I'll say right now that I like "Kill Bill: Volume 1" better than this second one. I'm not saying that the second one is bad, 'cause it isn't. The movie is two hours and fifteen minutes long, and the time flies by, I wasn't bored for a second. It's just that the first film was filled with action, and the second one had a lot more exposition, it was much more talky. Then again, the dialogue is written by Quentin Tarantino, so the movie is still really damn good.
I have a bad feeling about this movie, and when I say "this movie," I'm referring to both volumes of "Kill Bill." Supposedly, the version of "Kill Bill: Volume 1" shown in Japanese theaters was a different cut from what we got here in the States, and I hear that the Japanese version is a lot better. In addition, there's a rumor that later this year, there will be a version of "Kill Bill" in theaters that combines both volumes into one film. Will this simply be both volumes back-to-back? Will it be a condensed version? I guess my biggest question is, what's the definitive director's cut of "Kill Bill"? I have a feeling that not even Quentin Tarantino knows the answer.
Reportedly, Tarantino is considering making "Kill Bill: Volume 3" in 15 years. It will center around a young woman who seeks revenge on Uma Thurman's character (I'm referring to the little girl who watched her mother die at the hands of Uma's character). It could just be a rumor, but you never know. Would that, in fact, be "Kill Bill: Volume 3," or would it simply be a sequel to "Kill Bill"? Get where I'm coming from?
Before I forget, there's something about "Kill Bill: Volume 2" that I didn't like. The name of Uma Thurman's character (who was only known as "The Bride" in the first film) is finally revealed, and it's not only anti-climactic, it's absolutely pointless. Did I miss something?
Anyway, in addition to the possibility of "Kill Bill: Volume 3," there's also a rumor that Quentin Tarantino wants to work on an anime (Japanese animation, for all you non-geeks out there) version of "Kill Bill." Everything I'm writing about here could be nothing more than rumors, so take all of it with a grain of salt.
"Kill Bill: Volume 2," it's a movie I really enjoyed, and once again, Uma Thurman is excellent. She did a phenomenal job in a very tough, extremely demanding role. I won't spend too much time singing the praises of Uma, 'cause I did so much of that in my review of the first film. In that one, she battles two main villains, played by Vivica A. Fox and Lucy Liu. In this second film, she battles three main villains, the first played by Michael Madsen, the second by Daryl Hannah, and the third, "Bill" himself, played by David Carradine. Michael Madsen plays a role similar to his "Mr. Blonde" character in "Reservoir Dogs" (Quentin Tarantino's astonishing feature film debut), if "Mr. Blonde" was older, and had a falling out with the crime boss he used to work for. Michael Madsen is really good in this movie, but he did what he usually does, ya know? Daryl Hannah is awesome, even if she's the one villain in the film we learn almost nothing about. Still, this is one of the best characters she's ever gotten to play, and it's a really good performance. It will hopefully mean a comeback of sorts for her (though I thought she'd get one after her great performance in the arthouse flick, "Dancing at the Blue Iguana," a great movie that happens to feature lots and lots of female nudity). Finally, there's David Carradine. I didn't expect a lot from him, I'm not familiar with much of his work, I just know him from small, forgettable roles in forgettable films. And I never saw that "Kung Fu" TV show he starred in either. I can only say that in this film, I was very impressed. He was chilling, but he was also strangely charming. Perhaps it was the way he'd deliver dialogue, or the way his character would tell stories, but he made for a very interesting, almost sympathetic villain.
To be honest with you, I'm a little annoyed at Quentin Tarantino and Miramax. Each volume of "Kill Bill" was over two hours long, but I think that "Kill Bill" could have easily been one film under three hours long if some of the fat had been trimmed. I don't think we'll ever know the truth, as to who really made the decision to split the film in two. Was it because of Quentin Tarantino's huge ego? Was it because Miramax honcho Harvey Weinstein didn't think the film would make a profit if it was just one film? Don't get me wrong, I like both films, but I want that one definitive version, and I want it in a single volume, dammit!
OH! There's something I need to mention. In my review of "Kill Bill: Volume 1," I mention that I didn't stick around after the credits, and I'd heard that there's more footage at the end. Then when I saw it a second time, I waited for the credits to end, only to find out that nothing happens afterwards, and I even needed to write a special note at the end of that review explaining that. Well, I sat through the credits of "Kill Bill: Volume 2," and there IS footage afterwards, but it's nothing important. It's a single outtake. Not worth waiting for, if you ask me.
Quentin Tarantino is an extremely talented filmmaker, and "Kill Bill" is a very entertaining pair of movies. I like the first one better, but the second is really good. Still, I think that a 3-hour version of both films put together could be something really special. I know we'll get more versions in the future, but I don't know if we'll ever get a definitive one.
Scale of 1-10: 8