Blu-ray Review: Kill Bill - Volume 1

Plot-wise, Kill Bill couldn't be simpler. The film is a slight story built around a botched assassination and the ensuing desire for revenge. Uma Thurman plays The Bride, a member of the "Deadly Viper Assassination Squad" (DiVAS), left for dead by her former boss, Bill (David Carradine). Four years later, she snaps out of a coma and swears vengeance on the fiends who shot her in the head. In p0erhaps the most physically demanding role ever performed by a woman on the big screen, Thurman does a fabulous job. She combines her beauty and effusive charm with a new found butt kicking obsession, to create a character with adrenaline oozing out of every pore.

As I wrote earlier, Kill Bill - Volume 1 is a very violent film. When I saw the movie during its theatrical run in 2003, I was both intrigued and disgusted. Several times I averted my eyes to avoid the bloodshed, at least a dozen people left the theatre forty-five minutes into the film. However, I couldn't deny it then and even more so after watching the Blu-ray; right when you're ready to write of Kill Bill as an unnecessary gore fest, something happens that sucks you right back into the movie. It could be Sonny Chiba's subtle performance as a samurai master selected to mentor The Bride. It might be Chiaki Kuriyama's deliciously deadly turn as a 17-year-old assassin dressed as a schoolgirl. I was repeatedly struck by Tarantino's visual palette for Kill Bill. The colors are so vivid and bright that you can't help but appreciate the scenery, while the violence is so unrelenting; Kill Bill is an uncomfortable film to watch. Somehow, I think Quentin Tarantino wouldn't have it any other way.

No discussion of Kill Bill - Volume 1 would be complete without mentioning the soundtrack. Any film that can effectively use Zamfir, master of the pan flute, alongside Isaac Hayes, Bernard Herrmann, Ennio Morricone and a whole slew of different Japanese pop tunes is getting into extremely unique territory, to say the least. Other artists include: Nancy Sinatra, Charlie Feathers, Al Hirt ("The Green Hornet"), Quincy Jones and RZA. Tarantino is one of the few directors I know of, who seems to make a perfect playlist with each of his soundtracks.

Kill Bill - Volume 1 leaves is in many ways a masterful film and leaves no doubt that Quentin Tarantino is one of the finest directors working in Hollywood today. That said, Kill Bill - Volume definitely isn't for everyone. If you can't handle extreme gore, you'll probably want to stay away. If your already a fan of Kill Bill -Volume 1, there's no better way to see the film then on Blu-ray.

Presented in its original theatrical aspect ratio of 2.40:1 using the AVC Mpeg-4 compression codec, I can't imagine Kill Bill looking any better. The Blu-ray edition features one of the most realistic transfers I have yet to experience with this medium.

Viewers will experience exceptional black levels and beautiful and rich shadow detail. Contrast is perfectly tuned throughout the presentation with startling black and white as well as color photography. Detail is also striking with an abundance of fine fabric and skin details. The rich color palette and accurate flesh tones is nothing short of brilliant. Nothing about this transfer shows even the slightest hint of compression issues or noise of any kind. The film's fine grain structure has also been perfectly preserved and lends the presentation a pristine, film-like image.

The audio presentation is also superior. Presented in uncompressed 5.1 PCM, Kill Bill sounds spectacular. The clarity of the soundtrack is truly amazing. The PCM soundtrack truly envelops you into the atmosphere of the movie, which is a feature that shouldn't be missed.

While Kill Bill - Volume 1 isn't exactly loaded with special features, there are a few.

• The Making of Kill Bill - Volume 1 (22:05) Quentin Tarantino, Uma Thurman and other cast and crew discuss the making of the film and Tarantino also sheds some light on how he picked the music for the soundtrack.
• The "5, 6, 7, 8'S" Musical Performances (5:27)
• Tarantino Trailers - Reservoir Dogs, Pulp Fiction, Jackie Brown, Kill Bill: Volume 1 bootleg trailer, Kill Bill Volume 2 teaser.