Kill Bill: Vol. 1

There is a certain dose of exaggeration and typically Tarantino humor that the viewer must embrace right from the beginning, otherwise the film be a lousy experience. Tarantino is firmly in control and directs the way he wants, which is, of course, evident in the result. The whole film carries an excellent atmosphere, enhanced by perfectly tuned exteriors and brilliantly interwoven music. Kill Bill fulfills all the film elements to the fullest but it may happen that a more conservatively inclined viewer won’t find their way to it and will not like it. It was also very interesting to see Uma Thurman, who underwent intense training for this role and it is truly visible. Tarantino plays with visual composition, constructs dialogues well, and overall the film is more captivating with a plethora of references and clever tricks, rather than a basic message as such, which is truly simple. (11/08/2003)

If there’s one film that loudly argues that Quentin Tarantino is an even better director than screenwriter, that would be Kill BillVol. 1. It’s an INCREDIBLY well shot series of micro-stories, whose grouping and method of (in)closure may be questionable, but every second fully reflects the inexhaustible genius of one anointed filmmaker. Unfortunately, Quentin uses his supporting actors as surprisingly passive pawns on a journey through East Asian cinematic attractions, and he often blatantly revels in his own audiovisual perfection, but it’s impossible not to love it. The film is one big goosebumps fest, caused by the unearthly staging of the action accompanied by one amazing track after another (although the final fight, for example, loses its impact quickly, mainly due to the annoying black-and-white composition), and the subjective length is somewhere around 80 minutes. It's a kind of unpretentious treat that is simply a joy to watch, even though it doesn't have that much to do with the sequel and works more like porn for geeks than a starter of a complex and layered story. 80% (11/04/2011)

I really like older Tarantino films, and even though they are in genres that I don't particularly enjoy, Tarantino managed to direct them creatively and with added value, which every film fan must appreciate. Whether it was Reservoir Dogs, Pulp Fiction, or Jackie Brown, I always found something that enriched me. Kill Bill marked the beginning of the era of Tarantino films without added value, which may fascinate genre fans with their "purity," but I completely avoid them. Kill Bill pays homage to East Asian action films, which is something that doesn't appeal to me at all. The characters lack even minimal depth, and there's no need to talk about the screenplay. It is completely empty, purposeless nonsense, lacking emotions and character psychology. I would add that it has decent camera work and music, for which it deserves one star from me. Overall impression 25%. (02/16/2008)

Forget about seeing just another Tarantino flick. There’s none of his typical catchphrases, nor a plethora of absurd situations. One of the few echoes of his first two films is the absurd scene in the hospital when "Buck comes to fuck" and then his favourite ordering of the plot into chapters. At times I was emotionally moved, at times I was thinking, "Is he being serious? We're supposed to buy this?" But I didn't move a muscle the whole time I was sitting in my chair. There are scenes with a very magical atmosphere, especially the final duel with in the snowy Japanese garden, with Lucy Liu in a white dress and slippers, falling snowflakes and contrasting with Uma Thurman's yellow suit, all beautifully lit and the interesting sound of a water pump. Or for example the moment when during one of the fights the background suddenly changes to a blue screen with black frames, with only the silhouettes of the fighters in front of it is very impressive. Kill Bill has so many audio-visual sensations that the hour and a half was more than enough. The plot may be shallow (the final sentence made me feel like I was hearing a snippet from a soap opera), but form overwhelmingly wins over content. Tarantino managed to turn a well-trodden genre and not very original premise into a very impressive spectacle. We'll see with Volume 2 if it holds up. PS: This film must be watched in widescreen! It loses a lot with the TV crop. (10/11/2003)

Several years after the fading of unbearable hype, Kill Bill is still a spectacle that has no equal in the realm of multi-genre action. Despite Tarantino being somewhat annoying from a media standpoint during this period, his sense of revenge's tempo, the soundtrack, and the supporting characters were almost perfect. And when Hattori Hanzo appears and I swallow all previous prejudices, there is nothing left but to give it five stars. (04/20/2005)