Well, yes. Kill Bill 2 is a very different to its predecessor. Whereas Vol. 1 was a whirlwind of kinetic and visceral energy, Vol. 2 slows the pace right down, and The Bride’s murderous rampage becomes more of a discussion group. Yes that’s right, this one has some talking in it. And much of this talking helps to expand on the flimsy plot so we get answers to questions raised by the first movie that we were too much in awe to ask at the time. We find out why Bill had The Bride gunned down at her wedding, what their history is, and just how did the slight and skinny Thurman become the Deadliest Woman Alive. It’s all entertaining stuff, though hardly the most demanding story anyone has ever conceived. Towards the end it slips into all kinds of worthy, sentimental and emotional guises but you know the point of it all is to show off the stylistic ambitions of Tarantino the filmmaker.

Once again he lets himself go wild and Kill Bill 2 incorporates a vast array of movie pastiches, genre tributes and downright good filmmaking. From the opening film noir scene of The Bride recounting the story so far from behind the wheel of her car to the hilarious rendition of the old Ku Fu master scenario, Tarantino gives each of the narrative’s chapters its own unique style. The finest part is the wedding/massacre scene, shot in smooth black and white that contrasts the harsh white light of the vast desert spaces with extreme facial close-ups and moments of sweetness. The Bride’s training scenes features a cruel, moustache-twirling Master and Tarantino hams it up further by shooting it like a 70s television series complete with jolting zooms and dramatic Chinese flutes. The dialogue, which was a bunch of comic book one-liners in Vol. 1, sees him back to basics with snappy, witty and intelligent conversations, though without the smart-alec pop culture references of Reservoir Dogs or Pulp Fiction, save one rather forced comic book metaphor towards the end.

Compared to the first part, some people may find Kill Bill 2 a disappointment. It lacks its jaw-dropping, wide-eyed pace and energy but makes up for it with an expansion of the characters and story. Darryl Hannah and Michael Madsen are great as more members of the gang in The Bride’s way and there is plenty of that familiar Tarantino humour. But most importantly it has a satisfactory ending to what has been an epic and experimental enterprise. Overall Kill Bill may not be in the same league with the likes of Pulp Fiction but Tarantino continues to be one of Hollywood’s essential filmmakers.

words: Colm Larkin