Kill Bill Vol. 1

I’ve just finished reading two different reviews of the new Quentin Tarantino film, and both agree it’s an absolute masterpiece. They seem to throw in another superlative every other sentence—praising the acting, the directorial approach, the uncompromising vision, and so on and so forth. There isn't a single negative comment to be found. Quite something, isn't it? The only catch is that the movie is split into two parts, though they claim the first half wraps up perfectly.

If you’ve read my previous posts regarding the online reviews for The Matrix Reloaded or Terminator 3, you’ll know I usually argue that critic opinions don't necessarily carry much weight. However, in the case of Kill Bill, I am convinced these reviews are actually onto something.

I truly believe Quentin Tarantino has crafted one of the greatest films ever made, simply because you can feel his drive to create something genuinely unique and his refusal to stop until he reached total satisfaction.

Look, what I’m saying here is essentially baseless, and I’m admittedly caught up in the hype surrounding this movie, but I don't really care. I’m even finding myself wondering which film I’m more eager to see—this one or Return of the King. As much as I am a massive fan of the Lord of the Rings series, I honestly can't decide.

So, ladies and gentlemen, what are your expectations for this film? Does it intrigue you, or are you completely indifferent, thinking to yourselves that I'm just some idiot singing praises to a movie I haven't even seen yet?

Can't wait for this movie. When does it hit theaters here?

The world premiere is happening today, October 10th, though I haven't seen any specific details regarding the release schedule here in the States yet.

My roommate was watching it yesterday, but I haven't run into him since then, so I'm not quite sure what he thought of it yet...
I'm heading there this Sunday. Yay! I seriously can't wait!🙂

I haven't stepped foot in a theater in maybe four months, but for Quentin Tarantino, I’d definitely make the trek out of the house. His editing style has always been a total trip for me, and honestly, he's one of my all-time favorites. I can't help but wonder what kind of soundtrack he's going to cook up this time... 🙂
There is absolutely no way I'm ruining the experience by watching some crappy DivX rip! 🙂

I remember reading somewhere that in the States, nobody ever just drinks straight whiskey or cognac. It’s always some sort of cocktail—some custom concoction of different spirits mixed with juices and whatever else happens to be within arm's reach. If you nail that blend, though, it becomes a legend that nobody else has ever heard of.
Kill Bill Vol. 1 is exactly that kind of cocktail, and it's definitely going to become a legend. It’s wild how many references they pack in from every martial arts flick ever made, but it isn't just that. That weird mix of American melodrama with Japanese sensibilities, all set against a South American soundtrack, only really works if you don't take the movie too seriously from the jump. Which, honestly, isn't hard to do, since in the first five minutes, Quentin Tarantino basically signals that this is just a totally cool movie built on style, a simple plot, and snappy dialogue.

That opening fight scene where The Bride (Uma Thurman) goes head-to-head with Vivica A. Fox shows the movie has real intentions of becoming a kung fu action classic. And, because it's Tarantino, that sharp dialogue fills out those high-tension scenes, creating this almost unreal atmosphere where it feels like a shame to miss even a single detail on screen. Like I said, the story is straightforward, reminiscent of those old Charles Bronson movies where everyone gets killed off—though, uh, in this case, she actually survives, wakes up from a four-year coma, and sets out on a path of vengeance. The rest is pure, top-tier choreographed action punctuated by quick bursts of verbal sparring. Interestingly, even after an hour and fifty minutes, we never actually see Bill's face, yet his presence and significance haunt almost every scene. It's a testament to great directing and a very focused narrative direction. Another thing you notice with Quentin is his killer casting; even the minor characters get these lines that make them feel like they have entire lives of their own, which just adds so much depth to the whole thing.

Kill Bill Vol. 1 is absolutely drenched in violence. There are plenty of visual surprises and tricks to keep the viewer engaged, but the sheer grotesqueness and the over-the-top amount of dismembered organs reminds me of those comic books I used to avoid as a kid—the kind that are pretty typical of the American comic scene.
🙂 Anyway, from my perspective, the movie is okay—fun, unusual, and it proves Tarantino is a real filmmaker, or, as they say in English, a "filmmaker" who's just plain cool. He's a guy with a vision and the grit to see it through exactly how he imagined it. Still, the whole thing where Hollywood stars are doing kung fu and swinging swords feels a bit like déjà vu (think The Matrix Reloaded). Just like the déjà vu of conceiving and filming one movie only to edit it and split it into two (like The Matrix Reloaded and Revolutions). Regardless, I still highly recommend giving it a watch.

Kill Bill is such an incredible movie that this marks our third discussion thread regarding the Film about him. 😁

Does anyone know what kind of soundtrack this is actually chasing? Is it that blaxploitation vibe or what? I've been reading some pretty solid reviews about it.

🙂Kill Bill🙂

The soundtrack is just listed as 'original music' in the credits, which makes it pretty tough to pin down exactly what we're listening to. It’s got this vibe that leans into those 70s action flicks—kind of a funky, Blaxploitation rhythm—but then it shifts into a weird mix. Like, there's this one slow-motion scene (classic Quentin Tarantino) where the music suddenly feels more like the glamorous tracks you'd hear at a high-end fashion show. It’s all over the place.

