It’s time I got my thoughts on this film off my chest - my absolute favourite film. Kill Bill Volume 1 came out in 2003, followed by Volume 2 in 2004. Originally planned as one film, it was released in two parts because it ran too long. Nevertheless, this masterpiece should be seen as one complete work.
The Bride sets out on a quest for revenge because she was almost killed and her own unborn child was taken from her. The ones responsible? Her former colleagues from the Deadly Viper Assassination Squad, a crew of killers. She now hunts them down one after the other. Bill, the leader of the group, is meant to be the grand finale - but the journey turns out harder and different than planned. Sounds like a classic revenge movie, but Kill Bill is so much more than that.
As he did often before and especially afterwards, Quentin Tarantino borrows from a huge number of different subgenres to spin his own work out of them. But in none of his films is this mix as all-encompassing as in Kill Bill. Combining classic kung fu and samurai films with grindhouse effects, anime and, above all, Tarantino’s great love, the spaghetti western, is what makes the two parts so unique. Both are packed with countless references to cinema classics, yet each keeps its own flair, which is also what makes them so different. The first shines with fantastic action sequences, while the second relies more on dialogue. For me the first part will always be slightly ahead, because the Japan setting gripped me immediately and has never let go.
On top of that, with Beatrix Kiddo, Tarantino created probably the strongest female lead ever. In my opinion even a bit stronger than Ellen Ripley before her. Uma Thurman lives the role, and it’s her performance that turns Kiddo into the character we know today. The mix of hardened cold-bloodedness and, in the end, a very emotional side makes her an incredibly exciting and complex character.
The film also left its well-deserved mark on the fashion world. The combination of the yellow, Bruce Lee-inspired suit and the matching Onitsuka Tiger sneakers is still relevant today. The shoe has only just had its second spring in recent years, which is why the fashion scene is hard to imagine without it right now. And the Bride is definitely partly responsible for that.
Finally, I want to sincerely thank Mr. Tarantino for this masterpiece. No film has ever thrilled me as much as Kill Bill 1&2 does. Off to the next rewatch!