Kill Bill: Vol. 1

A purely visual and acoustic fashion-feast with a colorfully variable palette of moods. But rating it on its own would miss the mark. The first half is a bit lifeless, whereas the second half wouldn’t let me catch my breath. The sequel, Volume 2, should theoretically start in the spirit of the second half of the first Kill Bill. If it does start that way, I’m genuinely curious to see what the climax of the whole show will be. If it actually builds up further, as a three-hour whole, it will turn out to be a brilliant work. I believe that will happen. And I’m asking myself a key question: Is it even possible to make such a spectacular and cool film seanse out of such a simple subject? (10/07/2003)

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)

I can't help it, but for me, this is still one of the best movies I have ever seen. Even multiple times. When someone asks me what my favorite movie is, "Kill Bill" is the first thing that comes to my mind. I'm not sure if it's true, but this mix of kung fu films with modern action, violence, dark humor, perversion, and absolutely great characters, is a guarantee that I will always have fun. I love B-movie production and this is definitely the best B-movie I have ever seen. And when I say this, I actually mean both movies, because both have something special. And just like during the first screening, I didn't fully appreciate the animated sequence, now I enjoy it to the fullest. Tarantino is simply my favorite and that hasn't changed over the years. (01/07/2014)

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)

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)