Film Review – Kill Bill: The Complete Bloody Experience

      Kill Bill: The Whole Bloody Affair, 2025.

      Directed by Quentin Tarantino.

      Featuring Uma Thurman, David Carradine, Lucy Liu, Vivica A. Fox, Michael Madson, Daryl Hannah, Julie Dreyfus, Chiaki Kuriyama, Gordon Liu, Shin’ichi Chiba, Michael Parks, James Parks, Kenji Ôba, and Perla Haney-Jardine.

      SYNOPSIS

      Quentin Tarantino’s Kill Bill: The Whole Bloody Affair merges Volume 1 and Volume 2 into a single, unrated film—exactly as he envisioned, including a new, never-before-seen anime segment.

      Over 20 years since Quentin Tarantino’s two-part revenge saga Kill Bill premiered in theaters, the complete vision of one cohesive film finally receives a wide release following a few select showings of Kill Bill: The Whole Bloody Affair. The outcome is a testament to some of Tarantino’s finest work, along with Uma Thurman’s compelling portrayal of the bloodied Bride, made even more powerful by unifying the two volumes.

      It is unsurprising that after all this time, Kill Bill remains one of Tarantino’s most acclaimed works throughout his extensive career. The film skillfully blends elements of the western and martial arts genres, bringing forth unforgettable characters, sharp dialogue, and spectacular action sequences. The Bride’s confrontation with the Crazy 88 gang feels refreshing as The Whole Bloody Affair’s unrated version restores the fight’s black-and-white scene to color, allowing viewers to fully experience (pun intended) the blood and carnage. While the original black-and-white sequence had its own appeal, the vibrant colorization enhances appreciation with its lively atmosphere and exceptional choreography.

      The film's combined format also adds depth to the narrative and performances. With Tarantino revising the ending of Vol. 1 to eliminate cliffhangers and the recap at the beginning of Vol. 2, the storytelling flows seamlessly, effectively conveying the complete narrative, even with Vol. 2’s greater emphasis on dialogue and story compared to the action-oriented Vol. 1. The continuity of its themes, story arcs, and character growth is much more pronounced in The Whole Bloody Affair than when switching discs or streaming the subsequent part back-to-back.

      This is particularly evident in Uma Thurman’s performance. The Bride was already one of her standout roles two decades ago, but experiencing her in this format accentuates the strength of her character’s journey and the subtleties she infused into the role. This is especially clear in the various representations of The Bride, from her assassin training to her identity as a devoted bride and her transformation into a determined avenger. This is most apparent in the scene where she learns her daughter is alive; in this version of Kill Bill, the audience discovers this at the same moment as The Bride, resulting in a more powerful emotional impact thanks to Thurman’s heartfelt portrayal and her later scenes with BB.

      Kill Bill: The Whole Bloody Affair also features additional modifications. Alongside the elimination of cliffhangers and the colorized fight scene, new footage is interspersed, particularly in the anime section detailing O-Ren Ishii's backstory, which now includes a completely new scene of O-Ren exacting revenge on one of her parents’ killers. This new segment complements the existing anime and is visually captivating with its fluid character movements and choreography. While it may not have been absolutely necessary, it remains entertaining, and gaining further insight into O-Ren enhances her memorable portrayal by Lucy Liu.

      Tarantino’s Kill Bill: The Whole Bloody Affair illustrates how much stronger many of its aspects are when presented as a single feature rather than as two separate volumes. From the action sequences to the narrative, writing, and performances, there is significantly more nuance achieved in this unified film, particularly with Thurman’s performance. For fans of Tarantino’s earlier works and the Kill Bill films, The Whole Bloody Affair is the definitive way to experience this iconic tale.

      Flickering Myth Rating – Film: ★ ★ ★ ★ / Movie: ★ ★ ★ ★

      Ricky Church – Follow me on Bluesky for more movie updates and discussions.