Kill Bill

I'm going to put the rest here in case I accidentally spoil anything for anyone.

I thought this movie was great. As Tarantino's fourth film, it's typical of his work: darkly funny, innovative in technique, and entertaining to watch. It's amazingly gory, but in a fantastic sort of way (I think this alone caused some of the walkouts I saw). The storyline is relatively simple: woman wronged=woman seeking revenge. Not as complex some of Tarantino's other work, yet that's not what the movie was about. For me, this one boiled down to a martial arts action film, and in that role it was a perfect success.

The film is basically one long, well-choreographed fight scene. The wire work is great and the cinematography that supports it is superb as well. The camera shots have many layers of meaning, for instance in one scene The Bride throws a man into a blood pool, where the camera watches him sink with the shot framed by her legs. For lack of a better word, the scene if very abortionistic, capturing the reason for her anger. Pay attention, and you'll see more shots like this.

The soundtrack is excellent as well, driving the action in some places, merely complimenting it in others. From the haunting "My Baby Shot Me Down my Nancy Sinatra, the pumped up "Battle Without Honor or Humanity", and the Kung Fu stings used to signal The Bride's rising rage it works perfectly with the other components of the film.

If you're looking for a sequel to Pulp Fiction, this one probably isn't for you. As an homage to the Martial Arts film, Tarantino's favorite actors, martial artists, and directors, and a film to entertain this one works perfectly and is highly recommended. I can't wait to see Volume II.

What did you think?