VCDQuality Forums - Review: Kill Bill: Volume 1 (2003)

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Posted by Mystic Slippers on 10-11-2003 10:59 AM:

Review: Kill Bill: Volume 1 (2003)

Review: Kill Bill: Volume 1 (2003) by The cast of Fame

It's been 6 years...no wait, it's been 10 years since Tarantino first drummed up idea's for this movie. The 10 longest years of my life, as what started with an idea bantered around between Quentin Tarantino and Uma Thurman on the set of Pulp Fiction then developed in to the final, finished movie we see before us today. Kill Bill is a kung-fu movie that packs more than enough punches to satisfy even the most hardened of action and chop sockey fans. Filled to the brim with watta's!, kappow's!, woosh's! and nee-waa's! Kill Bill never relents. From the rather graphic opening black and white scene detailing the Bride's final moments and the rather apt "Revenge is a dish best served cold" text, Kill Bill immediately throws you in to the thick of it all.

Just like Pulp Fiction was split in to chapters, so is Kill Bill. As we see The Bride (Uma Thurman) pull up outside a house in Pasedena in a big, flamboyant pick-up truck named 'Pussy Wagon', you kind of get the feeling Mr.Tarantino has gone the whole hog with this project. We are quickly thrown in to our first fight scene, now this is where the master stroke falls in line. Tarantino has gone for zero CGI and minimal score. This is what seperates it from the modern-day action humdrum and the finer action movies of the past. With the volume cranked up, you are treated to every single thump, knock and scream. The sounds of smashing glass and crunching bones as they hit the floor delivers an incredible impact that would be lost if Tarantino had succumbed to simply buttering the movie with an uneeded score. Kill Bill is old skool. It's a big homage to the old skool. Tarantino's choices have kept Kill Bill's much-hyped name untarnished by some splendid editing, directing and score choices.

With Kill Bill being split in 2, i was kind of disappointed by the end because i wanted to watch the second part straight away. On reflection of Miramax's decision to release the movie in two parts, i agree this is a good idea. Volume 1, just like your favourite comic book, delivers just enough to keep you wanting more. The ending has been edited together sensibly so as to make it fit in well with the rest of the movie. You can tell from this that the movie has been crafted together with much care and affection. This is Tarantino's opus, his movie to totally let go and just utterly indulge. And oh boy does he ever. When you go to see this movie, look out for the great in-jokes and references to other movies. One of the most poignant being The Bride's all in one yellow jump suit as worn by one Bruce Lee. Also look out for the nod to Pulp Fiction in Tokyo airport!! This and many more references and influences will supply you with all the ooh's and ahh's you need inbetween the blood splattered scenes filling the rest of the movie.

When the critics said Kill Bill was violent, they were NOT kidding. Kill Bill is violent. VERY violent. We're talking over the top deaths, limbs flying all over the place, dramatic beheadings and scalpings. Blood doesn't just let in this movie, it sprays.....by the bucketload. I shit ye not. Kill Bill volume 1's epic finale between Oren Ishii and The Bride at the House of Blue Leaves is a classic. Very violent, very bloody and utterly engrossing. The fight choreography was superb, I was especially impressed with Uma Thurman in this movie. She pulled off some pretty dazzling moves, so when she says this movie was very demanding, you can see she is not lying!

So, in essence, what do i really think of this movie? Well. Right about now, if part 2 is as good as part 1, it will immediately slot in to my top 10 movies of all time. This movie is superbly put together, with some of the wildest, most flamboyant fight scenes i have ever seen. Tarantino once again delivers a wonderful score featuring yet more hidden gems from his rather eclectic record collection you just can't help but hum along to. The acting is incredible, i was very impressed when i saw Oren Ishii (Lucy Liu) and The Bride verbally attacking each other in Japanese! For that matter, there is a lot of Japanese speech in this movie so be prepared to read a lot of subtitles all you non-subs fans! Kill Bill is a real gem, and if part 2 can hold it together then it will truly be a classic cult movie. As a movie on it's own i couldn't possibly score it that way.

In essence, Kill Bill is everything i want from a movie of this genre and more. After all the build-up and all of the excitement, i feel satisfied and full and have not been let down.

Kill Bill is an utter stunner. Just remember if you have a weak stomach, pack a sick bag before leaving for the theatre!

FINAL SCORE: 10/10

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0266697/

Posted by Mean Machine on 10-11-2003 02:11 PM:

Awesome review Mystic, I can't wait to see this one at the cinema... Tarantino is a god.

