Quentin Tarantino has been one of the leading filmmakers in the industry for the past three decades. His unique style, explosive dialogues, entertaining action scenes, and unexpected plot twists set him apart and showcase his talent and imagination as a writer and director.
One of his most important films, of course, is Kill Bill which - though divided into two volumes - the director considers to be one work. But which of the two parts is better? Here are 5 reasons why Kill Bill Vol. 1 is better than Vol. 2 (and 5 reasons why Vol. 2 is superior).
Vol. 1: Action
One of the defining features of Quentin Tarantino's work is the bloodiness of all the action scenes. According to the director, he includes all the graphic violence "because it's so much fun!" And it really is a lot of fun.
Though Vol. 2 does have some action sequences, Vol. 1 is obviously the superior one in this sense. The first fight between the Bride and Vernita Green as well as the fight between her and O-Ren's elite squad of fighters are among the best fight sequences in history.
Vol. 2: Tension
Perhaps because Vol. 2 doesn't have as many action sequences as the first film, it is the one that manages to build up more tension that what Vol. 1 has.
All of the dialogue is written in a way that keeps you on the edge of your seat. After all, Tarantino is known for his iconic and unparalleled dialogue which is quite hard to replicate.
Vol. 1: Style
Tarantino loves making his films in style. From the settings to the costumes to the editing - everything contributes to that special look of his films that sets them apart from everything else.
Though Vol. 2 does have a lot of style, Vol. 1 is the film where Tarantino unleashes the full potential of his imagination. Even small details like the Bride's costume - which is a nod to Bruce Lee's Game of Death suit - are important.
Vol. 2: Secondary Characters
Quentin Tarantino really knows how to write interesting characters. Sometimes, they are terrible people, yet we keep routing for them. In Vol. 1, the secondary characters the Bride goes after appear only as her enemies.
This changes in Vol. 2 when we get more dialogue scenes that reveal their true personalities. And then, we get to the worst of them all, Bill himself.
Vol. 1: The Bride
The Bride is truly at her best in Vol. 1. Of course, we do see her training in Vol. 2 and her verbal interactions with her past friends reveal who she is even more.
However, the Bride in the first film is incredibly active which is always interesting to watch. Her escape from the hospital is truly impressive while her cold-hearted assassination of Vernita Green in front of her daughter is horrible.
Vol. 2: The Big Twist
When it comes to plot twists, Tarantino is a master. It doesn't matter whether it is Vincent Vega's death in Pulp Fiction, the failures and successes in Inglourious Basterds, or anything else, it's always a "wow" moment for the audience.
This is why the big twist in Vol. 2 is so impactful. Nobody expects it, yet it doesn't come out of nowhere and gives the story a logical and happy ending.
Vol. 1: Soundtrack
Tarantino loves choosing his own soundtracks and bringing both forgotten songs to the attention of the public and giving popular songs another time to shine.
It's hard to choose between the two films, but Vol. 1 is absolutely packed with great tracks like "Bang Bang" by Nancy Sinatra, "Twisted Nerve" by Bernard Herrmann, "Green Hornet" by Al Hirt, "Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood" by Santa Esmeralda, "The Lonely Shepherd" by Zamfir, and so many others.
Vol. 2: Drama
As mentioned earlier, Vol. 2 has the necessary dialogue scenes that increase the tension in that film. However, these dialogue sequences are also very useful for creating more drama and raising the stakes without having to include a lot of fighting.
The Bride's opening monologue gives the character an epic comeback while Bill's monologue about superheroes at the end manages to tell so much about his character. We also get to see more about the relationships inside the Deadly Viper Assassination Squad.
Vol. 1: Cinematography
With so many action sequences, it was obvious that Tarantino would get inventive with the cinematography even though the second film features some amazing shots as well.
Besides, Vol. 1 has several references to other famous films. For example, the blue silhouette fighting scene was inspired by the 1998 film Samurai Fiction.
Vol. 2: Bill
As explained above, the second film is the one that lets us know the secondary characters better - and this includes Bill. This man might be the antagonist of the story, but he is also the Bride's ex-lover.
This is exactly why seeing him more in the second film and getting to know him better makes her anger at him so much bigger and more important as it becomes more personal.