Kill Bill: Vol. 2 (2004) User Reviews

The Better Half

[slokes · 8/10 · 24 September 2004]

It's a matter of some debate which volume of Quentin Tarantino's "Kill Bill" is better. Let's end the argument right now: David Carradine doesn't even appear in "Volume 1." Hasn't the Academy mailed him his Best Supporting Actor Oscar already?

In the first volume of "Kill Bill," released only a few months before "Vol. 2" in the tail end of 2003, we met Uma Thurman, one peeded-off super-assassin taking out some folks from her past one at a time, with the occasional mega-posse thrown in for interest. "Vol. 1" had a lot of blood, violence, and wisecracks, and galloped across the screen like a rap video on steroids.

"Vol. 2" is way different. It makes sense it's a separate movie; the tone is such a departure from "Vol. 1" in two ways. One is style. Director Tarantino has fun stylistically quoting Sergio Leone and chop-fu cheapos from the late 1960s and early 1970s. Cinematic sampling is something he's good at and enjoys, but in "Vol. 2" he doesn't go as overboard as he does in "Vol. 1." He pulls back and lets the plot breathe, rather than filling every spare second with a homage-cum-parody that maybe a dozen lucky fans will get. Maybe some here wish he'd pile it on a bit more, but they have to make do with the goofy Pei Mai sequence, which is a flashback and hence not jarring in its "Vol. 1"-style comic-book treatment. Throughout "Vol. 2" the emphasis is on storytelling and character-building, which is where it should be given we are now being asked to deepen our commitment of interest to these people. "Vol. 1" is okay for what it is, but its flash and action are no match for the depth and nuance of "Vol. 2."

This gets to the second different tonal difference between the films, which is emotional. It all comes back to the characters. They don't quite become real people here, but they get close enough to get under your skin. Admittedly, the opening part of "Vol. 2" tests the viewer's patience a bit, there's some long bits that show the director hasn't really mastered self-discipline, like with Thurman's graveyard struggle, but the meandering usually has a purpose. Tarantino is building toward something here that has its payoff when Thurman's character finally has her face-to-face showdown with Carradine's Bill.

From that moment forward to the end, this is the best Tarantino has ever been.

Carradine and Thurman dominate the proceedings with two of the finest performances I've seen, certainly the best Tarantino has directed, playing off the mythology we've been taught in "Vol. 1" and developing resonances with the viewer both together and apart which will surprise those expecting a casual butt-kicking affair. We finally find out what Carradine means in the first line of "Vol. 1" where he tells a whimpering victim he is being masochistic, not sadistic, and its a powerful revelation, that this sinister baddie may have a heart buried under that cold exterior. Carradine is perfect in his phrasing, his pauses, the tired glint in his eye, or the way he says "Kiddo." You can't ask for a better veteran performance. For her part, Thurman presents a brilliantly conflicted character who can not stop either hating or loving Bill, and brings us not into a world of cartoon anguish, but real human pain.

"Kill Bill Vol. 2" is slow-moving, and needs "Vol. 1" in a way few sequels do, since it assumes you know nearly all the characters coming in. That's a weakness. So are some undeniably pointless bits, including the entire sequence with Bill's father figure, Esteban Vihaio, and some business at a bar involving Michael Madsen, who plays a former assassin now gone to seed.

Madsen's good, though, and so's Daryl Hannah as another rather mouthy assassin, Gordon Liu as Pei Mei, and especially Perla Haney-Jardine as a girl named B.B. The nice thing with Tarantino is for every scene that strikes a bum note, there's four or five that hit the right mark, and some manage to do much more. My favorite scene involves a Mexican standoff in an L.A. hotel room between Thurman's character and an anonymous hitwoman, at once grippingly suspenseful, hilarious, and life-affirming. Still, it's the final moments of this film that will stay with you, as Bill and his former pupil work out their "unfinished business" and we are left to ponder the results of their decisions and actions.

"Kill Bill Vol. 2" may not reach the heights of cinema to which it aspires, the level of "The Good, The Bad, And The Ugly" quoted in its score, but it's a fine film that will make most viewers glad they stuck around for the second installment. I am.

The Vengeful Bride Part 2...

[Xstal · 9/10 · 13 October 2022]

It's a hefty price to pay, preparing for your wedding day, as your jilted lover Bill, arrives in time to maim and kill, left unconscious, comatose, muscles wasting, decompose, four years later you awaken, and you feel a little shaken, so you start to wiggle toes, then start looking for your foes, there are several scores to settle, you know how to use sharp metal.

The Bride continues to track down her past acquaintances and leaves them under no illusion how cold her revenge can be when it comes to finding the whereabouts of the titular Bill. In the style of several classic film genres from several countries, if the pursuit of ultra-violent and vicious vendetta with serious loss of blood and body parts is your thing, then you've come to the right place. Also contains great dialogue.

Tarantino's Triumph: Volume Two

[Coventry · 9/10 · 22 April 2004]

Rarely known a movie I've been looking forward to so much than Q.T's resumption of the Kill Bill saga. I, as well as millions of others film-freaks, awaited Uma Thurman's further adventures with wicked anticipation. And of course…Tarantino didn't disappoint. Volume two is a completely different movie than volume one, but it's equally brilliant and the director's trademarks are shown more than obviously. Volume one merely was homage to the Eastern Martial Arts movies, with delightfully over-the-top splatter and gore while Vol. 2 fully focuses on ancient westerns and rural horror. There's more dialogue, more twists ‘n turns and the anti-chronological structure results in more depth and involvement. Some unexplained elements from Vol.1 become clear now and even the entire background of Thurman's character gets unveiled. For the very first time, (as far as I can remember) Tarantino really knows how to create an unbearable tension! There's a sequence in which Uma is buried alive and trapped under the ground…Through simple methods, like a completely black screen, Tarantino arises claustrophobia among the audience! Truly terrific filmmaking.

The actors in Kill Bill aren't Hollywood's best, but they each have their charisma and their typical Tarantino characters do the rest. The camera viewpoints are brilliant at times and – as usual – the tiny absurd elements are a joy to discover. Tarantino's entire Kill Bill achievement may easily be considered as one of the most creative and dared film-projects ever! Do yourself a favor and watch them! …Over and over again.

