Kill Bill: Vol. 2 (2004)

Ebert calls the film an exuberant celebration of moviemaking that he liked even more than the first volume, viewing it as a completion rather than a sequel that gives the story greater resonance. He singles out the developed characters and the hypnotic final dialogue meeting between the Bride and Bill for particular praise.

Mitchell hails the film as a deliciously perverse and operatic comic-book movie that is rich and substantial. He singles out Uma Thurman's performance and the long, languorous dialogues for praise while noting its shift from the first volume's blood lust to more emotional depth.

Dargis praises the film as an adrenaline shot of pure pop pleasure and a great American movie that proves Tarantino has more to offer than pyrotechnics. She singles out the personal vision, actor wrangling, and shift to a slower Sergio Leone western beat for praise.

The film succeeds by melding the rambling, monologue-heavy style of earlier Tarantino with bursts of stylized action, delivering an emotionally satisfying conclusion centered on the complex relationship between The Bride and Bill.

Vol. 2 shifts into more solemn, mature territory with fewer fights and greater moral and thematic depth, highlighting yin-yang contrasts, strong performances from Thurman and Carradine, and a profoundly moving finale that rewards hindsight.

Denby finds the film a shapeless mess that is at least less monotonous than the first volume but still fails to deliver coherent action or substance. He singles out the self-referential allusions and Tarantino's solemnizing of his own trash aesthetic for criticism.

The critic notes that the split into volumes damages the intended structure and surprise of Vol. 2 compared to the original screenplay, but praises how the film supplies character interiors and intensity as the emotional yin to Vol. 1's kinetic yang. The intimate third-act ending provides perfect balance and emotional payoff despite not competing on action or iconography.

The review praises the verbose drama and brilliant fight sequences that make Vol. 2 seductive, completing the Bride's revenge story in a talky, character-driven manner. It positions the full Kill Bill as a grand, mythology-rich achievement akin to major epics.

The critic praises the film's pedal-to-the-metal exhilaration, style, and energy as it concludes the revenge saga with flair. David Carradine's performance as Bill is singled out as a particular triumph that justifies splitting the story into two films.

The critic calls it enjoyable and visually dazzling with strong performances and references, worth seeing despite not being Tarantino's best. It singles out the sound design, cinematography, and Carradine's menacing performance for praise while noting it is too long with padded scenes.

The review deems the film unnecessary and old-fashioned, with retro shtick that no longer feels fresh, and argues the revenge story fails because evil triumphs over evil without moral contrast or enjoyment. It singles out the bloated length and lack of savour in the revenge for complaint.

The review notes that Vol. 2 broadens and deepens the tale with more genre shading, character, and dialogue alongside action, though questions its coherence and finds the pathos a stretch. It admires the chutzpah of Tarantino's approach.

The critic finds the film to be the work of a consummate fanboy unwilling to mature as a filmmaker, highlighting its excessive intertextual references and lack of originality. They single out the postmodern approach as laziness rather than innovation.