Exciting conclusion to a quirky epic

"Kill Bill, Volume 2" picks up where Vol. 1 left off. Uma Thurman returns as the survivor of a bloody massacre. She continues her rampage of revenge and hones in on the target named in the film's title. The story shifts back and forth in time as we learn more about our heroine's life before the massacre.

Once again director Quentin Tarantino delivers an exciting, action-packed and stylish cinematic triumph. KB2 is a richly textured film in which every element--music, cinematography, costumes, etc.--unites to create a total cinematic experience.

The film's superb cast delivers some real powerhouse performances. Darryl Hannah brings an icy fury to her role as a vicious one-eyed assassin. Michael Madsen invests his character with a world-weary, working class quality that nicely complements some of the other outrageous characters. As the title character, David Carradine has both gravitas and a cool, serpentine grace--he's simply mesmerizing. But make no mistake: it's Uma Thurman whose performance gives "Bill" it's biggest bang. It's a powerful, multifaceted portrayal that's full of muscle, sweat, and emotional force.

The intelligent, clever script makes intriguing references to superhero mythology. Tarantino and company strike an effective balance among humor, human drama, and mythic sense. And the action scenes deliver; one outrageous swordfight stands out in particular. Overall KB2 is a fitting companion piece to KB1. Together they tell a stunning, multicultural epic saga that is rich in larger-than-life characters and unforgettable images. KB2 is a gem of virtuoso filmmaking with surprising emotional power.

Not what you'll expect...

It's hard to say whether Volume 1 or Volume 2 is more enjoyable. Someday in the near future, I hope to own the Complete Kill Bill Special Edition DVD collection. Or maybe Tarantino will edit the whole thing together into one movie as it was originally planned. Anyway, both films can stand by themselves. True, there isn't a fight sequence in this film as monumental as The Bride fighting all of the Crazy 88's, but her fight sequence with Darryl Hannah (entitled provocatively, "Elle and I") will leave a lasting impression.

In the first film, we were left to infer things without getting all the information. We never even actually "saw" Bill. However, we formed certain expectations about him. This film succeeds in confounding those expectations. David Carradine does a great acting job with his part. The final sequence turns out to be surprisingly poignant. Of course, there is great Tarantino dialogue here as well - I didn't think anyone would come up with anything fresh to say on the subject of Superman, but he does. All in all, this is an incredibly fun ride.

good but over long

As I stated in Vol 1 anybody else doing this movie would be told to make just one movie from the footage as some times the movie just goes off on one.
What was the point of the bar sceane??????? the story did not move along, and it would not be missed if removed.
Reason for 4 stars then well good fight sequences, some classic quotes and Uma