Kill Bill: Volume 1 (2003)

This is a solid movie. Nearly an entire wedding party is slaughtered during a dress rehearsal at a rural church. The pregnant bride (Uma Thurman) is the only survivor, but she is badly injured and enters a coma. When she awakens after four years, she assumes that her baby was killed and she decides to get revenge on the assassins who are responsible for the tragedy. Her first target is O-Ren Ishii (Lucy Liu), the leader of the Japanese mafia. Next she visits Vernita Green at her house, but is initially hesitant to go through with the attack when the woman's young daughter arrives from school.

The story was adapted from Lady Snowblood, a 1973 Japanese film. Hattori Hanzō is modelled on legendary 16th century sword maker Muramasa. Volume 1 was the widest theatrical release of Tarantino's career to date, and it was also his highest-grossing opening weekend to date.