The Great “Kill Bill” Debate
Comments(10)
- By rpmcmurphy
I know what you are thinking, “What debate is he talking about?”. It is the debate that Tarantino fans around the world have had since Kill Bill has slashed it’s way into our hearts. Which Volume is better, 1 or 2? The Great Dr. Venkman, the Omnipotent Root Mazer and myself have found ourselves locked in this battle once or twice. So, I would like us all to lay it out on the table and get to the end of this debate.
You see I found myself in this argument once again, and I would like the opinion of the masses. Whenever I feel the urge to watch Kill Bill, I have to watch both films. I can’t just watch Vol. 1 or just Vol. 2. I have to watch both, otherwise I feel like I am missing something. Then there are those who feel that they are two distinctly different films. In this fact, I agree. They both have completely different filming styles, different feels to them. I have heard the argument that Vol. 2 is the better of the two films because it can stand alone. However, Vol. 1 doesn’t work with out it’s companion film.
Though it is a valid argument, I feel that watching 2 without 1 is like Batman with no Alfred. I am in no way saying that it is wrong to watch 2 without 1, I have tried it. I just felt like I missed out on so much by doing that. Granted, I do know what happens in both films and I might be making too big of a deal out of it. But hang with me here. It is like trying to watch The Fellowship and Return of the King without the Two Towers. You are missing so much of that world by skipping that part.
So, what is the final verdict? Is one film better then the other? Let me know what you think. Until next time.
McMurphy Out!
Vol 2. is the better, and more satisfying film. I have unequivicolly proved this in a scientic laboratory using test-tubes and algebra. Glad that I could put this debate to rest.
Cheers,
I just consider it one movie.There’s not a huge gap between release or timeline so I don’t count as traditional sequel.
Tough call, but I would go with Vol. 1. The battle with O-Ren Ishii and her crew is pretty great.
Vol. 2. Feels more focused. Caradine’s the man.
Dude, Vol. 1 & 2 go together like cream and sugar in my folgers. A lot of Chiba fans are going to say, “Volume 2 sucked” or “The end was disappointing”. Volume 1 was awesome, I fully admit, but Volume 2 was brilliant. The timing, the dialogue, the shots, the cuts… A fine piece of work. Tarantino didn’t get enough credit.
A lot of people were put off by the black and white beginning, but I felt like it was Tarantino highlighting (literally) the black and white facts of the story. Kinda like, “Ain’t no two ways about it, this is how the shit went down in black and white.” We got everything we needed from the church scene, EVERYTHING. It set the tone for the entire film and let everyone know, yeah it’s a revenge flick but it’s also a ricockulously complex love story between two people who didn’t really want to let the other go.
I mean, the movie’s called “Kill Bill”, right? We want this guy DEAD. But instead of presenting him as a total chode warrior, Tarantino gave him personality and not only that, but a likeable personality. I almost didn’t want Beatrix to kill Bill but I knew he had to go.
And his death was awesome. I don’t care what anyone else says – I am completely stubborn on this – Bill couldn’t die any other way.
The whole gun scene that everyone was hoping for? Guns are waaay to easy to use. Bill shot Beatrix in the head because he was a coward and couldn’t find it in himself to beat her to death like a real killer would have. He shot her because guns are quick, they’re straight to the point and all you have to do is walk away.
Maybe the masses would have liked the Hattori Hanzo sword showdown? But by then she had already slain a gang of douchebags on that sword, she had to give it a rest.
She killed Bill with the one thing that he didn’t know how to use, something he’d wanted but had been kept away from him: The Five Point Palm Exploding Heart Technique. Dude literally died of a broken heart. If that’s not a bad ass way to kill a murderous bastard like Bill, I don’t know what is.
Volume 2 is beast, but Volume 1 will always be my first love–stunning, in-yo-face Tarantino…Volume 1 is a technicolor pimp slap straight out the gate as the Bride slingshots out into vengeance. Visual stunner. Volume 2 satisfies the backstory and lingering questions, but lacks the momentum and visual slappapow of Vol. 1…both together are sweet, it’s like a map of marriage…Vol 1 is flush of first love, Vol 2 is quiet, mature, dysfunctional love at its best.
While I am in fact a Chiba fan as Lori mentioned above, that aside, I think that Vol. 2 is a far superior film. The acting was better and the feeling that you were involved in Kiddo’s struggle was there.
This is a tough one. I would always prefer to watch both together, to that completeness, that sense you have when you know you just experienced something great. Each is fine on its own, but when you put the two together, it is one four hour kick ass stomp fest. Beatrix slashing her way to her goal. But. If you had to choose one as a stand alone to stay in your movie collection forever, I would choose vol. 2. It has the resolution of a mission completed. And I absolutely love the scene where they bury her alive. plus all the background info that answers all of your questions from the first movie.
I don’t want to decide between the 2 of them. If you look at them subjectively, they’re in essence very different films. The 1st volume filled with action while the 2nd downplayed it a bit in lieu of more story elements to understand and relate to the characters. Really, you can’t call it a movie without seeing both parts to get the full effect and to that end, I choose both.
Come on people. First of all QT wanted KB to be released together as one movie. The money men made him release them as two independent movies to make all you suckers pay the extra $ every time you went to see them/rent them/buy them. Besides that QT is nothing more than an overrated slob with no original ideas. Thus I avoid KB1&2 along with most of his other “films”.