Violence in films has never been more gratuitous than in Quentin Tarantino's many famously gory films. His latest film, Kill Bill is no exception. Kill Bill has raised eyebrows among movie executives, critics, parents and the general public. Though the film was stylized to meet R rating standards (as opposed to an NC-17)*, many still think the film to be excessively violent.
The scoop is that executives had to tell him to tone down the violence on many occasions. They even split the movie into two parts because it was so long. How about that! Four hours and essentially no plot. Just fighting. I could not even think of enduring an additional two hours, a total of nearly four hours of, essentially, one continuous killing spree. Comparing it to his claim-to-fame (Pulp Fiction or Reservoir Dogs, you choose), Kill Bill is indeed excessive – in more ways than one.
Kill Bill has Tarantino written all over it. Gritty, bloody and non-linear, the violence in this film is so extreme, it borders on ridiculous. I expected raw violence, but the storyline is equally brutal, if not more so. Near the start of the storyline, we learn that Uma Thurman's character (dubbed 'Black Mamba') has been in a coma. We further come to learn that she has been the victim of many counts of rape, all occurring during her coma.
More seemingly needless brutality comes during an animated scene where Lucy Liu's character (dubbed 'Cottonmouth') is the victim of severe violence. We watch as, when she is a young child, she witnesses the gruesome murder of both her parents. Animated yet graphically gruesome, I found the scene painful to watch; it was very disturbing. I cannot imagine staying seated through that scene if it weren't animated. One memorable (not in a good way) scene, Vivica A. Fox (who plays 'Copperhead') is slaughtered by Uma Thurman's character, in her own kitchen, in front of her five-year-old daughter.
My friend and I (and about everyone else in the theater) were cringing, squirming or covering our eyes throughout the entire film. Somehow, Tarantino manages to downplay some of the violence with an eerily absurd sense of humor. For example, before Vivica's character is killed, her and Uma's character completely ignore the now-massacred living room and the blood all over their faces and clothes, pretending to be old friends, as they put on a cheery face for Copperhead's daughter, who just returned home from school. When Tarantino makes a statement, he does so with full force.
Revenge being the topic of choice in Kill Bill vol. 1, Tarantino centered this first installment (Kill Bill vol. 2 being the second installment) around 'Black Mamba' seeking her vengeance on her ex-friends and allies. As shown in graphic detail, her friends and family were murdered, not to mention her unborn baby, at her wedding.
What her assailants did not count on was her (barely) surviving and living to remember it all. She wakes from her coma with the sole purpose of seeking revenge on her former partners, taking them down, one by one, Terminator-style. Being non-linear and chapter format, it does not follow the typical Point A to Point Z format. It skips around from one time frame to another; a lot like Tarantino's other films, such as Pulp Fiction. It is much like reading random chapters of a novel in no particular order.
Even if you are familiar with Tarantino's previous films, Kill Bill will still come as a shock to the system. Everything from the language to the scenarios is fine-tuned for shock value. There are plenty of sword fights and samurai battle scenes, in fact, half of the movie is exactly that. Uma Thurman is a fine actress; the fight scenes are well-choreographed and quick. However, this film is borderline horror flick. With action and violence to spare, I can only wonder what awaits us in Kill Bill vol. 2 – and what Tarantino is planning next.
* An R rating means a film is restricted to anyone under the age of 17, unless accompanied by parent or guardian. An NC-17 rating strictly prohibits anyone 17 years or younger, even with parent or guardian accompaniment. Rating systems vary depending on region/country.
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