Cinema Tuesdays Review

As the box art on the recent DVD release of "Kill Bill Vol. 2" says, if you've only seen "Volume 1," then you only know "half the story." Well, not quite. After watching both of the films (or is it the whole film?), I think it's better to say that "Volume 1" is about one-third of the story. Nearly wall-to-wall in action, "Volume 1" introduced the story of The Bride (Uma Thurman), and followed her as she roared and rampaged her way to avenge the murder of her fiancé and wedding party. And as we saw, she got bloody satisfaction from it all. As "Volume 2" opens, The Bride stares straight into the camera and recounts the first film's plot in just under a minute.

If the thought of non-stop slaughter scared you away from "Volume 1," you will be pleased to know that "Volume 2" is a less bloody affair. It is also a fuller, richer film that can be enjoyed on its own; it's a film in the tradition of the great spaghetti westerns (Director Quentin Tarantino acknowledges this, and even uses some Ennio Morricone music in the film). Still jumping around in time like always, the story of "Volume 2" fills in some important details that were missing from the first film, such as Bill's former relationship with The Bride, and a long training sequence with the iconic Pai Mei character that pays off beautifully later on in the film. 

The inevitable confrontation between Bill and The Bride is filled with as much tension as the three-way stare-down at the conclusion of "The Good, the Bad & the Ugly," and when it finally climaxes, it's over just as fast. To be sure, there's one down-and-dirty fight scene between the one-eyed Elle Driver (Daryl Hannah) and The Bride, but "Volume 2" is mostly full of rich characters, including the surprisingly sympathetic Budd (Michael Madsen), Bill's brother, a former assassin who's now reduced to bouncing at a nearly deserted bar.

The DVD of "Kill Bill Vol. 2" is suspiciously short on special features. There's the obligatory "making of" featurette, which does offer some insights into the film, a deleted scene, and a live performance from QT pal Robert Rodriguez' band. I still stand by my earlier opinion about the purchase of these films. If you're even thinking about owning the whole saga on DVD, or want a more "complete" version, then wait. Miramax has already hinted that a special director's cut of the whole bloody saga is forthcoming. But for those who just want a taste, or only want the heart of the story, "Kill Bill Volume 2" is worth a rental or check out from your local library, and maybe a purchase.

9/10/04

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