I think every critic should start off a review of any new Quentin Tarantino movie with a hearty ""Yay!"" So...yay! Who cares about all the post-Pulp Fiction overhype, or that we''ve had to wait several years between films because he spends too much of his time being a celebrity or trying to act? The guy hasn''t made a bad movie yet, and Kill Bill Vol. 1 was one of the best of 2003. This disc from Buena Vista isn't the best DVD of 2004 though. The film looks and sounds great, but there aren''t a lot of extra features. I think it's safe to assume this was put out to coincide with the theatrical release of Vol. 2, and that a bigger DVD set is on the way at a later date (like Buena Vista's done with Tarantino''s previous films).

Uma Thurman (me-ow!) plays The Bride, an ex-member of the Deadly Viper Assassination Squad, who's attacked on her wedding day by her former cohorts, led by the enigmatic Bill (David Carradine, who we hear but never see). Everyone in the wedding party is violently massacred. The Bride manages to survive, but lays in a coma for several years (apparently losing her unborn child in the meantime). When she awakens, she vows to kill all those responsible. Kill Bill Vol. 1 focuses on her confrontations with two members of the Deadly Vipers, O-Ren Ishii (Lucy Liu), who's now the head of the Japanese mob, and Vernita Green (Vivica A. Fox), who has settled down to raise a family. Despite the fact it's is only one half of a story, Kill Bill Vol. 1 manages to stand on its own as a complete film, while still leaving the viewer giddy with anticipation for Vol. 2 (something The Matrix Reloaded wasn't so successful at). It's filled with the same brilliantly choreographed fight scenes that made Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon so good, only with a better sense of humor. Serving as both a send-up and homage to 70's grindhouse cinema, Tarantino expertly transfers his love of exploitation onto the screen, using multiple shooting styles and various film stock to turn the genre into an art form. Much has been made of the movie's violence, but the most graphic sequences are made much more palatable through black and white photography and the ingeniously audacious Anime sequence midway through. In any case, the film is so far removed from reality that I can't imagine anyone taking the over-the-top bloodletting too seriously. Then of course, there''s Tarantino''s screenplay. This may be the simplest story he''s ever told, but it's chock-full of the same smart dialogue and pop-culture references we''ve come to expect, as well as great isolated scenes (such as The Bride''s meeting with Hattori Hanzo, amusingly played by Sonny Chiba). The performances are uniformly great, even by secondary characters, and if this movie doesn''t make Uma Thurman an A-list star, nothing will; despite Tarantino's skill behind the camera, Thurman's electric performance (which must have been grueling to pull off) is what solidifies this film. Yay!

This is probably the best looking and best sounding disc I've looked at so far this year. Presented in its original 2.35:1 aspect ratio (I can't imagine anyone wanting a fullscreen version), the quality of the picture transfer is outstanding, with no blemishes, artifacts or scratches. The audio transfer, in 5.1 Dolby Surround and 5.1 DTS, is equally impressive, with good balance and crisp, clean sound. This is especially noticeable during scenes that utilize Tarantino's use of music. Yay!

Again, there aren''t a lot of extras included with this disc. There''s a fairly lengthy making-of documentary, as well as a few songs by the 5,6,7,8's, an all-female Japanese band who appear in the film, and are just bad enough to be really good. Also included are theatrical trailers for all of Tarantino''s movies, including one for Kill Bill Vol. 2. Here''s hoping a full-length commentary will be among the features of a later special edition. Yay!

Similar Films: The Bride Wore Black, Ms. 45, High Plains Drifter, The Count of Monte Cristo, Once Upon a Time in the West, as well as a slew of grindhouse and Hong Kong action films of the 70s. Summary: Quentin Tarantino''s films are great for the same reason Scorsese's and Spielberg''s are...they''re movies made by someone who truly loves movies. And like those two masters, Quentin Tarantino films have sort of become their own genre. Kill Bill Vol. 1 is filled with kinetic action, sly humor and tons of style. As far as this disc goes, fans may balk at the lack of extras included, but it''s hard to argue with the picture and sound quality. Yay!