RED ENVELOPES: Best Served Cold

I was indifferent to Uma Thurman's turn as a dim-bulb Swedish sexpot in The Producers. Mostly, I think this was because the movie was working overtime to annoy me with its nailed-down approach to cinematography, so I didn't really care about performances. But another factor might be that, only a couple weeks before, I had been watching a very different side of Uma Thurman. Yes, me and the missus had decided to reunite the two halves of her revenge opus, Kill Bill, and watched Volumes 1 & 2 in one sitting. So I probably still had that Uma in my head; the vengeful, violent Uma with the strikingly-unattractive feet.

At the time of its release, much was made of the fact that the film was so unwieldy as a single unit that it had to be split into two separate films. For me, part of the fun was going to be in bringing these separated twins back together. I was always baffled that a local repetory house like the Brew 'n' View didn't make a big deal out of playing them back to back. It seemed like a natural fit. But now that I've put together what was once torn asunder, I can see clearly that the two parts couldn't be more different in tone. In truth, they truly do belong apart. And I'd be willing to bet you that that's what Quentin Tarantino wanted all along.

I wonder what Tarantino would make of the fact that it's taken me so long to mention him. Make no mistake, these movies have his fingerprints all over them. The self-confidence is high, the verbiage is over the top, the language is coarse, and every scene is staged with utter glee. You get the feeling that Tarantino is the kind of guy who has put lots of thought and purpose into every frame, and is just begging you to ask him what he had in mind. This is a double-edged sword. There's no question that he has a look and feel that is unique and exciting. But it becomes very difficult to forget that you're watching a movie. Tarantino is like a five-year old who has just learned a magic trick, and desperately wants you to try and figure out how he did it.

As I said, no one is making movies like Tarantino, as much as they may try. I think what sets him apart is his sheer audacity. Vol. 1 plays like a cartoon (literally, at one point). Is it likely that a dumb hick would be driving a flashy yellow pickup with the words "Pussy Wagon" emblazoned across the tailgate? (Without getting vandalized?) I dunno, but it's pretty funny. Is it likely that the top henchman of a Tokyo crime boss would be a mace-wielding teenage girl in a plaid skirt? Maybe not, but it's pretty cool. Absurdities like this are part of the decoration. They're fun, but they're like goofball roadside attractions that divert you from getting where you really want to go. If ever anybody could do with a stripped down aesthetic, it's Quentin Tarantino.

Here's the thing that eventually sinks the whole effort: we watched Kill Bill almost a month ago, and I've been struggling to figure out what to say about it ever since. The imagery is strong, the choices are bold, the story is clear. And yet, these films have left no tangible memory behind. It's as though Tarantino has made the world's biggest ball of cotton candy. The achievement is impressive and the taste is sweet. But it dissolves in an instant.

Kill Bill is an accomplished work. It relies heavily on Thurman, and she's up to the task. She gets a wide range of emotions to play, which she must balance against the extraordinary amount of physical acting the part demands. To be honest, it's one of the meatiest roles I've ever seen in any kind of movie, action or drama, male or female. When she gets her AFI Lifetime Achievement Award or whatever, clips from Kill Bill should play a prominent role.

Which is what makes it so fascinating to see her actually get to play off other people in Volume 2. Since the first part is primarily about watching Uma kick ass, her exchanges with Vivica A. Fox and Lucy Liu are naturally undersold. (A brief scene with Sonny Chiba is nicely played, though.) It's in the second installment that she really gets to cut loose as an actress. She makes the inherently-ludicrous training sequence with Gordon Liu work beautifully. And her showdown with Daryl Hannah is both a very exciting fight scene and a tense piece of duet acting.

And then there's David Carradine. There can be little doubt that Tarantino wrote the part of Bill especially for the Kung Fu legend, and Carradine doesn't drop the ball. To watch the emotional power that Bill holds over The Bride is to see the kind of potential Tarantino could wield as a storyteller, if only he were willing to kill some of his darlings.

So Kill Bill succeeds in the primary task of providing diverting entertainment. The problem is, when all the smoke has cleared, there's not much there. And you feel like there really should have been. So Tarantino remains as eye-catching as ever. It's now time for him to actually get interesting.