“It’s mercy, compassion, and forgiveness I lack, not rationality.” —The Bride
Today’s quick review: Kill Bill: Vol. 1. Four years after she was beaten and left for dead on her wedding day, the Bride (Uma Thurman) wakes up from her coma. She sets out to take her revenge on those responsible, her former lover Bill (David Carradine) and the Deadly Viper Assassination Squad. Her first targets are O-Ren Ishii (Lucy Liu), now the leader of the Tokyo underworld, and Vernita Green (Vivica A. Fox), now a suburban housewife.
Kill Bill: Vol. 1 is a stylized revenge movie from director Quentin Tarantino. Blending Western and Japanese influences with Tarantino’s own inimitable style, Kill Bill: Vol. 1 provides gory, inventive action and a flavorful world to go with it. Its martial arts action sequences are ambitious in scope and buttressed by sharp writing and cinematography, making Kill Bill both a popcorn action flick and an unconventional work of art.
The plot of Kill Bill is a straightforward revenge story. The Bride has a fixed list of targets she must kill, each with a unique style or gimmick, and this provides the basis for the film’s various action sequences and side stories. The story is divided into chapters that let the it branch out when it needs to, while the simple nature of the plot is covered nicely by the mystery surrounding Bill, the nonlinear presentation, and the colorful characters.
The stylization of Kill Bill sets it apart from typical action movies, both visually and tonally. The movie plays with its visual presentation constantly, with creative camera shots, sequences in black and white, and even a scene done as anime. This experimentation keeps the movie feeling fresh throughout, with little twists around every corner and no fear of falling into too much of a rhythm.
At the same time, the movie world itself has a surreal quality to it. The dialogue is overblown and dramatic, the assassins come across as cool for both natural and artificial reasons, and the expertly picked soundtrack sets the mood perfectly. The smallest touches in the world speak volumes, from the sheriff with a dashboard full of sunglasses to the Bride disciplining a young yakuza member instead of killing him.
Kill Bill: Vol. 1 is not without its flaws. The bloody action makes the movie a non-starter for some viewers, while its dip into the seamier side of humanity may revolt even those who are fine with the violence. The story drags its feet in the middle, veering into exposition for chapters at a time. The action, while impressive, is not especially realistic. The stylization may also strike some viewers as odd or pointless.
Watch Kill Bill: Vol. 1 if you are a current or potential Tarantino fan and have not yet seen it. Its vision and polish make it an excellent watch for any action fan who doesn’t mind a bit of gore. Steer clear if you are at all sensitive to violence or you are looking for a stylish movie with more than simple action at its core.
[8.1 out of 10 on IMDB](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0266697/. I give it an 8.0 for satisfying action, stylish direction, and iconic moments throughout.