Review of Kill Bill: Vol. 1 (2003) by Brittany F — 02 Oct 2013

Despite the fact that this is not Quentin Tarantino's most critically acclaimed film, it is undoubtedly my personal favorite. The plot of Kill Bill is pretty standard for a revenge flick, but it is Tarantino's magic touch that elevates it into something iconic.

I'll start with the overall atheistic of the movie. Every shot of this film oozes with style. I don't really know what to say other than that. It's hard to convey what a Tarantino film is like, visually, if you've never actually seen one, but I can say there are many moments of technical brilliance throughout the film.

There are two in particular that I would like to note. The first one is when Elle Driver, we'll talk more about her later, is walking into the hospital and whistling. After she crosses the threshold of the entrance her whistling fades into the soundtrack.

It's a small thing, but I absolutely loved it. The other moment is the long tracking shot in The House of Blue Leaves. I've watched this scene on YouTube countless times, and it still amazes me to this day.

It's about a two minutes long scene with no cutting that traverses the same area multiple times, yet each time it feels unique because of the way its shot. Not only that, but it also sets up the forthcoming action perfectly.

Just Google Kill Bill long shot and watch it because it's damn impressive. Another aspect that contributes to the atheistic of the film is perhaps what it is best known for, the fight scenes. The film obviously borrows a lot from Asian cinema and this is most obvious throughout the fight scenes.

They feel like a combination between a kung-fu movie and a samurai film, and it is damn awesome. Tarantino manages to capture the over-the-top nature of those types of films without venturing into the silly.

Finally I can't move away from the visuals of the movie without discussing the anime sequence in the middle of the film. The first time I watched this movie, the sudden switch to animation felt slightly jarring, but now it sits among one of my favorite film scenes ever.

It is not only visually stunning, but it also adds to O-Ren's character. The animation amplifies everything in a way a straightforward flashback could not. Moving away from visuals, the soundtrack is awesome as well.

Every song is perfect for the scene whether it's intentionally absurd or completely fitting. Tarantino knows how to pick an amazing soundtrack. Fun Fact: Every song that is present in this film is also on another soundtrack.

Tarantino went through his own soundtrack collection when picking tracks for the movie. Moving on from the stylistic elements, I'd like to discuss the writing and the characters. Tarantino is one of the best dialogue writers working today.

His writing is quick and very distinct. It's not as dialogue based as Pulp Fiction or Reservoir Dogs, but there are still many lines you'll be quoting days after you watch it. If I had to pinpoint why this movie is my favorite of Tarantino's I would probably land on the characters.

The character of The Bride is an icon at this point. Her whole story is expertly crafted and uncovering everything about her and Bill is great. The supporting characters are also fleshed out. Each member of the Deadly Viper Assassination Squad feels unique, but I'm going to have to give a shout-out to my favorite, Elle Driver.

Though not one of the main characters in this movie, she is absolutely awesome in the scenes she is in. All in all Kill Bill vol. 1 is an unforgettable movie with unmatched style and iconic characters.

I would highly recommend it to anyone who hasn't seen it.