THERE'S violence in films, there's violent films and there's Kill Bill.

If you turn away at the sight of blood, much less someone's intestines spilling on to the floor or multiple decapitations, suffice to say this film is not for you.

From beginning to end, this is one big blood bath - make that blood swimming pool - fairly thin on the plot, making up for what it lacks in plot twists and character development with samurai sword swings and slick fight sequences.

But the question is, is that enough? Kill Bill is sure to do well at the box office because it's a much-hyped Quentin Tarantino film, but if someone else had directed it, would it go down so well?

There's no denying that Tarantino is a great film-maker but, despite his reputation for making violent films, his real skill lies in his ability to craft delicate and intricate stories with well-developed characters.

But the plot of Kill Bill Vol 1 doesn't get any more involved than: assassin survives assassination attempt, goes into coma, wakes up four years later, seeks violent revenge.

Originally, this film wasn't going to be split into two separate movies, Vol 1 and Vol 2, and one suspects that it would have been better if this plan had been stuck to. This would have given the story chance to play out and would have allowed for a little more character development. As it is, there's no question that you're watching the first half of something. Kill Bill doesn't work as a stand-alone movie and some cinema goers may feel cheated by the fact that they're having to wait several months and pay again to see the second half of the same film.

But gripes aside, what Kill Bill does, it does well.

If you like choreographed violence, you'll love this. Tarantino is a huge film fan himself and he's effectively plundered his favourite source material. He breaks the fight sequences up by skipping into animation, black and white for the biggest gore-fest and silhouette as well as varying locations from a living room brawl to a sword battle in a Japanese snow garden.

A factor in using animation and black and white might have been getting round the sensors but it works well in the film and contributes to the cartoony feel of the whole film. Indeed, although this film is packed with more violence in a minute than most films get into an hour, Tarrantino reminds his viewers that what they're watching isn't real and the humour of many of the scenes softens their negative impact. Although a film about car racing might make you want to drive fast, Kill Bill is unlikely to make you want to wield a samurai sword.

What's more, Kill Bill looks good. It's like a moving portrait of iconic cinematic images and, in a strange sort of way, it's actually beautiful.

Rating: 7/10.