Streaming: Hulu or Prime Video
Warnings:
Extreme Violence
Explicit Language
Graphic Imagery
Domestic Abuse
Rating: R
Kill Bill 1 & 2 are films that cannot be viewed separately, together they make one cohesive story. Kill Bill 1 & 2 was planned to be produced as a single film however, after the shooting and editing began the film was split into two sequences. Kill Bill 1 & 2 is about a former assassin who wakes up from a coma and seeks revenge on the people who betrayed her. Written and directed by Quentin Tarantino, the film is an American Martial Arts film that stands out from typical action films starring a woman. Kill Bill 1 & 2 stars Uma Thurman, Lucy Liu, Vivica A. Fox, Michael Madsen, Daryl Hannah, David Carradine, Sonny Chiba, Gordon Liu and Michael Parks. The acting is exaggerated much like the acting in a martial arts film would be, yet it’s still Americanized so the acting isn’t bad whatsoever. There are a great deal of themes and references in the film that adds to its charm, some are more obvious than others. Parts of the themes are heightened by the music that was compiled by RZA, from the Wu-Tang Clan. And last but not least, the cinematography brings the film above and beyond expectations and adds to the electrifying fight scenes. Kill Bill 1 & 2 were probably some of my favorite films as a young teen, and upon re-watching these films, they still bring the audience on an exhilarating journey into an imaginary world of assassins.
The first most obvious inspiration of the film is 70s martial arts films; however, Kill Bill 1 & 2 was also inspired by grindhouse films, samurai cinema, blaxploitation films, and spaghetti westerns. A reference that adds to the martial arts theme is Uma Thurman’s yellow tracksuit, helmet and motorcycle which resembles those used by Bruce Lee in the 1972 Kung Fu film Game of Death. The violent animated sequence in Kill Bill vol 1 pays homage to violent anime films like Golgo 13: The Professional (1983) and Wicked City (1987). The Guardian even wrote that the plot of Kill Bill 1 & 2 shares some similarities with a 1973 Japanese film Lady Snowblood. In this film, a woman kills off a gang who murdered her family and in Lady Snowblood, stills and illustration were used for parts of the narrative; much like how Kill Bill 1 & 2 broke up the narrative with the violent animation. The plot of Kill Bill 1 & 2 also shares some similarities with the 1968 French film, The Bride Wore Black, in this film a bride seeks vengeance on gang members and crosses them off a list as she kills them. Kill Bill 1 & 2 is a strong film because of its eclectic influences, it allows the audience to pick apart the films while considering the aesthetic choices. Films like this are especially interesting simply because they are a melting pot of cinematic history which in itself is remarkable.
The music in Kill Bill 1 & 2 adds to the plot in an interesting way. Not only is there a recurring whistle that is a theme in the film, its whistled by one of the assassins that Uma Thurman’s character is up against. The whistle originates from a 1968 psychological thriller film called Twisted Nerve and the score for that film was composed by Bernard Herrmann. Kill Bill 1 & 2 features a diverse soundtrack including country music and Spaghetti Western scores by Ennio Morricone. There is also a 15 second excerpt from the opening of the Ironside theme music by Quincy Jones that is used as a “revenge motif.” Whenever this excerpt is played, the scene changes to a red-tinged color when Uma Thurman’s character is in the company of the next assassin she is going to fight. Along with the interesting themes of music, in Kill Bill Vol 1, there are instrumental tracks from the Japanese guitarist Tomoyasu Hotei. At one point in the film, the Japanese go go group the 5,6,7,8’s perform “I’m Blue (The Gong-Gong Song),” and “Woo Hoo.” The mixture of music adds to the fact that Uma Thurman’s character is traveling all over the world to find these assassins she wants to kill. This is a really interesting choice the film makes the take the audience on a journey.
Finally, the cinematography is one of the strongest elements of the film. Robert Richardson is the cinematographer for Kill Bill 1 & 2. Richardson is known for Inglorious Basterds, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, The Aviator, Hugo, and Shutter Island to name a few. In Kill Bill 1 & 2 the cinematography adds to the action scenes, the portrayal of Uma Thurman becoming an assassin, as well as the shocking moments that the audience doesn’t expect. Richardson does a wonderful job mimicking the cinematography that is found in martial arts films as well as many other themes that were previously mentioned. The cinematography at times in Kill Bill 1 & 2 is beautiful, and other times comical. There are a range of choices that makes this film amazing and creative. Richardson has won multiple Academy Awards for his cinematography and has been nominated numerous times. His cinematography has a great deal of variety, yet he still has a stylistic approach that makes it obvious that he has worked on a film. Hopefully Richardson isn’t near retirement soon, because his work is spectacular and always wonderful.
Kill Bill 1 & 2 are certainly not family films; however, they undoubtedly ignite interest from a variety of people across the globe. The film presents many diverse cultures and puts women specifically in a light that they haven’t been seen before. Half of the assassins in the film are women and they’re all portrayed as badass and not to be messed with. Representation like this matter in films, especially when young girls see a woman in a powerful role. I was 13 years old when Kill Bill Vol 1 was released, and I remember being enthralled by Uma Thurman’s performance. Her character was like nothing I had ever seen before and it made me feel as if I could be a strong individual like herself. The cinematography, attention to thematic details, and music allows this film to inspire many generations of people while entertain at the same time. This film made space for more women to be in powerful roles like this, it’s not necessarily the first film that portrays women in this light, but it certainly is one of the most popular. If you want to enjoy an incredibly bloody action film with a commanding lead, I highly recommend Kill Bill 1 & 2.