Jessica Nguyen85 said:The soundtrack is listed simply as "original music" in the credits, which makes it incredibly difficult to pin down exactly what we're listening to. It has this vibe reminiscent of those funky 70s action flicks—sort of a Blaxploitation feel—but it’s really a unique blend. For instance, during one of those slow-motion sequences (a total Tarantino staple), the score reminded me of the glamorous tracks you'd hear at a high-end fashion show. It’s got a little bit of everything.

From what I heard on the film's teaser, it sounds fantastic. If the full soundtrack is as high-energy as I'm expecting it to be, I already know exactly which CD I'll be begging my sister to get me for Christmas.🙂

The soundtrack works incredibly well in certain scenes. It’s just total cool... like when Uma grabs that samurai sword... strikes a pose, and then the music kicks in... the effect is perfect. But honestly, everything really just boils down to that. 😉

Jessica Nguyen85 said:The soundtrack works perfectly during specific scenes. It’s totally cool... like when Uma Thurman grabs a samurai sword, strikes a pose, and the music kicks in... the effect is great. Though, really, it all boils down to 😉

I mean... what else do you actually need?

1) Uma Thurman playing the hero.
2) Katanas.
3) Lucy Liu as the villain.
4) Katanas.
5) Quentin Tarantino.
6) Katanas.
7) An ultra-intense WOKKA CHICKA WOKKA CHICKA! soundtrack.
8) Katanas.
9) Displays of martial arts skills.
10) Katanas.
11) Katanas.
12) And more katanas.

As an optional extra, the film should feature flying bodies, slicing through things, flipping out, and decapitating people without a second thought.

The recipe for success.

Jessica Nguyen85 said:Like I said, the plot is basic. It’s straight out of one of those Charles Bronson movies where he kills everyone in sight—except in this case, she actually survives, wakes up from a four-year coma, and sets off on a revenge spree.

But the whole thing where Hollywood 'stars' try to pull off Kung Fu and swing swords around? Honestly, feels like total déjà vu (looking at you, The Matrix).

Man, seriously? You managed to ruin the movie for me with just those two sentences, and I hadn't even processed the fact that the new Tarantino is handling the distribution yet... 😲 😢

I mean, come on. That whole "I'll kill them or kidnap the wife so he can get his revenge" concept is so groundbreaking that even Jean-Claude Van Damme is using it in his latest flick, for God knows what time. 🙄

All I really wanted was for Tarantino, being such a massive fan of old-school Kung Fu, to just screw over those The Matrix types who are so abnormally chic that even someone like Justin Timberlake had to feature them in a music video. 😵

Maybe expecting a hardcore tribute to that "shot-hand, shot-foot (🙂 )" visual style from those 70s Hong Kong exploitation flicks was asking too much... but why the hell go with The Matrix vibes instead? 😢 😢 😢

It’s just a bunch of rapid-fire shots—Whoosh! A hand strike, Whoosh! A kick, Whoosh! Wiping blood off the lips!

Bansai! 🎉

casualotter21 said:I mean... what else do you even need?

1) Uma Thurman playing the hero.
2) Katanas.
3) Lucy Liu playing the villain.
4) Katanas.
5) Quentin Tarantino.
6) Katanas.
7) An ultra-hyped WOKKA CHICKA WOKKA CHICKA! soundtrack.
8) Katanas.
9) Showing off those martial arts skills.
10) Katanas.
11) Katanas.
12) And more katanas.

And honestly, the movie just needs to have flying everywhere, guts, flipping out, and slicing heads off without even blinking.

That's the recipe for success right there.

I am 100% with you on this.
BTW, I was basically the lead consultant on set, and I worked my tail off training Uma until she pretty much mastered everything I know. 😁 😁 😁

Amanda Martinez4 said:I couldn't agree more.
By the way, I served as the lead consultant on set, and I spent endless hours training with Uma Thurman until she had practically mastered everything I know. 😁 😁 😁

Must... resist.... gravimetric... pull... Must... write... like... th..

That must have been a brief lesson, wasn't it?

A few bits of earnings data that aren't exactly the main point here, though I suppose I should include them if I want to stir the pot a little bit😁.

Kill Bill has claimed the top spot at the US Box Office, pulling in $22.6 million. When you consider that the total budget for both films (Bik. 1 and 2) was roughly $50 million, the math is quite clear.

Online reviews are currently spreading like wildfire across the web; people are either absolutely praising the film or completely tearing it apart. Honestly, that’s exactly how it should be.

Someone above already asked when the release date is for our area, but I haven't come across any information on that yet.

So, the movie has finally hit theaters here in the USA; maybe one day it'll even make its way to our local cinemas. Though, knowing how things go, we'll probably get a censored version 😢.
Are you guys planning on catching it?
What are your expectations looking like?
I'm definitely going—Quentin Tarantino knows how to make a great movie.

perica_24 said:Are we actually planning on going to see this?

Hell no. Why? Because this is literally the 68th thread on the exact same topic... ☕>