Could wunderkind Quentin Tarantino be the defining voice in this era of post modern Hollywood? Until now, I would have thrown the Coen Brothers, P.T. Anderson and perhaps Wes Anderson in there as well, but now I’m not so sure. With all the hype that came and went with the splitting of Kill Bill into two parts, Tarantino proves that he can employ several different styles of filmmaking all at once while still weaving a wonderful mythology. Kill Bill: Vol. 2 is a tremendous departure in tone from the bloody, comic-book violence found in the first film. Instead KB2 builds on the story while taking the primary two characters into the echelon of all-time movie heroes and villains.
With Vernita Green and O-Ren Ishii gone from her hit list, the one-time assassin known here simply as the Bride (Uma Thurman) continues on her quest to hunt down her former boss Bill David Carradine, who left her for dead with a bullet in her head at the wedding chapel. But before the Bride can get to Bill, she has to first go through Bud (Michael Madsen) and Elle Driver (Daryl Hannah), a pair of her fellow assassins.
Where KB1 was focused on the violence and carnal rage that comes with such deep seeded revenge, this part of the story peels away at the heart and emotions of its central characters. The Bride’s back story is fleshed out, furthering fueling the mythology Tarantino has striven to create. And to that end he has been successful. But there’s also Bill who gets a good rounding out. In the first part he was only seen on screen as a hand and a voice saying wise and creepy things. Now there’s no hiding in the shadows. The final showdown between him and the Bride is a given. Before Bill was a monster, willing to kill a pregnant woman and laugh about it. He was hardly the kind of guy anybody could like. But by the time the showdown finally does arrive, Tarantino transforms Bill into one of Hollywood’s greatest villains. Bill is given a story, he is able to show emotions. You actually feel sympathetic towards him.
And then there’s the Bride herself. One of the clever things in the first film was the way in which her real name was deliberately censored. That mystery is in fact revealed, but not without the wink and nod you’d expect. By the time Tarantino finally does let it slip, you’re ready for it. But there was also another side of me who would have preferred he went the Man With No Name route, leaving it left unsaid. The revelation is funny, however sometimes lasting mystery is a good thing – especially when you’re dipping into the realm of myth creation as I believe Tarantino is.
One of the most common complaints I heard from long-time Tarantino fans about KB1 was the lack of dialogue. Well, it’s back with a vengeance. Bill in particular is susceptible to telling long stories with great detail and pizzazz, as well as musing about the meaning of superheroes, amongst other things. Normally, long bouts of talking can make me squirm. Not so. Tarantino has always been able to convey street talk in his writing, even if his characters are talking in a self-referential, over-the-top manner, as it happens oh so frequently here. The opening shot sets the stage for those who didn’t see volume one with the Bride driving in a convertible, telling the camera that’s she’s off to meet with Bill. She even gives a little wink to the lore of the film by acknowledging how her previous conquests would be described by the critics if she were in a movie.
I freely acknowledge and understand that the violence in KB1 limits its audience somewhat. But in KB2 it’s a complete switch. While still reveling in its own audacity and coolness, the focus is taken off the blood and instead put on who these people are and why they’re so worthy of two films. It would have been easy for KB2 to alienate those who missed the first one by just jumping into the action. However, Tarantino is delicate in recapping the first film without bogging KB2 down, thus ensuring it is able to stand on its own.
Tarantino makes it easy to make his fans look like fanboys. But there really is lots happening in his films. And yes, he makes it very clear that he knows his work is good. It would be different if he thought he was good but in reality he was just full of himself. Tarantino can talk and sway all he wants in my book, because all the praise is for reason.
Kill Bill Vol. 2 Gallery
Trailer
