Five Word Review: Beautiful, shocking, witty, sexy, sleazy.

Rating: 9/10 (4 June 2005)

Sin City (2005) Directed by Robert Rodriguez and Frank Miller
So the start of the summer blockbusters is upon us and the season opens with this very bold and exciting movie, Sin City. You've seen the trailers maybe even read the "graphic novels" (that's comics!) that the film is based on but does this visual treat hold up for 2 hours and 8.50 of your hard earn cash? With some critics calling it the new Pulp Fiction (in part due the input of 'Quest Director' Quentin Tarantino), a bar that high is going to be hard to clear but Sin City does it with style and then some.
Based on three graphic novels in the Sin City series by Frank Miller, the film plays out in three separate chapters much like the Pulp Fiction it has been compared to. Each segment is narrated by its central character, Marv (Mickey Rourke), Dwight (Clive Owen) and Hartigan (Bruce Willis), following their story through Basin City (knock off the 'Ba' and what do you get?) as they encounter revenge, violence, sex, drugs, love and hate. Following the film's time line can be tricky on first viewing, however the film will hold up to multiply viewing and a re-watch will prove enjoyable and possibly rewarding as you connect all the characters together to form a much broader picture of Sin City. A violent and unsettling place, Sin City does not shy away from any form of body inflicting damage. Fists, teeth, knives, cars, dogs, razor wire, sledgehammers and rubber tubing are all put to good use in order to torture and kill. Sin City has more than earned its 18's cert and probably would not have passed the Censors where the film not shot in black and white.
And its the black and white "graphic novel" look may very well catch most viewers off guard. Shot in a digital back lot all the actors performed in front of blue screen with all the background added later. While this original look, broken throughout the film only by select and significant splashes of colour, is at first a shock and then a pleasure to watch its impact is soon lost within the first 20mins of viewing. This is however no great loss as the film's great ensemble cast quickly picks up the film and carries it beautifully to the end. A great comeback for Mickey Rourke, and with Bruce Willis only being Bruce Willis for one quick line ("Wait here for me to come back, I'll keep you safe." Very Die Hard!). Notable supporting roles include Brittany Murphy, looks great and proves that her 8 Mile performance wasn't just a once off, and Josh Hartnett for brief but excellent opening and closing of the film.
Overall Sin City is a sick pleasure to watch. A film that must hold the record for "most male genitalia" dismembered, it is bold, inventive, witty and in your face. Director Robert Rodriguez has taken his source material, of which he is a big fan, directly translated it to the screen and created a film that has pleased fans of the comic and is also accessible to the movie watching public. Co-directed with Sin City creator Frank Miller, a 'Guest Director' spot filled by Tarantino and a cast that will make "top 10 ensemble cast" lists for years to come it seems Sin City is set to be an instant hit. Sin City is bold, creative film-making but perhaps not for everyone. With Sin City 2 and 3 due in 2007/2008 is longevity in the public eye is assured but if Sin City will go down in the books, as a classic is a matter only time will tell. Go see it. Go see it again. Then put it on your DVD's to buy list. And let's leave at that for the moment.
Overall: Sin City shocks, titillates and teases. Funny, bloody and visually stunning, it proves itself one the best comic book adaptations of recent times. Even with such a great cast it will still remain to be seen if Sin City can outdo summer heavy hitters such as War of the World, Mr. And Mrs. Smith and Land of the Dead.
Five Word Review: Beautiful, shocking, witty, sexy, sleazy.