Glad to see the split.

[WalterFrith · 20 January 2005]

When I first heard that this film was going to be split into two movies instead of being presented as one as originally planned, I was angry. I accused the powers that be of trying to squeeze two box office triumphs out of a single project. But after having seen both 'Kill Bill' and 'Kill Bill Vol.2', I am glad because both films are extremely different even though the stories are tied together with primarily the same actors and having the same director. Containing less action than 'Kill Bill', volume 2 is intelligent, bizarre and extremely engrossing. It absorbs all of its elements equally and David Carradine's performance as Bill is the best thing to happen in movie villain history since, well, I'll leave that up to individual interpretation.

A Tarantino Masterpiece

[abacus24 · 10/10 · 5 July 2006]

Over the last 40 years, I've seen a lot of movies. All types. Some great, some good and some mostly inedible; most left my breath with a sour smell. Westerns, sci-fi, comedies, dramas, etc. After seeing Kill Bill Vol I, I assumed that any sequel would pale to its predecessor. I, of course, was premature in my prediction. The movie was, by all means, a classic. I feel Taratino was really trying to make a great movie versus making money for his producers. To build his tasty sandwich, he took the lessons he learned from life as a movie maker and cleverly managed to meld some slices of meat from Sergio Leone (subtly), Akira Kurosawa (very subtly) and, I'm stretching it here, Ridley Scott, to create a great sequel to an excellent first movie. He used some great, almost forgotten actors (Daryl Hannah, Micheal Parks, and David Carradine to create a memorable meal. It was only a sandwich, but what morsel it was. I was full and wanting more. Very rare to find this type of film in our corporate world. He must wield some real power in the movie world. I don't know of anyone who has saw this movie who hasn't given it great feedback. And I know all types of viewers. My wife, who really doesn't like anything that is not overly melancholy or dripping with sentimentality, actually liked the whole movie. That in itself is an endorsement. Well done. Mr. Tarantino, you will be hard placed to match this gem.

A masterpiece by Tarantino.

[daria84 · 10/10 · 1 September 2004]

I've been waiting to see this movie for so long, and when I finally saw it, I loved it! it was worth the wait.

Vol.2 picks up pretty much where Vol.1 left, except for some flashbacks explaining what really happened with the characters. Uma Thurman is back as The Bride, and we get to know her real name finally. Also Daryl Hannah comes back as Elle Driver, the one-eyed killer, Michael Madsen plays Budd, Bill's baby/loser brother, and the infamous Bill is played by David Carradine. The performances are just great, Uma Thurman delivers a great performance as The Bride, we finally get to know her character a little better and the true reasons why she wants to "Kill Bill". I also have to say that David Carradine was perfect to play Bill. He has great charisma and he's so smooth, it's impossible not to like him. Daryl Hannah's performance was great too, and Michael Madsen's too.

Once again the music plays a key factor in this movie, is very well selected and for every single scene the music fits perfectly. And of course, the dialogue. In this movie, we get a lot more dialogue than brutal fighting like in Vol.1, this movie is more centered in explaining what led Bill to do what he did, it pretty much focuses in the past, explaining the whole thing. I especially liked the dialogues between Bill (Carradine) and The Bride (Thurman), I thought they were clever and just great, like all Tarantino's dialogues. Also the locations were excelent, I have no idea where they shot the film, but the landscaping was great, I truly enjoyed it.

Well it would be better to see Kill Bill Vol. 1 and Vol. 2 as one movie, not different, because in the end, you must see them together to understand. So I give this movie a 10/10, I loved it, it was great, great dialogues, great performances, great fighting sequences, everything was great! And I think that Uma Thurman and/or David Carradine (at least him) should be nominated for an Oscar, they were perfect and they deserve that international film makers acknowledge that. Tarantino you are the best!!!

Honestly better than the first

[gmorgan-4 · 10/10 · 24 July 2004]

Kill Bill Volume 2 is the astonishing follow-up to perhaps 2003's best film, Kill Bill Volume 1. Quentin Tarantino once again demonstrates a mastery of dialogue in this homage to the great western and kung fu movies that inspired him from his video clerk days.

Simply, this film is as entertaining as hell. Tarantino unabashedly takes the viewer for a joyride, and the end result is a movie with intense action, tempered with some of the best dialogue I have ever heard.

Some have pointed to this film as inferior to the first volume of Kill Bill: I disagree. Whereas Tarantino is a great action director (the scene in the first film with the crazy 88s is one of my top five favorite battle scenes of all time), he even surpasses this talent in his ability to write witty, intriguing dialogue: and this film really delivers it. One scene in particular, with David Carradine as Bill, near the end, speaking with Uma Thurman's The Bride while he makes a sandwich, is unforgettable and insightfully interesting. There are few points where the film drags, and the movie ultimately creates the impression of a visceral experience. 10/10. Go see this film, it is by far the best film released so far this year.

Equally as good as the brilliant Vol. 1, managing to complement it perfectly while also being so different

[Jeremy_Urquhart · 10/10 · 27 January 2020]

There are few certainties in life. The sun rises in the east and sets in the west. When someone is born, eventually they die. A person starts Kill Bill Vol. 1, and immediately needs to watch Vol. 2. With that cliffhanger in Vol. 1- where we find out The Bride's daughter is somehow still alive- how could you resist?

I'm not here to talk about which one is best, because in all honesty, I think they're equally good. Is that something of a cop out on my part? I don't think so, because I can rank other classic film stories split into parts with relative ease (Fellowship>Return>Two Towers, and Empire>New Hope>Jedi for a couple of examples). It really is the 100% honest truth that I cannot differentiate these in terms of quality. But with how different they are, you'd think that it would be easy.

