While the first volume of Kill Bill was a cacophony of violence, brutality, and rage, Kill Bill Vol. 2 turns things down a notch to give the Bride our unwavering attention. Throughout the entirety of the first film, I understood and sympathized with the bride; however, as soon as you get halfway through the second film; you’re part of her struggle and she’s a part of your mind. Tarantino’s sequel to the exhilarating, violent, and downright bloody Kill Bill Vol. 1 is a less violent, more character-driven study of trauma, grief, revenge, and resilience. Let’s take a deeper look at Kill Bill Vol. 2 and understand why this film beats the previous one, despite being a slower film by all means.
How to Stream or Download Kill Bill: Volume 2
To stream or download the film, click on the Download button at the end of the review. If you like Quentin Tarantino’s movies, check out also our reviews of Pulp Fiction (1994) and Once Upon a Time in Holywood (2019).
The Movie Review
Following Beatrix Kiddo right after the events of Okinawa’s Showdown, the story starts with showcasing the Massacre at Two Pines; the moment that defined it all. After showing us a glimpse at Bill’s relationship with Beatrix, it shows us the horrors of the massacre at the wedding.
The next chapter focuses on her confrontation with Budd, as he throws Beatrix into a coffin and then a six-foot-deep grave which sends us into another flashback. Beatrix goes through the rigorous teachings of Pai Mei, and eventually, his teachings are what help her punch her way out of the coffin and then out of the grave, even thrusting her forward towards absolute revenge.
The film is an amalgamation of styles, it breaks the fourth wall with Beatrix staring into the camera as she drives and asks us to listen to her story more often times than not. Tarantino’s style of filmmaking is back here, straight out of Pulp Fiction and Jackie Brown. Each scene is long, with a ton of dialogue and characters interacting with each other despite there not being much room for interaction. Each character has a distinct personality too, and that shows in the way they speak, the way they walk, and their mannerisms. Their motivations are further explained after the events of Kill Bill Vol. 1 and some secrets are unveiled.
While most people consider this to be a weaker film when compared to Kill Bill Vol. 1, I prefer to think of it as a complete shift of pacing. Vol. 1 was an exhilarating battle from start to finish; Vol. 2 on the other hand is more about building up the characters. The two films had their iconic action moments for sure, but they also required somber, character-driven moments that would shift the pacing of the film. It’s an important aspect that is highly underlooked by most filmmakers due to them wanting consistency in each film’s pacing.
Tarantino’s writing is just as sharp, just as funny, and just as brutal as it always has been. The violence is still there, with characters punching wooden planks until their hands bleed, eyes being poked out, and characters getting shot in the chest with a pump shotgun. There is a ton of action that you’re never going to run out of, there isn’t half as much action as Kill Bill Vol. 1 though, and that I believe is what makes the characters develop more.
All said and done, we reach the climax of the film; which is an amalgamation of everything that Tarantino had been doing for years before this film was ever even written on paper. The film ends with a high-quality dialogue sequence, which then follows a quiet and somber conflict until it ends. When it comes to a conclusion that will stick with you, long after the credits are rolling; Kill Bill Vol. 2 delivers just that. Quentin Tarantino’s quiet yet explosive ending to a revenge epic will be something that sticks with you for ages, I know it has with me.
