Kill Bill Vol. 1

Starring: Uma Thurman, Lucy Liu

RS: 4of 4 Stars

2003 Drama

With Kill Bill Vol. 2 hitting the multiplex, check out Vol. 1 on DVD for the full experience. When the first part of Quentin Tarantino's dazzling ode to kung-fu and samurai flicks opened in October, critics raved about the climax in which the Bride (a fierce Uma Thurman) locked swords with Tokyo's O-Ren Ishii (Lucy Liu). But the DVD reminds us there was more than one lethal, lyrical surprise up the Q man's sleeve, such as kinky teen assassin Go Go Yubari (Chiaki Kuriyama). Then there's the Crazy 88s, the anime scene, the pussy wagon and legend Sonny Chiba forging the Bride's sword. "If you should encounter God," he says, "God will be cut." Repeated viewings make Vol. 1 grow in stature. The extras, including a perfunctory making-of segment, are the disc's only scam. We'll have to buy each film separately until Tarantino puts them together, with commentary, for the ultimate Kill Bill thrill on DVD.

PETER TRAVERS
(RS 946, April 29, 2004)