In Quentin Tarantino’s “Kill Bill: Volume 1”, audiences were introduced to Black Mamba (Uma Thurman), a former assassin who is attacked and left for dead by her fellow employees on her wedding day. She awakens from a coma four years later with a steel plate in her head and a score to settle.

After escaping from the hospital undetected, Black Mamba sets off for Okinawa to mentor under a sword maker and prepare her body to take revenge. With the aid of a specially made sword, Mamba sets out to locate and kill her former cohorts especially her boss Bill (David Carridine) who put a bullet in her head on her wedding day.

Part two opens after the events of the original with Black Mamba on her way to eliminate the next two people on her list and then work her way to Bill. Unlike the previous installment, this volume is much lighter on action and heavier on flashbacks and characterizations. While this is good for the story it does tend to make the story drag out, as there are some moments in the film that serve little purpose other than to establish what has already been told. Case in point, the character of Budd (Michael Madsen), we know that he has fallen on hard times after a falling out with his brother Bill, we are told he works at a local strip bar. The condition and location of his trailer as well as his appearance illustrates his misfortune but Tarantino tacks on a scene of Bud going to work only to be chewed out and return home. There are many scenes like this that detract from the story as there are only roughly 20-minutes of action in the 2hr plus film and nothing near the quality of that in the first.

The saving grace of the film is Carradine as Tarantino builds up Bill to be this horrible monster yet Bill is shown to be a complex and multi-dimensional man who is capable of charm, charisma, and kindness, yet can become brutally cold and deadly. Like a serpent you find yourself captivated by him yet all the while wondering when and where he will strike.

The final confrontation of the film is sadly very under whelming and after the classic finale to part one, is sure to be a letdown to most viewers. Carradine gives a fantastic performance in the finale segments but much of the lead up ended up on the editing room floor as I learned in a recent interview with the star.

While Volume 2 fails to match the intensity and action of part 1, it is still an interesting film filled with the great characters and dialogue that sets Tarantino apart from his peers. That being said, while it disappoints, it is still good entertainment.

3 stars out of 5

gareth@nwlink.com

Rating Scale: 1 Star: Dismal Little to no Entertainment.

2 Stars: Fair Has issues, but does have its moments.

3 Stars: Good Entertaining with some nice moments.

4 Stars: Very Good Solid, well made, and entertaining.

5 Stars: Outstanding Very entertaining, well made, or a classic in the genre.

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