Courageous, Smart, and a Hell of a Good Time

Rating: 10/10 (1 July 2005)

Before I saw this movie I had never heard of Frank Miller's Sin City and after the first time I saw it I am a fan. The characters grabbed me with their sleek way of going around town their dialogue...OH THE DIALOGUE!!!
It is read just like a comic book. It's perfect! The combination of narrating and actually speaking to one another flows beautifully. The three stories intertwine slightly and leave nothing behind. The three characters in focus are Hartigan, Marv, and Dwight played by Bruce Willis, Mickey Rourke, and Clive Owen respectively. The three men have run ins with others notables like Jessica Alba, Nick Stahl, Elijah Wood, Rosario Dawson, Benicio Del Toro, and many more. All with qualities that define themselves, just like a comic book or graphic novel character in this case.
The color choices are interesting. The majority of the movie is filmed in black and white, but certain items or features are colored in. Marv's pills are in color, as is the sky at one point when it becomes blood red. Frank Miller and Robert Rodriguez did the stories justice.
What makes this movie stand out ahead of all other comic book movies is the fact that it is set up like a comic book. The way the characters seem invincible and don't fear anything except to fail in their quest. These guys aren't super heroes either. They are just some of the people of Basin City, a town where anything goes...for a small price.
With so many memorable characters and lines from this movie, there is no telling how much of an impact it will make. Hopefully sequels will come with new plots and characters with just as many great speeches and narratives.
"An old man dies, a young girl lives... a fair trade...I love you, Nancy..."