The second half of Quentin Tarantino's eagerly anticipated martial arts epic begins with a whimper and ends with a bang.

Unlike the frenetic and relentlessly violent first instalment, Volume 2 bides its time with entire sequences devoted to dialogue and character develop- ment.

The abrupt change in pace comes as a shock and it's not a wholly welcome surprise.

The pace notably drags in the first hour and one chapter, "Massacre at Two Pines", which replays the bloodshed during the Bride's wedding ceremony, could have been cut in its entirety.

Certainly, more ruthless use of an editor's samurai sword would have made the 136-minute running time less arduous.

At the conclusion of Kill Bill Volume 1, The Bride (Thurman) had despatched two members of the Deadly Vipers Assassina-tion Squad: Vernita Green and O-Ren Ishii.

We also learned that The Bride's daughter, who she presumed to be dead, was really alive and in the care of her double-crossing former mentor Bill (Carradine).

In Volume 2, The Bride continues her quest for vengeance, hunting down Budd (Madsen) and Elle Driver (Hannah) before turning her attentions to the final showdown with Bill.

Only one of them will be left standing.

Like the first film, Volume 2 is roughly hewn into five chapters, which skip back and forth in time.

Tarantino's direction is slick and inventive but his use of black and white and colour film stocks seems more by whim than any coherent design.

There is humour aplenty amid the carnage and entrails and the fight sequences are breathlessly orchestrated.

You can almost hear the crack of broken ribs in The Bride's sword fight with Elle.

Thurman once again impresses, bringing out the raging maelstrom of emotions of her much abused heroine.

As the second half of Tarantino's magnum opus, Volume 2 is a fitting end to a unique, singular vision; viewed in its own right, the film falls infuriatingly short of greatness.

OUT! rating: 7 out of 10

Film writer Stephen Webb reviews KILL BILL VOL 2

Starring: Uma Thurman, Daryl Hannah, Michael Madsen, David Carradine

Director: Quentin Tarantino

Certificate: 18

Running time: 136mins

Showing from today at: UGC and Cineworld, Swindon