Sin City, the Blade Runner of comic book films.

Rating: 8/10 (18 March 2005)

I just returned from the March 18, 2005 press screening of Sin City shown at the awesome Senator Theater in Baltimore, MD. Sin City will go down as the Blade Runner of comic book films. The film had an amazing feel to it and combined many visual styles to create a new filmic language. All the elements of a film noir action film were present: dimly lit scenes, monotone voice over narrative, and exquisitely placed one-liners.
I am not very familiar with comic book art, but the film used a bunch of familiar elements. Bad guys eyes were masked behind opaque glasses lenses and the scenes with characters driving looked like the comic cell where the car is speeding off into the distance. Limited splashes of color are used to accentuate key parts of the film or characters that will drive the rest of the story. The film is like nothing that has come before it and I am sure many will try to follow its lead.
The acting is great with no single character stealing the show. The makeup is amazing and even though the actors are often performing superhuman feats, the scenes do not poses any of the silliness of a film like The Hulk. Everything on the screen is believable because it is taking place in a comic book setting where anything is possible. Rodriguez crafts a world never before seen on film. He polishes it all off with a soundtrack is not at all intrusive and helps build the mood of the film.
Rodriguez stays true to his art form and except for a massive continuity flaw with blood on Mickey Rourke's chin and mouth appearing and disappearing, he keeps the film moving along seamlessly. Elements of past films have been placed through out the film. One pivotal scene begins at a loading dock that looks exactly like the one in the Matrix just before Cipher drops the cell phone in the trashcan. The wrap around storyline echoes Pulp Fiction beautifully. Rutger Hauer's scene looks like it could have come off the cutting room floor of Blade Runner. Rodriguez pays homage to those that came before him and provides us with numerous familiar visual elements.
Sin City will probably flop in theaters just because everything edgy and new generally does. Dennis Miller once appeared on the Ben Stiller Show and said, "I love your show; you are doing cutting edge stuff. How long until it gets canceled like mine did?" Sin City will have a massive cult following and influence many future films. Years from now it will get the recognition that its due. Rodriguez stays true to his beliefs and even resigned from the Director's Guild of America to make sure Frank Miller just credit as co-director. There should be more people like him in Hollywood. Sin City is far better than any Spider Man or Daredevil junk that has been produced in the past. Who knows, maybe people will even go rent Roadracers to see where that Rodriguez guy was coming from early in his career.
Catch Sin City in the theater as soon as possible, you won't be disappointed