Volume 2, Kill Bill
 

What did you think?

This one was a sort of weird movie. The first half was pretty good, especially with that chinese master that always stranded his hand across his beard. Not as good as the first one in my opinion.

It wasn't as satisfyingly bloody or hyperactive as Volume 1, but I don't think that Volume 2 could have gotten away with being the same kind of cartoony hack-and-slash gorefest. While Quentin certainly could have made many more visually and viscerally compelling fight scenes, I don't think we could have remained interested in the mindlessly murderous Bride we see in a black-and-white; literally, and in extension, figuratively; world.

Instead, through smaller but still ferocious scenes, we see that some friendships and loves went so painfully sour as to warrant unapologetic slaughter. We're asked, I believe, to consider how many times we've figuratively said "I'm going to kill you" to a friend, thinking for perhaps just a moment that we would do it if the law and personal retribution weren't issues.

Of course, I think that the film's other saving grace is how much funnier and like a very old-school Kung Fu film it is than the first volume. It has many elements reaking of the genre: the great Master Pai Mei; David Carradine (the protagonist of the TV series "Kung-Fu: the Legend Continues"; just so all the youngins here know) as Bill; epic staredowns; and a large number of flying kicks, legendary combat techniques, and blows and blocks exchanged with superhuman reflexes.

I'm being dragged to this movie next weekend by a friend of mine...

As someone who hated, and I mean dispised Vol. 1 (Uma Thurman is evil, I do so hate her...), are there any saving graces? Or is it still a lot of the things I hated before? (Overacting, bad cinematography, music pacing incorrect, etc. etc. etc).

If you hated Volume 1, don't see Volume 2.

Everything you hated about it (which I see in the completely opposite way) is back.

I loved Kill Bill as a brilliantly and lovingly done parody, or perhaps homage, of the kung-fu movie. From the name "Deadly Viper Assasination Squad" to the Five point palm whatsit whatever attack, it was just excellent. If you've ever seen a few kung-fu movies, then you'll understand. If you've been spared of this cheesy cinema, which I love, by the way, you might not get it, and label the movie super-violent. The violence is kind of a joke, really, but a joke that keeps you on the edge of your seat, thrilled, palms sweaty, and teeth glaring out you're tense head.

One thing I do have to say about volume 2 was the suprise after the credits. Even though this ticked me off immensly for what I was expecting and what I got, I'm still not going to ruin it, if only to make other people feel the anticlimactic feeling that I got when I saw it. If you don't know what I'm talking about, some movie sites recommended that you sit through all the credits, to the very end, so that you might see a "suprise." I did. If you want to know why I'm ticked about it, you should too, and no one ruin it here by saying what it was.

Wednesday, double night, Vol. 1 and 2 directly after each other? Tickets cost only my immortal soul? Sign me up! I don't use that much anyway!

I wonder if Vol. 2 can surpass the good half hour of solid ass-kicking at the end of Vol. 1...

Well you're right on how it kept the theme of old style kung fu movies. You never see any of them made. It was one of those, except now it has the computer graphics to actually show her gouge someone's eye out, or slice their head off with spraying blood. I especially loved Pai Mei. That guy was insane, I honestly think that character could beat The One (from the Matrix).

Hmm, I didn't stay at the whole credits. Can you PM me, or at least post in black text (with the Spoiler warning beforehand) to tell me what happened?

Aye, me as well. I saw Volume 2 on Saturday, but was running a little late so I had to jet as soon as the credits started rolling.

i liked it. I can't say its "Better" or "worse" then the first one. since this IS the first one. its just the end of the story.

I really enjoyed volume 2. I'm a huge fan of old Kung Fu movies, andthis was the perfect parody, especially Pai Mei.

Damn! I didn't sit through the credits either, cause I had to go to the bathroom. I second posting the "surprise" with black text, mostly cause I'm really interested to know now.