Kill Bill: Volume 1 4K Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		4.5
Video		4.5
Audio		4.5
Extras		2.0
Overall		4.0

Kill Bill: Volume 1 4K Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Jeffrey Kauffman January 27, 2025

Note: Hey, everyone, it's time for another exciting round of Lionsgate Lottery(™?), that amazing game of chance where lucky would be consumers get to guess what titles the studio will release in 4K editions with specialty SteelBook packaging. Longtime players of the game will no doubt remember that our "winner's wheel" is actually a fully functioning mandala, with movable concentric rings that not only identify any ultimate title, but which can also designate any number of other variables, including whether the release will be new to 4K, have a remastered or "remainder" 1080 disc included, have an HDR component, and exactly which retailer will have the exclusive, something that has become even more of a "bonus round" now that Lionsgate's own new boutique label Lionsgate Limited has launched. This week's finalists include four Quentin Tarantino films, and in fact three of the four are new to 4K UHD, and are being offered in both standard packaging "wide" releases and exclusive SteelBook packaging. The fourth offering, Reservoir Dogs, has already had a wide 4K UHD release, and is joining its mates in its SteelBook edition only. The SteelBooks are in fact being offered via Lionsgate's Lionsgate Limited site (and not Amazon, per many other Lionsgate SteelBook 4K exclusives, as of the writing of this review).

Kill Bill: Volume 1 had an early enough release on 1080 Blu-ray that it's in the "Top 40" of titles added to our database, coming in at number 38 (hopefully you said that last part in the voice of Casey Casem). As with many of the other Tarantino titles, this film has been re-released several times in the interim, but our Kill Bill: Volume 1 Blu-ray review of that initial 2008 (!) premiere on 1080 Blu-ray should provide enough plot information for anyone wanting a recap.

Those interested in my take on the 4K UHD disc's technical merits are encouraged to head over to my Kill Bill: Volume 1 4K Blu-ray review of Lionsgate's wide release in standard packaging.

Kill Bill: Volume 1 4K Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Video quality is assessed in the above linked review.

Kill Bill: Volume 1 4K Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Audio quality is assessed in the above linked review.

Kill Bill: Volume 1 4K Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Legacy supplements on both the 1080 and 4K UHD discs are detailed in the above linked review. The SteelBook features a kind of playful cover offering yellow and purple tones in abundance, with several of the major characters featured on the front and back panels. The interior panels feature a fun drawing (see the high res photo in position 5). A Mylar O ring superimposes a katana over the front panel image and has credits on the back. A digital copy is also included.

Kill Bill: Volume 1 4K Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Kill Bill Volume 1 is one of those wonderful Tarantino offerings that is both sui generis and obviously paying homage at the same time. I personally found this new 4K UHD version to show noticeable new nuance in palette and some appealing upticks in detail levels, even if it comes nowhere close to the consistently excellent appearance of Jackie Brown in 4K, and has some rather odd looking anomalies in fast motion sequences in particular. Your mileage of course may vary, but with caveats noted and with the added enticement of a nicely designed SteelBook, Kill Bill Volume 1 comes Recommended.