Critic's Grade: A

The extremely violent antics of the anti-hero known as "The Bride" continue in the final cut of Quentin Tarantino's schlock epic "Kill Bill Vol. 2." Filled with more thrills, the ultimate return of action star David Carradine and satircal movie moments, "Kill Bill Vol. 2" is on par with the first half of this ultraviolent extravaganza.

Film noir is the first genre hacked at when The Bride (Uma Thurman) appears driving down a highway, telling the audience her story on her way to, well, kill Bill. The film then flashes back to the incident that started her blood-thirsty killing: The Twin Pines Massacre in El Paso, Texas. Bill (David Carradine) shows up at the wedding of the former Deadly Viper Assassin known as Black Mamba (AKA the Bride). He is extremely enraged over her departure from the group, and the fact that she's pregnant with his baby is enough to make him go insane. He, alongside DiVAS O-Ren Isii (Lucy Lui), Vernita Green (Vivica A. Fox), Budd (Michael Madsen) and Elle Driver (Daryl Hannah), kill everyone in attendance at the wedding, with the exception of Black Mamba. Left with a bullet in her head, she survives a four year coma and manages to axe O-Ren and Vernita in the first episode.

The Bride travels to the outskirts of Texas, where she confronts Bill's tough as nails brother Budd at his trailer in the desert. However, Budd gets to her first, burrying her alive in a seemingly dead end trap. After a flashback to her training with the cruel martial artist Pae Mei (Gordon Lui), the Bride manages to gather enough strength to make it out alive. Meanwhile, Budd is in the midst of earning one million dollars for the Bride's Hattori Hanzo sword, which she unwillingly left behind. Elle Driver, the one-eyed femme fatale, agrees to Budd's deal, but she has something in store for him as well. After a battle with both Budd and Elle, the Bride makes her way to Bill, who is living in a secluded villa in Central America. However, her mission may be sacrificed when she is reunited with her daughter, B.B., who survived the massacre.

Quentin Tarantino's second half has more delight than violence. In "Vol. 1," limbs, heads and everything imaginable was chopped to pieces in a fury of blood-soaked vengeance. Yet in "Vol. 2," the Bride seems to realize that her rampage may not have been worth it. Tarantino shows compassion. But another question that I have to ask, and most fans may agree, is: Was it really necessary to split the film in half? While it seems as though these are two different movies, it would have been interesting to see the colorfully violent first half combined with the dreary second half and played as one 250 minute film.

One thing that gets better with this sequel is the characters. Uma Thurman breeds a remorseful Bride in "Vol. 2," something that makes the film much more interesting. She also makes her human, especially when she's trapped six feet under ground in a small pine box. Michael Madsen, who also shined in Tarantino's "Reservoir Dogs," adds comic relief with the dark-spirited Budd. As for Daryl Hannah, Elle Driver may be one of the most wicked female villains in years. But who is it that truly stands out amongst the rest? David Carradine, who makes Bill so sardonic and evil, that everybody hates him. But another thing he does is give the character a human element, showing love and compassion towards B.B. and remorse for his actions toward the Bride. This may be the film he's remembered for. It's a shame it took him so long to get here.

"Kill Bill" concludes with the slow-paced and heavy fire finale, layered with great acting, dark comedy and definitive thrills.

Kill Bill Vol. 1- My Score: 9 (out of 10)
Kill Bill Vol. 2- My Score: 9 (out of 10)

All Reviews by Jordan Boyd
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