My Take:

Bang, bang

Finally, a modern martial arts movie without blurring hypereffects and silly floating warriors. Kill Bill is an assault of the senses and the ultimate love letter to the martial arts genre.

Okay, I was a little VERY disappointed in The Matrix Reloaded because it seemed to lack the depth and story that the first film was so popular for. It had the "bullettime" effects that was revolutionary when it was first seen in Merlin and turned into a pop cultural institution in The Matrix. The awkward ending at the end didn't exactly want me to go see Revolutions (not that I'm avoiding it in the first place) and just kind of turned me off of the film. Oh, and the rave scene was annoying to no end. It had no point whatsoever and was just there to titilate those fanboys who have never seen girls in wet, clingy outfits.

Kill Bill, Volume One exceeds in all the points where Matrix Reloaded failed, namely the story, the martial arts, and the desire to want to see the sequel.

Kill Bill is the story of a bride (impressively played by Uma Thurman) who was left for dead at her wedding. Her groom, wedding party, and unborn baby were all killed by a group calling themselves the Deadly Viper Assassination Squad (or DiVAS) while she was left in a coma. The bride was once a member of the DiVAS as the assassin named Black Mamba. Apparently, the leader of the DiVAS known only as Bill (unseen, but played by David Carradine in his first major role since Kung Fu) wasn't too thrilled about one of his agents leaving the life of hired gunnery for married life. Four years after the assassination attempt, the bride awakens from her coma with a mind set on revenge. While the first scene after the opening credits showcases her second battle with a DiVAS member (a very violent and bloody suburban battle in the home of the Copperhead, played by Vivica A. Fox), we are witnesses to the murder scene as well as an attempted murder of The Bride courtesy of Elle aka California Mountain Snake, played by Darryl Hannah. Her scene is short but memorable, and her hypnotic whistled tune is still stuck in my head. Elle's appearance is brief, but she will have a larger role in Vol. 2. We're also witnesses to the prelude of The Bride's battle with O-Ren Ishii who used to go by the alias of Cottonmouth, played with the right amount of iciness by Lucy Liu.

We learned O-Ren's tragic origins in an animated segment produced by the good folks at Production I.G., the company behind the Ghost in the Shell franchise, Jin-Roh, FLCL, Blood The Last Vampire, and IGPX, among others. The segment looked like a hybrid between GitS and a Plymptoon, which is a huge compliment. It was a strange, yet interesting break between the acts. Some otaku purists were complaining about the quality of the segment, but the graininess added character and grit to a very tragic scene. Kind of like the "manga" scenes in FLCL. What's also impressive is that Tarentino is planning a prequel which will be completely animated, and I hope that he'll find Production I.G.'s services welcome once again.

We also learn about O-Ren's rise to power in the yazuka (think of the yazuka as a Japanese mafia), something that should never, ever be discussed in her company again, or else. Months after training for "rodent removal" by a gifted swordsman The Bride begins the search for O-Ren, who has a group of assassins of her own known as The Crazy 8's (who wear outfits inspired by Kato, The Green Lantern's chauffeur/sidekick played by martial arts icon Bruce Lee [who, ironically, was going to play the role that made Bill himself, David Caradine, a star in Kung Fu]) and several assassins by her side, including this cute, yet sadistic schoolgirl in a uniform who wields a ball-and-chain. All of them are gunning towards The Bride, who's wielding a powerful piece of steel of her own and not afraid to use it. What follows is a bloodgushing cinematic tour de force that is nothing more than pure genius. It's visceral, violent, and shocking to an extent, yet freeflowing, rhythmic, and hauntingly beautiful like a ballet. Don't worry, this isn't a bloody version of Swan Lake.

I don't think I'm spoiling much by saying that the story's not over by a long shot. The finale of The Bride's battle with O-Ren brings about a cliffhanger finale with a major revelation by Bill which could cause The Bride to reevaluate everything she's fighting for so far. Also, she has two more DiVAS to go through before reaching her goal to kill Bill.

Now, the confused looks. Why am I doing a review of a live-action movie with a short anime segment? I wouldn't be doing a review of Kill Bill on an animation/comics-oriented website if I didn't like the film, but I absolutely LOVED Kill Bill. Tarantino obviously has a great admiration for those kung-fu movies of the 70s, and he has showcased raw action without the use of elaborate computer effects, gimmicky flying stunts, and philosophical babble, though the trademark "Tarantino pop" is intact. I mean, there aren't many directors who could interrupt a bloody knife battle with an interlude between the two combatants going into the kitchen while drinking coffee. Celebrate the moments of your life because in a moment, you're going to be dead. Kill Bill, Volume One is the movie that Tarantino's previous movie, Jackie Brown, should have been, a great movie that celebrates a movie genre and doesn't stray for one moment. It's probably a little early to say, but Kill Bill has the potential to become a modern classic, and if the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences fail to acknowledge the genius of this film, I will immediately lose the remaining respect I have for the Oscar folks. This is one of the best films, if not THE best film I've seen all year.