Vol. 1 focuses on being a martial arts film homage, with tons of crazy action and violence to satisfy actions fans and provide so much incredible, visceral, extravagant entertainment. Vol. 2 is just as entertaining and engaging but for different reasons. There is violence, but it's certainly less frequent. Instead of extended scenes of action, we get a whole lot of extended dialogue exchanges, which if you go through Tarantino's filmography, is honestly what you get the most out of his films, by and large (despite his reputation for being a filmmaker who packs his films with violence, Kill Bill Vol. 1 in my eyes is his only true action film; that and maybe the second half of Death Proof). The dialogue is fantastically written, and even more impressively, likely wouldn't sound as great if this film wasn't so well cast and acted. This is Uma Thurman's greatest performance; as fantastic and cool as she is in the first volume, Vol. 2 is where she really gets to shine as an actress, as she goes through a whole host of emotions and commits entirely to a role that I'm sure a lesser performer would not take as seriously. David Carradine is also amazing here. I haven't seen much else with him in it, but he brings so much to what could otherwise be a very simple character, and for as terrible as Bill acted, and for as occasionally creepy as he can be, he really feels like a real person. You truly buy the chemistry between him and Thurman (despite the- again, slightly creepy- age difference), and he proves to be an oddly tragic villain. You want The Bride to indeed 'kill Bill,' but at the same time, perhaps you don't. Anytime Thurman and Carradine share the screen, time slips away and the film is utterly captivating.

Despite having less action, many of the things that were fantastic about the first volume are just as fantastic here. The look of the film is breathtaking, with a greater focus on paying visual homage here to old westerns rather than the martial arts references found in the first volume- although there is an extended flashback dealing with The Bride's martial arts training that reproduces and pays loving homage to similar old martial arts movies brilliantly. All the music here is selected and used just as perfectly as the amazing soundtrack in the first part. And there are sequences here that while not as over-the-top as the climactic fight against The Crazy 88 in the first, prove just as memorable. Scenes like a one-on-one swordfight in such an enclosed space that one participant cannot even unsheathe their sword, and a painfully drawn-out sequence that will have you on edge, even if you don't think yourself usually susceptible to claustrophobia. And then there's the surprisingly hard-hitting emotion of the whole thing. Vol. 2 is where the characters left standing after Vol. 1 start to feel like real people, and the whole concept of revenge becomes something less simple and straightforward; something that is perhaps even critiqued. The movie gives its characters time to breathe and speak, not just fight, and that's when the surprisingly deep character traits and frequently relatable emotional dilemmas begin to make themselves apparent.

I could understand Vol. 1 being seen by some as the better film, and honestly I have no ill will against anyone preferring one of the volumes over the other. For me, they'll always remain equal, proving unbelievably satisfying in their own unique ways while also blending together to create a perfect revenge epic that runs for about four blissfully cinematic hours. Vol. 2 has as much artistic merit as the first despite its different approach and focuses, and I believe as long as you're open to the story continuing in a matter you might not be expecting after the kinetic, violent, and relentless Vol. 1, you should come away satisfied.

Disappointing

[JonSnowsMother · 6/10 · 3 March 2008]

The movie wasn't bad and i am not saying you should avoid it. But after a thrilling and great first movie i was expecting this to be just as good but even though Tarantino did a good job and some impressive acting by Uma Thurman. What the film lacks is the poor storyline. If you've seen the first film you will realise the lack of fights which was shocking enough.

Like i said earlier the film has a weak storyline and the only way to make it better is a good screenplay and even though it starts off quite good it turns poor near the end.

One thing the movie did do very well was the acting Uma Thurman and David Carradine give good strong performances. One problem with the movie is a big twist happens near the end and it is poorly done for such an important scene. This film isn't bad just that if you enjoyed the first film don't get so excited but i am sure most big Tarantino fans will enjoy it.

On the whole, so to speak, or by itself, the second part of Kill Bill fits the Tarantinian psychology

[Quinoa1984 · 10/10 · 22 August 2004]

Although, as a film buff myself, having a whole Kill Bill epic in one sitting would've been satisfying, like the first part that was split Vol. 2 works extraordinarily well. In terms of storytelling it's direct and (of course) unconventional, in style Tarantino pays homage/borrows (or depending on your point of view steals) from most of the films that stew around in his arsenal. And with dialog, in maybe a couple of moments it doesn't seem up to par, but it's not often. And the acting is in the greatest tradition of B-movie, spaghetti western, shaw-brothers, kung-fu et. all. If you look at both Kill Bills it's fascinating as a movie buff to discover things you haven't seen before (i.e. the whole blood-coated style of the climax in vol. 1) and things you recognize right away (i.e. the unmistakable songs of Ennio Morricone, who is just as creditable as Leone for Tarantino's style).

What's there to say about the story, except that it picks up where it left off? Sort of- as usual, the non-linear story aspect kicks in, and two sections of the film derail from the continuing story of revenge on the DIVAs and Bill (the squad members this time being the perfectly paced in tone and presence Michael Madsen as Budd, and Daryl Hannah's most vindictive role as Elle Driver). At first, we get a stark, black and white view of what the "Massacre at Two Pines" was like, and right away we're introduced (finally) to Bill, played by David Carradine, one of the most calm, affecting film villain performances in recent memory. The other derailment is to tell the immensely entertaining story of The Bride's training by the heavy-duty Pai Mei (Gordon Liu, in one of his performances in the whole KB saga). This could be counted as the funnest part of the film, aside from a few key moments, as the camera sweeps from medium to close up happen every thirty seconds or so.

In the acting department, as I've said, Tarantino gets a big boost- this could be counted as being one of the key performances of not only Carradine's career, but Thruman's as well. They elevate the mood of Tarantino's (sometimes) tongue-in-cheek dialog, but they're also pro's that do their best when it comes time to the showdown, with monologues that come close to being QT's most memorable (although not his best- as cool as it all sounds, it doesn't hit the Pulp Fiction marker). When it does end, the whole operatic sense of the film seems to work, and to the audience it will either be a fitting end or a disappointment. It is, at least, the most ambitious action/comedy/drama/kung-fu/western/romance film (this is referring to Vol. and both volumes together) in many a moon; it's a lot like opening up the filmmaker's skull, and getting a scrambled up dosage of his memories and references, and it works much more often than not. Oh, and how about a bit of applause to Bob Richardson and Michael Parks! A+

Disappointing and Overrated Sequel

[claudio_carvalho · 6/10 · 23 August 2004]

After killing O-Ren Ishii (Lucy Liu) and Vernita Green (Vivica A. Fox), The Bride chases Budd (Michael Madsen) and Elle (Daryl Hanna). Then, she finds Bill (David Carradine), where a surprise waits for her. The second part of Kill Bill is a disappointing and overrated sequel. The reason and the massacre in the Texas church are finally presented and is the best part of this volume 2. The first part (Vol. 1) of this story was full of action and very funny, but there is too much comic book cheap philosophy talk and a corny conclusion in this second part. In Brazil, `Kill Bill Vol. 2' has not been released in the movie theaters yet. I saw it in an imported DVD and I really did not like it, since I expected much more from Quentin Tarantino. My vote is six.

