Kill Bill: Volume 1 Review

“Revenge is a dish best served cold.” This sentence (straight out of 1982’s “Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan” ) opens writer/director Quentin Tarantino’s “Kill Bill: Volume 1,” a film of great energy and versatility. Like a giddy schoolboy at recess, Tarantino crafts an admirable cinematic playground, complete with breathtaking action, cool characters, and colorful scenarios. Like Sergio Leone before him, Tarantino showcases an iconic warrior of cinema, destined to entertain fans for generations. Uma Thurman is his Clint Eastwood, and as a whole, the Kill Bill universe is a roaring rampage of frontier-like savagery. Together, Tarantino and Thurman take us on an outrageously brilliant ride that blends eastern and western sensibilities.

Of course, “Volume 1” falls into the revenge movie subgenre. The story is very simple. After being beaten to a pulp and left for dead at her wedding rehearsal, the Bride (Uma Thurman) lies in a comatose state. Four years later, she awakens from her long slumber. Consumed by vengeance, she embarks on a journey that will pit her against former comrades. As she takes out these opponents, she gets closer and closer to her final target, Bill, the man who set this violent scenario into motion.

Best of all, Tarantino’s film is a celebration of female formidability and foreign inclusiveness. Thurman’s icy yet charming performance is a sight to behold. At times, her genuine charm permeates specific frames, ushering in further levels of empathy. Other times, her viscous individualism sets the groundwork for ensuing set pieces. When these scenes transpire, Thurman’s commitment to stunt work ups the visceral ante of each fight sequence, pushing the film into a state of exceptional practicality.

See full review on Incluvie