Everyone knows that Kill Bill was originally intended as one epic-length film, but Miramax ultimately convinced writer and director Quentin Tarantino to do things their way. The result is a second installment that's quite different from its first. Depending on how you look at things, of course, that may be a good thing. 2004's Kill Bill: Volume 2 is a far less violent, far more cerebral offering that exchanges swordplay for dialogue, but the same themes transcend both films and remain at their beating heart: Revenge, rage, and love. Indeed, the two parts fit together kind of like Yin and Yang, a perhaps not-all-that-inappropriate reference considering the film's deep Asian-inspired roots. Can you survive the Five Point Palm-Exploding Heart Technique? Unlikely. Thankfully, though, it's quite safe to hit play, sit back, and listen.

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