“Kill Bill: Volume One” one half of a masterpiece

One of the greatest controversies to hit the silver screen is the back-story of “Kill Bill,” the fourth film by offbeat pop culture director Quentin Tarantino. The entirety of “Kill Bill” lasts somewhere around three hours. However, it’s been cut into two different films—“Kill Bill: Volume One,” in theaters now, and “Volume Two,” to be released in February 2004. Whether this resulted from a creative decision on Tarantino’s part or a monetary decision on Miramax’s part is still under heated debate in film circles. However, it really doesn’t matter in the end. Although one story is split into two parts, “Volume One” does not leave you on an unsatisfied note; it just gives you a sense of things yet to come. Even incomplete, “Kill Bill” is one of the best movies of the year.

Our heroine is only known as the Bride, a pregnant woman, who left the altar in the worst way. The church was broken into and she was brutally beaten and shot in the head, but was lucky enough to be left comatose. What was the reason for her would-be murder? The Bride is also known as Black Mamba, a member of the Deadly Viper Assassination Squad, a group of killers who work for the mysterious Bill (David Carradine). Bill is the one responsible for breaking up the wedding, as well as the other four members of the Deadly Vipers: O-Ren Ishii, Codename Cottonmouth (Lucy Liu), Vernita Green, Codename Copperhead (Vivica A. Fox), Budd, Codename Sidewinder (Michael Madsen), and Elle Driver, Codename California Mountain Snake (Daryl Hannah). Four years later, the Bride is unexpectedly awakened from her coma. Her baby is long gone, and she must go for the natural course of action and attain revenge. First on her “death list five” to eliminate are O-Ren and Vernita, and that is what is chronicled in “Volume One.”

“Kill Bill” can best be described as Tarantino’s ode and homage to classic Japanese and Hong Kong cinema, both the feudal movies that chronicle honor and tradition, and the cheesy seventies chop-socky movies of Bruce Lee. As a result of the “B” flick qualities, the violence is so wildly overdone that it becomes comical. Still, Tarantino, being a great fan of great cinema, is so sure of his direction that you cannot help but be enamored with his grandstanding camera tricks and awe-inspiring sets. With “Reservoir Dogs” and “Pulp Fiction,” he is one of the greatest modern directors, and “Kill Bill” only cements that further.

Also perfect is the casting. Tarantino alumnus Uma Thurman seems so focused on her murderous role, that she does not just play the Bride, she becomes her. Lucy Liu makes for a perfect villain in O-Ren with her assuredness and downright menacing glare. David Carradine plays Bill behind-the-scenes, but his deep, commanding voice is enough to send shivers down anyone’s spine. Carradine was a last minute replacement for Warren Beatty in the part, but it’s hard to imagine anyone who could fit the part better than the star of “Kung Fu.” His expanded role in “Volume Two” will be interesting to see.

The real shame here is that Miramax has decided to bypass any Oscar confusion by releasing “Volume Two” four months after “Volume One,” instead of two weeks as originally planned. But certainly the wait will be worth it—Budd, Elle and Bill all promise to throw together a heck of a fight. As a complete story, “Kill Bill” may be charging you double, but this is one chronicle that you will be happy to plunk down extra cash for.