Review of Kill Bill: Vol. 1 (2003) by James W — 26 Nov 2013

One of my all time favourites, Kill Bill is heart stopping mind fucking greatness, every time I watch this movie I literally cheer and shout at the screen as the Bride slices and dices her enemies. Uma Thurman is simply amazing, her intensity and motivation keeps the movie moving at a relentless pace, her line delivery is badass as she faces up to her opponents, teasing them and threatening them and by the time she stops talking you are just waiting for her to perform some insane fight move! Thurman plays the Bride, who is gunned down at her own wedding by the highly trained "Deadly Viper Assassination Squad".

She is assumed dead but fortunately The Bride awakes from a coma and sets out for brutal revenge, and revenge has never looked so good. The fight scenes are the best ever, all expertly staged with equal jaw dropping violence in each one.

Tarantino executes the violence through silence, just before an attack there is virtually no sound, just an atmosphere and a wall of tension, then all hell breaks loose. The first fight between Vernita Green and The Bride is tough as nails, as they throw each other around the room into cabinets and onto tables.

Even the animated scene showing O-Ren Ishii's childhood is splattered with blood and it's glorious. Then there's the unforgettable finale that sees O-Ren-Ishii send in her best bodyguards and the Crazy 88 to take The Bride down.

This scene is one that's worth rewinding just to be blown away every time. Blood spews out from limbs like a fountain, heads roll across the floor, arms are torn to shreds and you feel every bone crunch and character pain yourself because it's such an effective scene.

Before this scene is the stand off with Gogo Yubari who has a thing for violence, using a swing blade she knocks the shit out of Uma Thurman, but she can't be knocked down, she is not to be messed with, and you'll believe me when you see this finale as it is incredible beyond words.

Final Score: 99%.