Kill Bill Volume 2 Rocks! You'll have to pardon that momentary lapse of decorum. Mm Hmm. October 2003 saw the release of Quentin Tarantino's highly anticipated Kill Bill. And while that hyper kinetic burst of unlimited energy did not disappoint, it was merely half of the story. Tarantino's vision was so ambitious, that Miramax decided to split the film in two, which was far better than the alternative (I, for one, would have been pissed if this movie was cut down to two hours). So six months later, Volume 2 has finally arrived and not only does the picture stand on it's own. It also heightens the experience that was Volume One.

As Kill Bill Volume One ended, the Bride (an outstanding Uma Thurman) had just defeated assassin O-Ren Ishii, but more importantly, it was revealed that her child was in fact still alive. Volume 2 essentially picks up where the last one left off with the Bride continuing her vengeful mission. Her remaining targets; Budd (Michael Madsen), Elle (Daryl Hannah), and of course Bill (David Carradine).

Having now seen Volume 2, it is clear that Kill Bill plays beautifully as one glorious epic. In my rave review of the first half, I explained how much I enjoyed it's visual splendor, but expressed my disappointment in the lack of Tarantino's trademark (and memorably colorful) dialogue. Volume 2 is vintage, dialogue-driven Tarantino and I was completely hypnotized by it. This isn't the furious, action-oriented piece that I was expecting (although the fight between the Bride and Elle is a breathtaking doozy). No, Volume 2 is more interested in character.

This isn't to say that things have become easier for the Bride. She's still put through the ringer while struggling to get a little payback, but the direction in which this story goes really took me by surprise. What started off as the ultimate "chick power" film and a blood-soaked tale of revenge, becomes something much deeper by the end. In fact, Kill Bill becomes far more emotional than I ever imagined it would.

Tarantino's pure love for the movies and entertainment in general, is obvious in nearly every frame of this movie. While Volume 2 is still a homage to the works of those he admires, it is punctuated by truly outstanding dialogue. I was absolutely transfixed, particularly in the final chapter of this sprawling epic. There is a scene in which Bill delivers a superhero analogy that is on par with Jules' unforgettable speech at the end of Pulp Fiction.

There is enough information and tone changes in Kill Bill to fill twenty other movies, but I wouldn't want it any other way. Tarantino stretches the film medium to the absolute limit, and it's an absolute joy to sit through his creations. With each passing film, he matures as a director. While at the surface his Kill Bill seems to be nothing but a simple revenge film or a homage to exploitation movies, it's something much more profound at it's core. It's a love story, a tale of jealousy, a movie about second chances, and, of course, a rip-roaring wink at the world of Asian Kung-Fu cinema. It's also a tour de force of virtuoso acting.

Uma Thurman is phenomenal as the Bride. While most will be quick to point out how physically demanding this role was, it should also be noted that she brings dramatic weight to part as well. She's isn't only tough as nails, she's also quite vulnerable. That moment when she wakes up from a coma in Volume 1 is a heartbreaker, and she has moments of that kind depth in Volume 2 as well.

David Carradine is a revelation here. Leave it to Tarantino to tap into the brilliance of another 70's icon (something he also did with Robert Forester in Jackie Brown). In Volume 1, we were only graced by that distinct, commanding voice. In Volume 2, he gives a fully textured performance. Both graceful and deadly, his scenes with Thurman in the final Chapter of the picture lend weight to everything that came before them. He's that good. In the early stages of the film, it was reported that Warren Beatty was set to play this role. I'm glad that didn't pan out, because David Carradine is Bill.

The rest of the cast is solid. Michael Madsen is fun as a sort of white trash killer for hire. He provides a nice contrast to Bill and the rest of the assassins because he hardly lives in the same fashion they do.

I absolutely loved Daryl Hannah in this movie. This is the best work of her career. Believe it or not, she's completely menacing as Elle. And her equal share of hostility, respect and jealousy towards the Bride is perfectly conveyed.

Hong Kong star Gordon Liu is sensastionally charismatic as Pai Mei, the Bride's mentor whom we meet through a series of flashbacks. He has a wit and a perfect sense of timing, but it is his biting sense of humor that make this character so memorable.

And how about Michael Parks? He was terrific in Volume 1 as Texas Sheriff Earl McGraw (he played that same character in From Dusk Til Dawn) and I was completely surprised to see that he played another role in this picture as well (I wont spoil it in the review).

Of course, in the end, I have to go back to Quentin who is the real star of this creative epic. Although he did get a huge assist from muse Uma Thurman (who allegedly assisted on the screenplay). Many have deemed this incredible talent nothing more than a movie thief. As far as I'm concerned, that's just silly. Tarantino has a great passion for film, and he finds all kinds of innovative ways to make something familiar seem fresh and exciting. It's one thing to blatantly steal something, but another to pay homage. Tarantino is clearly doing the latter.

I read a recent interview with Quentin in which he said he plans to re-issue Kill Bill as one entire film complete with extra footage. It will reportedly make the art house circuit later this year. I hope this is true, because I'd love to see this film play the way it was meant to be played.

There does seem to be moments unresolved in Kill Bill. Sonny Chiba's Hattori Hanzo is nowhere to be found in Volume 2 and Sophie's whereabouts are never explained. Perhaps these are items that were cut in the interest of time. There are also moments of excess here, but to lose such moments would result in the sacrifice of some truly marvelous dialogue and interesting characters.

Kill Bill is a glorious piece of art. It's been criticized for it's extreme violence, which is quite sad to me. I find Tarantino's use of violence in film quite poetic and in many cases, very funny (as it's intended). It's certainly never inspired me to run out and chop someone down with a samurai sword. I'd also like to make note that this is a nearly four hour movie in it's full form, and most of the events in Volume 2 are much more tame.

And while Kill Bill starts off as a grand scale commercial entertainment, it ultimately becomes something much more heartfelt. It displays a sweetness I wasn't expecting. But what I like best about it, is that it's dripping with passion. It was crafted by a truly gifted artist who not only loves making movies, but loves watching them as well. Pulp Fiction is still my favorite Tarantino film, but Kill Bill is yet further proof that this guy is here to stay. I don't care what he does next. It could be the World War 2 era film Inglorious Bastards or the often talked about Casino Royale adaptation. Hell, it could be a remake Joe's Apartment for all I care. If Quentin Tarantino is directing it, I want to see it.