A Scientist at the Movies Reviews by Greg Paris

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Title: Kill Bill, volume 1

Date of theatrical release: 2003

Details:

Uma Thurman

Lucy Liu

Vivica A. Fox

Daryl Hannah

David Carradine

Director: Quentin Tarantino

Score: +

If you overlook the fountains of blood that erupt on a routine basis from severed portions of many different anatomies, this is an engaging (if ultra-violent) revenge flick in the style of several decades of kung fu and samurai films. Surprisingly engaging, since I am not a fan of this genre nor of Tarantino's films in general. Buffered by a bizarre and quirky sense of humor, this details the recovery of "the bride" (Thurmann), revealing tidbits of her past, and the beginnings of her quest to find "Bill", the master assassin who sanctioned her (attempted) murder in the first place, for reasons unknown.

There are several curious cinematographic features worth pondering. First, considering his importance to the plot, the title character & ultimate villain (Carradine) is essentially never seen. Second, there's a long animated (Japanese anime-like) sequence that provides character background for one of the antagonists. And the final battle in a snowy Japanese garden offers some peripheral visual treats.

(20-May-04)

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