the battle at the House of Blue Leaves, an intricate and long sequence that has The Bride facing off against waves and waves of O-Ren's henchmen. It is simply amazing, perhaps the cinematic highlight of the year.

I am somewhat surprised to report that Kill Bill: Volume 1, a pure action movie at heart, is quite simply the best-looking movie of the year. Cinematographer Robert Richardson deserves an Oscar for his stunning work. Bright colors jump off of the screen, and nearly every frame is like a small work of art. The flying blood is strangely beautiful, a bright red contrasting the colors around it. Despite the somewhat grim subject matter, there is not a single scene in the film with a subdued hue, and it all works beautifully.

Uma Thurman, as the grim Bride, is terrific. She plays her character as largely emotionless, which is exactly right, but there a deeply felt pathos as well (consider the scene in which Thurman, in her hospital room, discovers that her child is gone; it is heartbreaking). It is also a tremendously physical performance, requiring a great deal of dexterity and strength. I don't know how much of the fights were filmed with a stunt double, but I believe that Thurman did a great deal on her own, and the amount of work she must have put in is tremendous. Lucy Liu, who has never really impressed me before, does a great job with a limited amount of screen time. Sonny Chiba is good in a supporting performance as the swordsmith Hattori Hanzo, but his English (which, to be fair, is not spoken very often) can be hard to understand. The rest of the cast is not greatly utilized (Michael Madsen is only seen once or twice), but all of them manage to impress.

I can say with no doubt that, when put together, Kill Bill: Volumes 1 and 2 will be a modern cinematic masterpiece, perhaps one of the greatest action movies ever made (and I may review the whole product when it becomes feasible). As it stands, however, it's, I left Kill Bill: Volume 1 feeling excited, but still like I had only seen half a movie. Volume 1 may go down as one of the better movies of 2003, but there is no arguing that we should not have to wait until February to see the whole thing.

© 2003 Matt Noller