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/

Mystic Slippers has attached this image:

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

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quote:

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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.

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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.

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

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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.

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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.

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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.

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quote:

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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. ]

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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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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

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The violent deaths are actually a homage to Shogun Assassin.

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quote:

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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 ?

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

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quote:

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

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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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i <3 this movie more then food

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quote:

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

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

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quote:

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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...

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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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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

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quote:

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

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quote:

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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*

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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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