Posted by Bobby-Whiskey on 10-11-2003 08:41 PM:

Re: Review: Kill Bill: Volume 1 (2003)

quote:
Originally posted by Mystic Slippers

Also look out for the nod to Pulp Fiction in Tokyo airport!! This and many more references and influences will supply you with all the ooh's and ahh's you need inbetween the blood splattered scenes filling the rest of the movie.

In the airport, I'm assuming you're referring to the funny giant Red Apples ad. One other thing I think COULD be a tie-in is the scene with Michael Parks as the ranger at the church crime scene. Could he be reprising his From Dusk Till Dawn role? His name is never spoken, but you never know, maybe the movie was set before he met up with the Geckos.

Was there any other references to Q.T. movies?

Great review by the way.

Posted by ron989 on 10-12-2003 12:39 AM:

Re: Re: Review: Kill Bill: Volume 1 (2003)

i agree, absolutely awesome movie. loved the whole 'matrix' reference in the club fight scene where the bride takes on about 200 guys. i expected this movie to kick ass and it exceeded my expectations.

quote:
Originally posted by Bobby-Whiskey
Was there any other references to Q.T. movies?

there were a bunch, one of them where o-ren and her crew are walking into the club and all of her guys are wearing black suits/white shirts/black ties, walking in slow motion with the gangster-type music playing. defiantely reservoir dogs.

something i noticed though...for the final fight scene outside behind the club, it was snowing and there was snow everywhere. but before they went into the club, it was completely dry out. anyone know why quentin would break continuity like this?

cant wait for volume 2 !

Posted by hahe on 10-12-2003 09:06 AM:

Here's what imdb.com says about the snow gooof (and others):

Incorrectly regarded as goofs: The many continuity lapses and other apparent technical errors are a matter of deliberate stylistic choice in this pastiche of 1970s "B" action movies.

Posted by Mystic Slippers on 10-12-2003 11:02 AM:

Yeps, this is true. Just watch any of the old Shaw movies hehe, loaded with errors and visible wires.

And yes, i was referring to the giant Red Apples cigarettes advert in Tokyo airport. As any Pulp Fiction fan knows, Butch asks for them at the restaurant where he is meeting Marcellus Wallace and bumps in to Vincent Vega.

There were many references and nods to old obscure kung-fu movies, but i won't go in to them too much because i think most of you won't have a fucking clue what i'm talking about lol.

Posted by Condor on 10-13-2003 05:44 AM:

Volume 1 is a great thrill ride movie by itself and a teaser to moviegoers for vol. 2.
Can't wait to see volume 2, I guess it gets more complicated.

Did cutting the film change the structure?
Quentin: Yeah, I guess that it did, actually, as opposed to a movie where the whole first half is just complete viscera and eye popping action and just meant to blow you away, alright, and then, the resonance comes in the second half, and the second half, with more of the depth and resonance coming in, I guess that it did because this is just about the good time, fun movie, movie aspect of the movie and the second one will be the deeper exploration of it. So, I guess that it did, yeah.

Is Volume II quieter in terms of the violence?
Quentin: Well, I mean, it's still pretty fucking violent, but there's not a fourteen-minute sequence there. One of the big differences between Volume I and Volume II is that if you remember Sonny Chiba's little speech that he gives at the very, very end where he goes, 'Revenge is never a straight line, it's a forest. It's easy to get lost and forget where you came in.' Well, Volume I is the straight line. Volume I, it was hard for her to do what she had to do, but it's like, 'Kill old man, take on the army, burn Tokyo to the ground, did that, done that. Kill Vernita, did that, done that.' Now is the forest. Now, human stuff starts getting into it. Now, it's not just killing them all the way down the list and it gets more complicated, it gets complex now. It's not quite as easy.

Posted by dc_man on 10-13-2003 08:52 AM:

Re: Review: Kill Bill: Volume 1 (2003)

quote:
Originally posted by Mystic Slippers
[b]Review: Kill Bill: Volume 1 (2003) by The cast of Fame

Blood doesn't just let in this movie, it sprays.....by the bucketload. I shit ye not. ]

and this is what I didn't really like about the movie, if the blood was realistic I probs would have liked the movie more then I do. Does that seem shallow or stupid I dunno, but feck off.

I give it an 8/10

Posted by horizonstar on 10-13-2003 10:22 AM:

Regarding the blood, check out IMDb's "trivia" page for the movie. There's a bunch of stuff they did to make sure the movie would be as unrealistically bloody as possible.

Oh, they also reveal The Bride's name on that page, so don't read all the way down if you don't want to know it (and weren't able to lip-read it).

My two favorite bits were (a) how nonchalantly we see her sitting on a plane with a *sword* next to her and (b) her spanking the kid with it.

