Flawed but still hugely entertaining, Kill Bill (both parts) marks the point where Tarantino, who is undoubtedly a talented filmmaker, let his ego run away with him. It’s interesting to see directors who have reached that moment in their career where they can make whatever the hell they want (just look at this months Inception). At times they are disastrous (Heaven’s Gate), others modern masterpieces (Fight Club). Kill Bill is certainly at the stronger end of the spectrum and whilst it gets too arty farty for it’s own good, this odd little ode to samurai movies and the spaghetti western is at least an enjoyable romp that demonstrates the director’s trademark flair for understated direction and proves that, when she want to be, Uma Thurman can be a great actress.
I preferred Vol. 2, but this is a film that is actually a four-hour epic split in two, so the second half being better and having that emotional and satisfactory climax makes more sense. In setting up this chapter in Tarantino’s universe, Vol. 1 does its part well, and delivers some blistering moments of swordplay from a director that had never tackled action before.
Still, the Kill Bill saga as a whole is nowhere near as good as Dogs, Fiction or Brown. Or Basterds for that matter.
4/5
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