Title (Brazil): `Kill Bill Vol. 2'

Powerful Tarantino's Cinema

[pesaresigiovanni · 8/10 · 1 April 2020]

Vol. 1 is blood and fun, Vol. 2 is a memorable piece of art.

More Straightforward Than Part One

[michael_the_nermal · 6/10 · 6 December 2009]

Volume 2 does indeed tie up the loose ends of Volume 1, but it does so in a rather abrupt and ultimately unsatisfying way. Unlike Part 1, which was mostly guts, gore, and flash, Volume 2 is rather crisp, sticking to the plot in a straightforward manner without going off on tangents. The film sticks to the protagonist, Black Mamba's, quest for vengeance without going into side stories about the antagonists' pasts, nor engaging in 40-minute swordfights with hundreds of henchmen. This is no action movie; really, the murders of the remaining assassins are, compared to Black Mamba's epic sword duel with Cottonmouth in Volume 1, incredibly quick (including *SPOILER ALERT* Bill's, the main antagonist of Volume 2). Black Mamba does not even kill off Sidewinder, a trailer- trash strip joint bouncer who also happens to be Bill's brother! I was hoping Black Mamba would engage in epic sword fights with Mountain Snake (Daryll Hannah of "Splash!" fame) and Bill (the late David Carradine, Grasshopper of "Kung-Fu"). Mountain Snake suffers the fate of the criminal who taunted Jesus at Calvary, also graphically depicted in a film that came out the same year as Volume 2, "Passion of the Christ."

MAJOR SPOILER ALERT!

Black Mamba's killing of Bill is so sudden compared to her long, drawn-out trek for the lesser assassin, Cottonmouth, that this film's climax seems hollow. No "Hanzo sword duel" as promised; just quick, sudden revenge. Tarantino deliberately wanted to bum out his audience, who craved the action, clanking swords, and epic battles between killers of equal caliber of the first film by denying Uma from fighting her main antagonist in any satisfying way. This film, compared to the top-heavy first part, was a little *too* focused on plot and not on action. As a result, the villains come off as easy enemies for the "world's greatest assassin" to vanquish. Tarantino wanted to save the best fight first (that with Lucy Liu's Mafia Queen character) and thus let us down by denying us any good fights with the villains, whom we, the audience, would assume are superior fighters to Lucy Liu's character (I was expecting Daryll Hannah's Mountain Snake to kick major butt, but Tarantino utterly ruined what could have been a cool fight scene). Uma ultimately reveals to Bill why she left his elite group of assassins; and, while heart-rending, it does not save this film from the huge disappointment of Tarantino preventing Black Mamba from clanking swords with Bill, the Grand Master of all the assassins, in an epic showdown. Mr T. is Hollywood's biggest letdown artist.

Only Uma Thurman shows plenty of acting skill, compared to the other actors, as the protagonist. Black Mamba is no longer a superhero, as she was in Volume 1, but she is still one of the few characters to show much emotion or to elicit any sympathy from the audience. Bill and his brother Sidewinder are soft-spoken killers, and their understated characterizations are nice to watch, but by no means more interesting than Black Mamba. There is a cool flashback scene where Black Mamba learns the trade of Kung-Fu from a strict sensei; this actor was awesome as the harsh, if spirit-building, martial arts instructor. Daryll Hannah's character is shown to be treacherous and slimy, yet understated like Bill. Still, Hannah's character does not have the backstory or enough meat to her personality to make her as interesting as she deserved to be (she is set up to be a far more interesting villain than Lucy Liu's Cottonmouth, but Tarantino lets us down).

While lean and straightforward to Volume 1, Volume 2 does seem to be style over substance, with an eclectic soundtrack and homages to Kung- Fu and spaghetti western movies that I have never seen. In all, a movie for those "in the know" about cinema, but, with an easy-to-follow plot line, which means that it is far more audience friendly than Volume 1.

In short, Tarantino is grossly overrated as a genius infant terrible of cinema. He should limit his films for a narrow art-house audience, rather than make any attempt to be mainstream---either that, or he should only make his movies for his select group of Hollywood buddies for Sunday-night viewings in his mansion.

The Emperor's New Clothes

[Turfseer · 5/10 · 17 June 2009]

Quentin Tarrantino tells us in the documentary which is part of the special features section of the Kill Bill Volume 2 DVD, that Volume 2 is much more an homage to spaghetti westerns than to the martial arts homage of Volume 1. Volume 2 brings us back to the beginning of Volume 1, The Massacre at Two Pines. It's a slow-moving scene where we finally get to meet Bill who ultimately rejects The Bride's deep-seated wish to leave her murderous past behind. Quite fortunately Tarrantino opts not to mimic Peckinpah westerns and show us close-ups of the massacre in slow motion. In fact none of the massacre is shown and by doing so he wisely avoids alienating his audience. Kill Bill Volume 2 ends up being more camp than horror show. Had Tarrantino decided to show the massacre of innocents it wouldn't have worked in his film precisely because the victims (aside from the 'real' people at the wedding rehearsal) are comic book villains who we are not supposed to identify with.

Michael Madsen as Bill's brother, Budd, does an excellent job portraying the former assassin turned bouncer. The portrait of the wise-cracking psychopath features some of Tarrantino's best dialogue. But the whole idea that The Bride (aka Beatrix Kiddo), who has just taken down 100 Samurai swordsman in a space of few minutes in Volume 1 would allow herself to be so easily subdued by a blast of "rock salt" from Budd's rifle is ludicrous. Obviously Tarrantino needed a way to have her overcome an even more impossible challenge than the 100 plus Samurai swordsman—in this case, she now ends up buried alive in a coffin and in Houdini-like fashion, is able to extricate herself from the situation. The absurdity of the scene reaches its apotheosis when Beatrix utilizes her zen-like martial arts training to punch a hole in the coffin with her bare hand and then miraculously levitate through mounds of earth to freedom above ground.