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Posted by ron989 on 10-13-2003 08:16 PM:

Re: Re: Review: Kill Bill: Volume 1 (2003)

quote:
Originally posted by dc_man
and this is what I didn't really like about the movie, if the blood was realistic I probs would have liked the movie more then I do.
I give it an 8/10

i probably would have thought the same thing about any other movie, but Quentin has the credibility to do anything he wants therefore i dont question it because i know everything is intended to be like it is. meaning - the blood spraying is unrealistic because he wanted it to be.

fun little observation - did anyone notice that the box of cereal that (i forget character's name) shot the bride out of said "Kaboom" on it ?

Posted by Mystic Slippers on 10-13-2003 08:25 PM:

The violent deaths are actually a homage to Shogun Assassin.

Posted by Bobby-Whiskey on 10-13-2003 11:25 PM:

Re: Re: Re: Review: Kill Bill: Volume 1 (2003)

quote:
Originally posted by ron989
fun little observation - did anyone notice that the box of cereal that (i forget character's name) shot the bride out of said "Kaboom" on it ?

One of the few disappointing parts of the movie IMO...I was hoping for it to be a box of Fruit Brute cereal

Posted by Seven on 10-14-2003 05:19 AM:

quote:
Originally posted by Mystic Slippers
The violent deaths are actually a homage to Shogun Assassin.

OMG im glad im not the only one who knows this. When the bride starts owning all the guys in the house of blue leaves i was thinking OMFG its shogun assassin 2k3!!!!

Posted by Dwaggy on 10-17-2003 05:26 PM:

This movie owns me. 10/10

Ooh, i watched battle royale 2 days before this, and i noticed one of the girls in BR (The one with the scythe) is the GO GO girl in Kill Bill

Ooooh, how i loved the gogo vs bride scene.. mmmmm...

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Posted by Hitman47 on 10-18-2003 01:23 AM:

i <3 this movie more then food

Posted by Mystic Slippers on 10-18-2003 01:38 AM:

quote:
Originally posted by Seven
OMG im glad im not the only one who knows this.

I'm a BIG fan of Lone Wolf and Cub. I got all the babycart novels amongst other things.

Posted by Medievalchimp on 10-20-2003 04:49 AM:

quote:
Originally posted by Dawgy

Ooh, i watched battle royale 2 days before this, and i noticed one of the girls in BR (The one with the scythe) is the GO GO girl in Kill Bill

Ooooh, how i loved the gogo vs bride scene.. mmmmm...

Ah yes Chiaki!! Hehe I reard she was going to be in an American movie the day before I saw Kill Bill then I recogonized her spot on with the nose haha

I wasnt expecting her to be in this movie for sure though so it was a huge plus, also WHERE DID YOU GET BR 2!?!? I need it! NOW gahhhhh *kills his classmates*

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Posted by X-T on 10-22-2003 10:53 PM:

when i heard all the buzz about Kill Bill i didnt know what was going on so i checked it out, and saw Q.T.'s name on it, bam i was strapped in my seat waiting for the action.

the intro scene is great. really good job of setting up the action so that you get to see what pissed her off, how she exacts her revenge and who'd getting it next.

the way they mix anime and live cinema is great as well, uma thurman does a good job of portrayin the "your fucking dead" image.

the fight scenes are great, done with percision, not overdone to the point where your like ok move on now, like most scenes these days.

i was also disappointed to find that i have to wait for a 2nd installment, but at the same time i am exicted because this was such a good movie, that when i see it, im sure i'll be just as entertained. if you havent seen this movie, i would say definately check it out.

9/10

Posted by Thatd00d on 10-23-2003 06:37 AM:

quote:
Originally posted by Mystic Slippers
I'm a BIG fan of Lone Wolf and Cub. I got all the babycart novels amongst other things.

Ahhh wicked set. Back in the days I searched forever for clean versions of the 6 films. Ended up buying bootlegs in NYC.
Til I found laserdisc versions SWEET!!!

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Posted by Dwaggy on 10-23-2003 11:37 AM:

quote:
Originally posted by Medievalchimp
Ah yes Chiaki!! Hehe I reard she was going to be in an American movie the day before I saw Kill Bill then I recogonized her spot on with the nose haha I wasnt expecting her to be in this movie for sure though so it was a huge plus, also WHERE DID YOU GET BR 2!?!? I need it! NOW gahhhhh *kills his classmates*

ooh yeah..

Sorry mate:

i watched BR, two days before seeing kill bill.
not
i watched BR 2, days before seeing kill bill.

I'd like br2 though

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Posted by Medievalchimp on 10-23-2003 08:06 PM:

haha oohhh...My bad I did see a reeaaally nasty divx of Battle Royale 2 on Emule though, but god the quality was unwatchable hehe the release date for the BR2 dvd is out soon though so thats good news =)

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