Kill Bill Vol. 2 (Blu-ray/DVD, 2009, 2-Disc Set, Canadian)

The second and final volume in Quentin Tarantino's KILL BILL series is another stylish sprawling masterwork. VOLUME 2 picks up where the first film left off as The Bride (Uma Thurman) resumes her quest to track down her former mentor Bill (David Carradine) and exact revenge. But before she gets to Bill she must first take out the remaining minions who helped to slaughter her best friends and fiancé. First up is Budd (Michael Madsen) a quiet but dangerous country boy who lives in a trailer. Next is Elle Driver (Darryl Hannah) a one-eyed vixen who doesn't appear to have a heart--or a conscience. As The Bride makes her way closer to Bill scenes from her past are revisited including her training with the angry and brutal Pai Mei (Gordon Liu). Finally The Bride locates her man sparking a truly unforgettable confrontation. In contrast to the nearly dialogue-free first volume VOLUME 2 is filled with extended conversations that bring the story full circle. Thurman is once again riveting as the determined assassin while Carradine delivers one of his best performances ever as the sadistic title character. Director of photography Robert Richardson uses a variety of film stocks to great effect adding even more flair to Tarantino's already eye-popping vision. Rounding out things is an electrifying soundtrack that features original music from The RZA and Robert Rodriguez as well as songs from Shivaree Ennio Morricone and Johnny Cash.