I very much liked how Tarrantino uses Gordon Liu to play different parts in Volume 1 and 2. Liu is the martial arts master Pai Mei in Volume 2 and Beatrix's training at the hands of this gruff instructor prove to be one of the more engaging and streamlined sequences in the film. Tarrantino also uses another actor, Michael Parks, to play two different roles. He's the sheriff in the beginning of Volume 1 and transforms himself into Bill's father figure, an old pimp, Esteban Vihaio, in Volume 2. Parks really shows his mettle as an actor since he is virtually unrecognizable from one part to the next.

Things get even better in the "Elle and I" sequence. Darryl Hannah is perfect as the demented one-eyed assassin who first kills Budd with a Black Mamba poisonous snake and then gets into a fight to the death with Beatrix. The fight scene was so over the top that it can be considered a classic in terms of campy female vs. female fight sequences. It's a scene that perhaps comes closest to being funny out of all the scenes in both Volumes 1 and 2.

Unlike Volume 1 which ends with a bang, Volume 2 ends with a whimper. In a very long-winded and tame confrontation, the late David Carradine (not looking very well at all) finally reveals why he 'overreacted' and went after Beatrix. It was a matter of simple jealousy—he couldn't stand the idea of Beatrix being with another man. So that's it—after one killing after another, the whole reason for Bill's actions rests on irrational jealousy. This is what we've waited for, for the entire movie. Tarrantino doesn't bother explaining who Bill is at all. We find next to nothing about him. He has no history and is merely a flimsy prop, the catalyst to get all the bloody events moving. Bill has no back story and Carradine has no character to mold here.

Tarrantino is probably better served directing movies based on adaptations. As a writer of his own material, Tarrantino is the master of not only style over substance but elevating nastiness to high kitsch. Visually he'll be remembered for some classic scenes but often many of these scenes are too drawn out and need to be edited. Most disappointing is the revelation of the ultimate motivation of the antagonist—in its utter simplicity Tarrantino is revealed to be the Emperor with no clothes, an 'auteur' who puts a premium on 'shock cinema' at the expense of intellect.

Different Yes, Bad, No

[no_math9 · 23 October 2004]

This movie is completely different from the first. Unlike the first with fast paced action and extreme entertainingly super-stylish gore, Kill Bill vol. 2 is everything that was missing in th first.

The Bride's revenge is burning strong and we can see it in her eyes. We discover the truth behind the wedding massacre and all questions from the 1st movie are answered. We discover why the Bride is the deadliest woman in the world. We discover why Elle is missing an eye. We discover who Bill really is. We discover the Brides name. And finally we discover the truth of the secret revealed at the end of Vol. 1.

Her first target is Budd. The loser bum ex-deadly assassin living in a trailer in the middle of nowhere. The short confrontation ends with one of the most terrifyingly claustrophobia-inducing (sp?) scenes ever...specially if you watch it in the dark. Then we are taken to the journey of how the Bride became the deadliest person in the world. We see the story between her and her hard-hitting very mean master Pai-Mei.

After a while there is the confrontation with Elle Driver...the Battle of the Blonde Gargantuants...as Uma Thurman referred to it in an interview. This one fight scene is almost as exciting as watching the Bride battling off tons of the Crazy 88s from Vol. 1.

Then the battle we were all waiting for. For Uma Thurman to Kill Bill...well I won't spoil it for you. Basically vol. 1 was 95% style 5% substance while vol. 2 is 95% substance 5% style. Very emotional and touching movie with a few key gore scenes...definitely a must see...

Better Than Volume 1.

[anaconda-40658 · 10/10 · 3 June 2015]

Kill Bill: Volume 2 (2004): Dir: Quentin Tarantino / Cast: Uma Thurman, David Carradine, Daryl Hannah, Michael Madsen, Gordon Liu: Even better than Volume 1 and much deeper. This one is about penetration. As remembered from Volume 1 the Bride's wedding was ambushed by the Deadly Viper Assassins with the massacre concluding when Bill shoots her into a four year coma. Volume 2 opens with her being buried alive, which allows her to reflect upon her strict training. What makes this film work is its exploration of her and Bill's relationship and the concluding revelations. Director Quentin Tarantino details the film with his usual flair of outstanding dialogue. His previous films include the acclaim Pulp Fiction as well as Jackie Brown and Reservoir Dogs. Uma Thurman is excellent as the Bride who faced death and emerged with grim determination to face her past. David Carradine plays Bill as an intelligent and charming assassin with a sense of regret. Daryl Hannah plays the lethal Elle Driver whose fate is even more so. Michael Madsen plays Budd who is surprisingly the most sympathetic character in the film. He works at a strip club and lives in a secluded trailer. Gordon Liu is a strong presence as Pai Mei who puts the Bride under extreme training that ultimately leads to respect. Everything reflects upon why the Bride wanted out and the life she truly pursued when freedom arrived. Score: 10 / 10

One of my favourite movies of all time!

[Tobbson · 10/10 · 4 November 2020]

The Kill Bill movies are not your typical bloody packed, sword wielding action movie. These movies are something different, that has not been achieved by any other movie in my opinion. An incredibly good movie which i highly suggest you to be watching!

The Tarantino Pentathlon Part 5 - The temporary end of his return: Kill Bill Vol. 2

[stamper · 8/10 · 24 April 2004]

The sentimental showdown

Kill Bill Vol. 2 deserves to be another film than Kill Bill Vol. 1, not only the fact that the film would then run 4 hours + if it had been shown in one piece, but more because showing both films in one run might come across somewhat odd. The reason I'm saying this, is because Kill Bill Vol. 2 is very different in tone and feeling than was Vol. 1. The first part was more anger driven and brutal, whereas Kill Bill Vol. 2 is more about love and disappointment. Where the first part is bloody and ruthless, the second one is tender and sore. This does not mean that there is no brutality in this film, but rather that the tone of the film is totally different.

I must admit that it took me some getting used to in the first 20 or so minutes of the film, because I'd expected the film to go on as brutally and furious as the first one finished. It didn't happen. What I got instead was a more story and character driven film, that was filled with emotion, explanations and some good and original fighting scenes.

