By Dan Ferrisi
Kill Bill: Volume 2 is a film entirely separate from Quentin Tarantino’s first installment: restrained where the other was excessive; introspective where the other relied on a glossy surface; and character-driven where the other relied on extended fight sequences. Volume 1 was not a bad film, but it was a B-movie, no matter how expertly executed. In Volume 2, Tarantino returns to A-level form, approaching (though not reaching) the heights of Reservoir Dogs, Pulp Fiction and Jackie Brown. His lightning-fast pacing is back, as is his gift for edgy and funny dialogue. This is an example of a very rare gem: a crowd-pleaser that is also a very good movie.
The Bride (Uma Thurman) has already killed dozens upon dozens of evildoers as the film begins. Still left on her handy checklist of death are Budd (Michael Madsen), Elle Driver (Daryl Hannah) and, of course, Bill (David Carradine). The first sequence transports us back in time to the bloody wedding that never was, making disturbingly clear just why The Bride has murder on her mind. Bill, thanks to a tremendous performance by Carradine, is a fully realized and fascinating character right from the start: at once seemingly wise as he plays a long wooden flute and wraithy, speaking in a whispery hiss.
Madsen and Hannah are both very strong as the last two living members of the Deadly Viper Assassination Squad (DiVAS). Budd, in particular, feels doom impending on his desolate trailer home after a meeting with Bill. “This woman, she deserves her revenge. And we deserve to die,” he says. But he doesn’t plan to give up without a fight, putting The Bride into one of many potentially fatal situations. Elle, still wearing that mysterious eye patch (it is explained), may be the most devious of all. Apparently an expert on snakes, she reads a dissertation on the black mamba as a writhing victim lies dying on the floor.
Besides her Hanzo sword, we also learn why The Bride is such a dangerous combatant. She was trained by Pai Mei, a legendary warrior with a rotten attitude and a long white beard that he flips incessantly. He is also the master of the dreaded Five-Point Palm Exploding Heart Technique. This maneuver consists of a blow to the chest that, upon his walking just five steps, makes the receiver’s heart explode. This mid-movie, 20-minute sequence might be the highlight, blending comedy with the mystical back-story we crave. Pai Mei is hilarious, Tarantino’s campy love letter to every cantankerous teacher known to kung fu cinema. And, it is not giving away too much to mention that the Five-Point Palm Exploding Heart Technique plays a big role in the film’s finale-the most flawless 30 seconds of artistry seen this year.
Apart from Pai Mei, there are numerous top-notch sequences in Kill Bill: Volume 2 where it is readily apparent one is watching the work of a master filmmaker. In one case, The Bride is buried alive. We feel as though we’re trapped inside that coffin with her, as the rumble of dirt crashing onto the lid echoes through the darkened cinema. The best fight sequence in the film, maybe even both films, comes during the final confrontation between The Bride and Elle. It is short and intense, never losing the audience’s full attention (as the endless culminating fight eventually did in Volume 1), and wraps up with a single moment that had the whole theatre cheering. Such an accomplishment cannot be overstated, since Elle is really a peripheral character.
Overlength is the single factor that mars this film, which in a way is totally unexpected. Some of Tarantino’s very best work runs about 150 minutes, and every second is worthwhile. Here, running about 135 minutes, the climax is nearly 40 minutes long and really feels protracted. Perhaps this does reflect some weakness in The Bride and Bill as characters, since it would be enjoyable to listen to Jackie Brown, Max Cherry or Jules Winnfield converse all day long. The dialogue between them here is strong, and it is hard to even pinpoint what deserves to be cut, but the breakneck pace really screeches to a halt right when excitement should be hitting a crescendo.
Nevertheless, take five, ten, or 15 steps to see Kill Bill: Volume 2. It’s is a Five-Point Palm Exploding Heart Technique of adrenaline and a whole lot of fun.
Final Grade: A-
Uma Thurman, The Bride (right), finally matches wits with Bill (left) in the second installment of Tarantino´s Kill Bill saga.