Why 'Kill Bill Vol. 1' Is the Best Western Montage of Kung Fu, Anime, and Action Movies to Date

Kill Bill (just Vol. 1 in this article) has to be the best homage to classic kung-fu, anime, and action movies that has been produced from one of the greats, Quentin Tarantino, that has created a pop culture mish mash of Western and Eastern influences in one movie franchise. The list of movie references are insurmountable in both of these volumes. However, the most glaring reference of all would be Uma Thurman's "the Bride" donning Bruce Lee's Game of Death ensemble to take on "O-Ren Ishii's Crazy Eighty-Eight" personal army. As far as revenge thrill rides go, this really does take you on quite an adventure; as the project is the combination of a creative crescendo, that once was the duo of Thurman and Tarantino.

From the off-set you are met with a distressed and badly beaten up pregnant and nameless woman being shot in the head by her off-screen mob boss/lover Bill (David Carradine). The very man who portrayed Cain in the hit TV show Kung Fu—stealing the spotlight from the man rightfully hailed as a kung fu legend Bruce Lee set to star in the role. The resulting head-wound left the woman at the mercy of a perverted hospital worker known as Buck (who likes to... you know), selling her body to any of his personal clientele that appear for a good time in the coma ward, even hinting at the idea of this kind of dark underhanded business happening within the healthcare industry is tremendous; but not of the realm of possibility. The ticking time-bomb of (spoiler alert) Beatrix Kiddo's awakening four years after that gun-shot was to bring a sadistically satisfying end to Buck, and more importantly, "The Deadly Viper Assassination Squad," who were responsible for her comatose state. Their delightful end comes in the highly anticipated Kill Bill Vol. 2 which I will review later.

The aftermath of her awakening explained how, earlier, we arrived at former member Vernita Green's Californian suburban home. There we are met with Vernita's life being brought to a violent end as the Bride impales her with a knife in front of her 4-year-old daughter, Nikki. It's a shocking and abrupt ending for Vivica A. Fox's character after she takes out a gun from Nikki's favourite "Ka-boom" cereal. A funny subtle joke, but one that a major fan of the film can spot—if you look hard enough. After this we're met with the famed "list" of Deadly Viper members to be killed off in the sequence in which they're written. This offers a slightly more linear plot line to what should be hailed as one of the great visual and stylish spectacles that Tarantino has become known for. Moreover it's a worthy addition to the Tarantino Canon of movies and there's much love for Uma Thurman's unforgettable multi-talented and mysterious assassin "The Bride." In terms of Thurman's portrayals, this was a very high point in her career, and it is a character that will remain one of the strongest female leads ever seen in movie history.

Kill Bill Vol. 1 focuses on one specific member and her unconventional origins on this death list, who is given the linguistically superb title of "the half Japanese, half Chinese, American army brat." I'm, of course, referring to "O-Ren Ishii," played to perfection by Lucy Liu, who portrays a force to be reckoned with as a Tokyo mob boss with ultimate power over its crime-ridden underbelly. The narration by Thurman charts her exposure to the ugliness of the world, through the fateful day her parents were murdered in front of her by Yakuza crime boss "Matsumoto" and his underlings. The fact that "O-Ren" got "lucky" enough, as Thurman's character sardonically remarks, to enact revenge at the age of 11 due to Matsumoto being a notorious paedophile was about as dark as it could get. Though, through these scenes we see how Tarantino employs the Japanese animation both vividly and cleverly. Japan's animation, and the topics it approaches in terms of sexuality and violence, have long since been controversial when compared with Western standards. Thus, it makes perfect sense that he would switch to anime when re-telling O-Ren's troubled past, her rise to becoming one of the "greatest female assassins in the world," and being one of the Bride's most interesting antagonists who simply must die.

The search for the man behind each beautifully crafted Samurai blade leads her to find legendary Japanese action hero "Sonny Chiba" as famed master Hattori Hanzo. This is not the end of the homage to the Japanese film industry, as Chiaki Kuriyama of cult favourite Battle Royale is introduced as O-Ren's personal bodyguard "Go go Yubari." She was chosen for this prestigious position presumably based on her credentials: "what she lacks in age she makes up for in madness." This may be a clever quip, on Tarantino's part, as Japan seems to have an unhealthy obsession with Japanese school girls in particular. Continuing on with the controversial theme, in true Tarantino style he introduces Jun Kuriyama, best known for his role in "Ichi the Killer." He's seen wearing a black "Kato" mask, as the head of The Crazy 88. Each reference to the late great founder of Jeet Kune Do resonated throughout the film as a mark of true respect for a legend. Lee truly laid the foundation of great kung fu throughout his career and continues to influence modern cinema and martials arts practice to this day.

The ensuing massacre of O-Ren's army at the House of the Blue Leaves delivered in a hack and slash onslaught of epic proportions was incredible yet disturbing to witness. Scene after scene in the Tokyo nightclub delivers bold and bloody kill after kill, which is nothing short of the exaggerated. Once it begins, you're met with a visual and audio gore fest of arterial sprays and severed limbs that all culminate to make one hell of a blood bath. When watching this you are spurred on by the Bride's determination to meet with her enemy and enact her cold-blooded revenge. The fight sequences defy the realms of reality and are, at times, cartoonish with their high levels of violence dealt to the Bride's onscreen enemies. However, they also deal out high doses of adrenaline to the audiences off-screen who are watching her impressive yet insane martial art feats and impressive Samurai sword wielding. The tale of riveting revenge reaches a close when we're met with stark silence as the Bride enters the snow-laden Japanese gardens to have her final face-off with O-Ren Ishii. The two female samurai warriors bravely and honourably unsheathing their swords to do battle was awe-inspiring. It helped that Tarantino had chosen a soundtrack that was to set off the fight in just the right tone, and matched the choreography perfectly: "Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood," by Santa Esmeralda. The Bride's sheer determination, skill, and willpower triumphs over O-Ren's cold, cool, and smug approach which ultimately costs her the fight and her life.

Despite what's known as the "fourth film" of Tarantino's prestigious career, it can still stand tall among his many director accomplishments even today. It has all the hallmarks of what makes his movies experiences in themselves: ultra-violence, great dialogue/narration, visually stunning cinematography and action sequences, references and appearances of greats from all industries, and a killer soundtrack that matches the scriptwriting; as it completely nails what you want from scene after scene. Kill Bill will remain the perfect love letter to all the obsessions Tarantino has, whilst simultaneously delivering a stand-alone movie with unique characters and satisfying story.