I have no negative comments on this film I guess. I think the acting was good to very good, with the extra kudos going to Daryl Hannah, who'd let some people to believe that she as just a tall blond who couldn't act in the last couple of years. With this film she manages to show us though, that she just has not been given the right offers. This I must say seems to be some kind of quality of Tarantino, to get ‘discarded' actors and actresses and give them an opportunity to shine once again. Speaking of Tarantino, although I do realize that with Kill Bill he was an 'hommage' to many of his influences, I just have to say that he is a great director and screenwriter. I mean, the way he directs, the music he chooses to accompany the scenes and the dialog. It's just all top notch. This does not mean that this is the best film I've ever seen, but that it is a good film, which fulfilled it's promises. I mean let us ALL be honest. Who can pull off filming a revenge movie lasting more than 4 hours without it getting dull and boring? NOBODY but Tarantino. Hell, most people can't make complete a good 90 minute flick with this amount of story.

7,5 out of 10

The Moose Hole - Review of Kill Bill (Volume II)

[JAKastner · 9/10 · 27 April 2004]

`Revenge is a dish best served cold.'

When we last left off, Quentin Tarantino has re-emerged onto the Hollywood scene for the first time in six years with not just one but two films to be released into theaters to an overwhelmingly awaiting cult audience. But not everyone was especially happy with the decision of both Tarantino and his distributor, Miramax Pictures, to split the tale of The Bride in two. There were some in the vast assortment of captious movie-goers that took this as a sign of continued greed amongst the `Hollywood elite' in that the decision of splitting the film into two parts was done to get the loyal fans to shell-out double the normal ticket price for essentially one film. Granted, in the end, that turned out not to be the case, as the film would actually be five hours in length and thus be deemed too long to be taken all at once, but the issue still remained whether the rest of Hollywood would follow in the foot-steps of Kill Bill and spark a brand new trend, only this time with less honorable then Tarantino did. That is still to be seen and perhaps that argument is a bit overzealous . In this situation, one shouldn't question what could happen in the future but whether or not the primary influence, namely Kill Bill, did what it claimed it would accomplish, by delivering movie-goers ultimate satisfaction for dollar.

Kill Bill (Volume II) is the second, and possibly final, installment of the story that centers on a former member of a group of assassins who seeks revenge for the actions done on to her by her former colleagues. For those unfamiliar with the first installment, here is a slight recap of previous events:

A woman known only as The Bride has waken up from a four year comma after her former boss Bill left her for dead on the day of her wedding killing her fiancé, the wedding party and her unborn child. Unfortunately for the skilled assassin, he made one big mistake: he failed to kill her. Now that she has awakened from her living slumber, The Bride will travel the world picking off her attempted killers one by one including the mysterious Bill. First up on her list is O-Ren Ishi, aka Cottonmouth, and her group of Japanese underground assassins and then Vernita Green, aka Copperhead. Upon completing the task of killing her first two targets, The Bride continues on her rampage determined to kill everyone on her list, all the way to Bill.

The second installment picks up basically where the first one left off, leaving The Bride heading to her next target, Budd (aka Sidewinder), who happens to be the run-down and vastly inferior brother of Bill himself. But, for at least a few moments, Budd gets the upper-hand on the film's lead assassin by placing her in a coffin and burring her alive. In the time it takes her to escape, the audience is informed on the vast training The Bride took in order to become the superior apache she is today. Upon escaping the make-shift grave, The Bride duels with her contemporary rival, Elle Driver (aka California Mountain Snake), who not only killed Pai Mai but has her eyes set on The Bride herself. The final lag of her journey brings her to the home of Bill himself and along with him comes a little surprise: her daughter. The story for Kill Bill (Volume II) is quite arguably vastly superior to the one written up for the first installment in that this one deals not so much with action but dialogue and meanings discovered behind actions made by characters throughout this film as well as the previous installment. Once again Tarantino demonstrates his remarkable filmmaking skills by back-tracking the story at precise moments that by doing so will explain actions yet to come. Few writers can pull such an effect successful and Tarantino does so brilliantly.

As was said with the previous installment, a relative bunch of low-profile actors and actresses make up one of the better casts of the year for this film, but this time around we introduced to a slightly different lot from the last film. Michael Madsen gives a dead-on (no pun intended) performance as Budd, a run-down and subjacent version of his former self now that he is no longer in the hit-man business. Madsen gives a sense that the character really contemplates on what he has done and whether or not he feels remorse for those actions but at the same time showcases the scoundrel that still lives within him. Daryl Hannah is quite intriguing as Elle Driver, clearly the most ruthless and baneful character in the film series. The only problem with her role was the dreadfully over-the-top performance given when her character's eye was plucked out. Granted having one's eye plucked out isn't a pleasant manner but what Hannah presented on screen was unconvincing and quite annoying after some time. Uma Thurman's role in the second installment can't be complimented more then her role in the first . She gives an absolutely brilliant, witty, and exhilarating performance that works every moment she is on screen. And David Carradine, best known for his Kung Fu television series, gives a `sweet', vibrant, and utterly perfect performance as the title character, Bill. He shines in every scenes he is presented in and works exceedingly well with Uma Thurman . There isn't much to say other then `Bravo'!

Overall, Kill Bill plays out much like the concept of revenge itself - actions and instincts engulf us at first, but as time goes on and the journey rampages toward its ultimate conclusion, truth and meaning quickly take over. Where Tarantino starts off with a bang, he rightfully finishes off with a shock to our system - maturity and philosophical contemplation on the subject of revenge and what it means for those involved. Those who were truly engulfed by the blood and gut spilling actions of the first film will be greatly disappointed by the second installment unless you are one of those geeks who enjoy dialogue far more then comical violence, which may not be too many. But if there is even just a few then that will demonstrate the true essence of maturity amongst the movie-going public. Despite a pacing that made the feature feel a tad longer then was probably necessary, Kill Bill (Volume II) serves as a fitting conclusion to Quentin Tarantino's near perfect masterpiece . a masterpiece that may take quite some time to surpass but if the young filmmaker keeps putting out work like his previous films, his cult audience is more then willing to wait.

A wild ride!

[glebe-88367 · 6/10 · 13 September 2019]

You have the wicked wit,the funky score,the hip-retro cultural artifacts and lots of non-stop,brace in your face action that is not to be missed.

One of the best sequel of all time.

