Kill Bill, Volume 2 (2004)

Mission Accomplished!!

I have moved from initially hating the very idea of the movie to loving the first one and now absolutely adoring this concluding film. This is one of the rare instances where the sequel topped its predecessor. We all know what happened in Volume I so are more prepared this time. Tarantino uses a past/future approach, providing the historical perspective mission in the first.

We return to the beginning when Uma is accepted into the corp of Bad Guys, her training with the Oriental master, her relationship with David Carradine (I use the person not the persona) and others. Switch to the present and she begins her revenge only to be caught and buried alive. This is only a brilliant segue into training from an Oriental master which comes to her aid.

The scene with housewife Vivica Fox scored on so many levels, not the least of which was black humor. But it is Darryl Hannah who nearly steals the show with an incredible performance as the amoral Elle. Her stumbling, earnest recitation of snake facts from scrawled notes as poor Michael Madsen dies of venom was the stuff of legends. And how better to follow it up than a fight with Uma in which Elle is left blind, her only companion the viper...absolutely skin-crawling.

But it is the interaction with Carradine (and the daughter) that is the icing on the cake, Carradine, by the way, seems almost made to order for the part of "Bill". Not seen in Part I, he is almost likeable in his matter-of-fact evil incorrigibility. The film comes full circle as she dispatches her arch enemy/lover using techniques taught by the Oriental master. Bravo!

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