Quentin Tarantino's second installment in the Uma Thurman-driven series has its ups, but the downs unfortunately outweigh them. This film is still watchable and entertaining, but seems to be quite a change of pace from the first. Much of the writing style was altered and there was a shift in focus very apparent throughout the entire film. Much of the plot was very predictable and underwhelming, which did not conclude this epic series in the way that I expected it to. Kill Bill: Vol. 2 provides a lot of closure to the story of The Bride, but overall lacks the same thrilling style that made the first film so memorable.
While there was still plenty of action to fuel the thrill-seekers in the audience, there was not as much focus on that as the first. In fact, this film was much more concentrated on character development and closure than the action or humor that made Vol. 1 so fantastic. While I would normally completely support this kind of development, especially in a complex character like The Bride, I simply did not agree with Tarantino's pacing in this film. This film's purpose was obviously to give closure to many of the questions raised in its predecessor, and while it did do that, made for a dull story throughout. It did not feel like the same aesthetic style as the first, and that disappointed even me, who typically judges the story first. This abundance of closure included the reveal of her having a daughter, her true name reveal (Beatrix), and the full story behind her wedding where she was shot in the head (and somehow survived? I still don't understand that). The writing in this film was great in that aspect, but like I said before, did not the same aesthetic as the first. It is a sort of double-edged sword because while it did not contain the same brutally beautiful elements of Vol. 1, it did give room for a lot better writing, which it excelled at. The change of pace took me by surprise, and not in the good way either. This was the main problem with the film, but there were still other smaller parts that made me uneasy. The main one being the portrayal of the Asian martial arts trainer on the mountaintop. While he was played by an Asian actor (Chia-Hui Liu), his characteristics were uncomfortably exaggerated. The long, white mustache and stereotypical accent were not necessary by any means, and could have been toned down a bit.
While this film was a total tone turnaround, there were still some memorable parts. Uma Thurman and David Carradine's performances were absolutely fantastic. Since the writing in Vol. 2 was much more geared towards Bill and The Bride's relationship, it provided their characters with amazing character development. They definitely stole the show throughout this entire film, even though the final scene was unsatisfying as hell. I definitely expected a larger battle between the two, seeing as what they had gone through together, but the "five point palm exploding heart technique" was all she needed to end their conservation, and a minute later, his heart. This was honestly disappointing, given the nature of the violence in Vol. 1 and most all of Tarantino's films.
Kill Bill: Vol. 2 is, to many people, probably the best of the two films. While a lot of closure and development that was desperately needed was indeed provided, this simply did not feel like a proper Tarantino film. Love him or hate him, Tarantino developed his own trademark style that will be admired and studied for years to come. I would still recommend this film if you need closure from the first film, just be ready for a completely different pace and style.
My Rating: ★★★
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