[compactDiSc · 10/10 · 16 May 2007]

Kill Bill Volume 2 has to be in the sentence with Aliens, Terminator 2, Evil Dead, and The Godfather Part II. this has to be one of the greatest sequels of all time. Quentin Tarantino hits it out of the park with his great storytelling, especially his dialogue.

The movie begins with a flashback of the wedding rehearsal. This is the first time we see Bill, who was wonderfully played by Bill Carradine. In volume 1 we only saw actually never saw his face.

This just as Pulp Fiction is a movie full of homages, from spaghetti westerns to giallo films. I see this movie more as an spaghetti western more than anything else. First, the music which was full of Ennio Morricone, it felt like the Dollars Trilogy all over again.

Just like any Quentin Tarantino film this movie has great acting, great dialogue, and great storytelling. My favorite piece of dialogue was the "Superman" speech by Bill.

I rate this film 4/4.

...if you watch the first volume

[matlefebvre20 · 6/10 · 16 June 2007]

I still have difficulties to believe that this insipid and ordinary dish is the sequel of the ultra-spicy and tasty "Kill Bill Vol. 1".

With the incredible spectacle shown in the first part of this epic four-hour-plus movie, my expectations were very high for this sequel and conclusion. Perhaps that it's just me, but maybe I've put the bar too high. Or perhaps that Quentin himself did with the blood pool of the first volume.

At the end of the first volume, The Bride (Uma Thurman) already killed Vernita Green (Vivica A. Fox) and O-Ren Ishii (Lucy Liu). So there were only Budd (Michael Madsen), Elle Driver (Daryl Hannah) and her boss Bill (David Carradine) to annihilate.

The major difference is that director Quentin Tarantino visibly gave a more conventional taste to the second volume. And if there's one character trait that QT doesn't own, it's the fact of being conventional. It's almost like if somebody slapped him on the fingers while lecturing him of calm himself and behave better. Anyway, if it's the case, I'd really like to meet that person and tell him/her my way of thinking.

This section of The Bride's story (who must be called by her real name Beatrix Kiddo) began pretty well however. The black-and-white opening about the church where the initial massacre happened is original and the massacre itself is never really shown, which gives a "Reservoir Dogs" taste (it happens to be the movie in which Madsen plays the greatest role of his career).

The fact that the shootout happened in a church during a wedding repetition acts like some kind of sacrilege. Just like the katana duel in the snow-covered Japanese garden in the first movie.

Like always, Tarantino tries to pay homage to many film genres in the course of the same feature-length film. But here, it doesn't work very well when you compare to his other movies. The first part, which is supposed to pay tribute to the spaghetti westerns from Sergio Leone, falls short. And there's one good reason for that. The word 'spaghetti' hasn't been taken just like that. That precise word is used because of the supposedly huge amount of blood shown on-screen. But it seems that we're running out of currant juice. Moreover, the cinematography is supposed to be minimalistic, which is not the case here either. Images are not elaborated nor especially stylized, but they're not minimalistic either. Tarantino can try to include samples from Ennio Morricone on the soundtrack, it doesn't improve the situation.

There's an obvious reference to the zombie films of George A. Romero which almost becomes a moment of unintentional comedy.

While Volume 1 was definitely based on the presentation, Volume 2 is definitely aimed at character development and at moments of introspection and souvenirs. It's probably that brutal change of tone that is so uncomfortable.

But it nevertheless benefits to some actors. Carradine impresses, not necessarily by his performance by itself, but by his capacity to remember so many lines and so many monologues by heart.

Hannah is the most frightening killer of the group, because of her dirty character, her menacing face and her sinister blindfold above her right eye. Her fight with Thurman is exciting and the scene where Thurman pulls out her remaining eye is very hard to stomach and remains the most powerful image of this portion of movie.

And we know at which point Tarantino is far from being sentimental. However, the scenes where Beatrix appears with her daughter (which Beatrix thought of being dead) are surprising and comforting.

Now I'd like to go back to Carradine's monologues. It's true that the characters talk much more than they fight in this second volume. Some people would even say that it's another Tarantino trademark and that it's the point that made "Pulp Fiction" so interesting. However, here, characters are rather boring and their conversations are not very catchy. Let's say that Bill's superhero speech is far from the level of the famous "Royale with cheese" of Vincent Vega.

On the cinematography level, there are not many things to underline. There's only the first chapter, entirely in black-and-white, and the scene from inside the coffin that are really interesting.

To sum up, almost all of the publicity and the fame of "Kill Bill" are built around the first volume. Volume 2 is good nevertheless, but we could compare the effect to a cold shower poured on a burning body. If both sections are put together, it would enhance the second part, but it would risk to harm the first one. And obviously, because we're so impressed by the first part, we desperately want to watch the second one. But what do you want...

Unique Film Surprising For Its Amount Of Dialog

[ccthemovieman-1 · 9/10 · 15 March 2006]

This is unique, a film unlike any I've seen before. It features either calm discussions (most of the film) or intense, insane action. Most of the film, surprisingly, is talk...and I found the conversations fascinating.

After the ultra-violent Kill Bill Vol. 1, this movie was shock. There is no shouting in here, no yelling, just a few very sick killers with good vocabularies talking to one another. It sounds boring, but it wasn't to me. Even the trailer-trash lowlife played by Michael Madsen, had a good way with the words.

The violence in here is not that prevalent, and it's not the mindless, brain- numbing kind that made up most of the Vol. 1 in this two-part story. As I said, it was a shock...and yes, I liked this. It's good storytelling.

This film is stylish with a capital "T" and tells a lot of background of the characters featured in Vol. 1. Among the more memorable scenes, in addition to the great dialog, are Thurman being buried alive; the Chinese teacher; a snake attack and two women duking it out. I liked the ending to this film, too. Nicely done.

The cinematography also was good and I appreciated the black-and-white long opening scene....but I still go back to fascinating conversations in this film. I think my favorite is near the end with David Carradine talking about Superman and Clark Kent, and the analogy of them to Thurman's character. Carradine's speeches were consistently interesting.

I feel so cheated SPOLIERS

[snakej32 · 7/10 · 16 April 2004]

Kill Bill Volume 1 was a masterpiece, there is no doubt about that but this huge dissapointment Tarantino calls a second half does not do it justice. So many things make no sense and go against the whole style of the movie. Even the soundtrack sucks compared to the first. If you havent seen it yet dont read on SPOLIERS: The part when she is buried alive in the coffin and manages to not only break the coffin open, but she manages to get through all the hundreds of pounds of dirt that are coming in by what can only be described as flying through it to the top. So she can fly now, great. The whole scene with Elle is too short, and the sword fight doesnt last long at all. Another scene that was over promoted was the introductory chapel scene, Tarantino and others blew it out of proportion before its release saying that it was the whole scene of what really happened. In reality, they didnt even need to show it at all. All it shows of the actual "massacre" is a few seconds after the D.I.V.A.S. walk into the chapel (from behind no less), only to slowly back away from the chapel and only hear whats happening inside for about 10 seconds. And what the hell happened to Budd?? There's no big fight scene, theres no nothing with him and the bride, + he went from being one of the worlds most elite assassins to a poor alchaholic living in a trailer who's working as a bouncer at some strip club and it doesn't even say why. And he's randomly Bill's brother now and it barely mentions something about some kind of argument between them but nothing more. And Elle has him killed because she regrets that he killed The Bride when she told him to do it?!?! In Addition, the scene with the chinese assassin makes no sense, as assassins do not just leave their marks out of compassion or whatever you want to call it. Tarantino also cut the scene with the most potential which was Yuki's Revenge. The biggest injustice of all however, has to be the final scene between Bill and the Bride. Kill Bill is the title of the movie, and you'd think that The Bride's and Bill's fight would be some kind of epic battle, considering that the bride had such a hard time killing his assassins who don't even have half of the training or skills that he has. But no, the scene lasts for probably a little under a minute, and Bill puts up no kind of fight at all. I thought it was gonna be the climax of the movie! If their battle would have been longer I would have a much better opinion of the film. This movie does have some funny moments, and a few good scenes (especially the one with Pai Mei). I saw the first in theatres multiple times, and it remains one of my favorite movies, so me being so dissapointed with this one really says something about it. And it's not because it was "slow" because most of the best movies of all time are "Slow" and i've always been a fan of Tarantino's dialouge. And don't listen to any of this **** about it being complete now, this should have been one movie, it would have be much better and Tarantino would have had to cut some of the pointless and stupid crap making which would make the movie a great whole instead of a brilliant first half with a conclusion that pales in comparison.

Kill Bill? Should be Kill Tarantino, more like...

[Rob_Taylor · 1/10 · 30 April 2004]

Awful, boring, slow and tedious are just a few words that spring to mind when I recall having to sit through Kill Bill Vol 2. And those are the kindest words I can think of. A few more choice words would be crap, s***e, rubbish or just plain retarded.

Now, I admit, I wasn't expecting KB Vol 1 rehashed, but I did expect something not too dissimilar from Vol 2. KB2 is to KB1 as The Sound of Music is to The Texas Chainsaw Massacre. The first film's non-stop action has been replaced almost entirely by non-stop dialogue. And not particular good dialogue either. In fact, I'll coin a new term here - dire-logue. The film is littered with it. Any film requires a certain amount of exposition, and even mystic claptrap like that in the Matrix movies. But KB Vol 2 takes claptrap to a new level that makes the Matrix movies look positively Spartan in terms of jibber-jabber. But the worst thing about the chatter in KB2 is the total and utter meaninglessness of most of it. It just drones on and on. A character makes a point verbally then, instead of getting on with the movie, the character is forced to belabour the point over and over until you're practically screaming at them to shut the Hell up and get on with it!

Nor do the pointlessly long (and in fact, just pointless) extra scenes add to the film in any way. For example, we learn that Bud (Bill's brother) lives in a trailer and has a crappy job at a local bar as a bouncer. He's become a loser - a far cry from his assassin days. What I've just summarized in two sentences is dragged out on film over the course of perhaps twenty minutes or more, including an entirely tedious and unnecessary set of scenes involving Bud at work that add absolutely nothing whatsoever to the film and introduce characters that have no bearing on the movie at all. Another scene involves the Bride talking to one of Bill's old colleagues in order to find out where Bill is located. This scene drags on terribly and gives the viewer pointless information on this character which again has precisely no bearing on the movie at all. The only scene which is worthy of inclusion is the obligatory training scene. This is a direct homage to many old Kung Fu movies, right down to the beard stroking sensei. But even this goes on unnecessarily and has you shifting uncomfortably in your seat. And although this scene ties in with the finale and burial scenes, it only serves to remind you that, whilst the Bride was seemingly unable to master punching her fist through a piece of wood, she was apparently highly enough thought of by Pai Mei (the sensei) that he taught her the "hand of death" trick which he had previously never taught to anyone. Hmmm.

The action sequences are brief and entirely unsatisfying for a movie based around the concept of revenge. Bud isn't even slain by the Bride, but by Elle using a Black Mamba (we know it's a Black Mamba because, as Bud is writhing in his death throes on the floor, Elle gives us a tedious five minute exposition on the snake). Elle isn't killed by the Bride, but rather maimed and left after a fight that was very scrappy and not at all elegant. And finally Bill, who is killed by the Bride (after endless boring dialogue about superheroes) in one of the most anticlimactic and disappointing "final encounter" scenes I've ever witnessed.

The truth of this movie is that it's really not a movie at all. It's the extra half-hour that they had to cut from the first film, padded out to two hours or so to make a sequel. With not even particularly brutal editing, KB2 could be distilled down into 30 minutes of relevant, interesting scenes and tacked on to KB1 to make that movie complete. Otherwise this bloated monstrosity is doomed to obscurity in the way that so many sequels so often are - due to over hype and audience expectations being too high.

Quentin Tarantino is to be commended for his movie efforts on the most part. However, KB2 is little more than self-indulgent twaddle wrapped up as a film and served up for consumption on the strength of its predecessor. It's destined to become one of those "I liked so-and-so, but the sequel was rubbish" type of deals. This is even more certain in the light of certain comments I read by Tarantino where he made a big deal of telling everyone that he was sparing no effort in the editing room. If this film is an example of his editing skills, I'd say he needs to be evicted from post-production facilities and the door locked securely behind him to ensure he can't get back in.