Labyrinth of sin and madness

Rating: 9/10 (13 December 2006)

Run for your life in this labyrinth of sin and madness, only to realize that there's no way out. This is a savage jungle where humans have turned ravenous beasts, feeding on the flesh and blood of their fellow creatures, and even in death you die a violent and merciless one. Yes, welcome to HELL. In it cops are corrupted, politicians crooked, God and religion dead. You live a nightmarish zombie existence and there is no redemption. Killing is survival.
I know this will not be my favorite film but still it completely blew my mind. Co-directing the film himself, Frank Miller has brought his own graphic novel onto screen alive and with style. There's really nothing quite like it before, the closest I can think of is Natural Born Killers. But NBK is outrageous, flashy, and ostentatious while Sin City is dark, broody, and lyrical, with a touch of 'noir' feel, though both are extremely violent, absurd, and crazy. The plot consists of three stories intertwined and runs coherently. I don't care much about the plot though; the style is all i live for. Style is in itself true art, and this film nailed it, it's beautifully done.
I hadn't read any synopsis or reviews of this film before watching it- I love to watch films this way cos it always gives me delightful surprises. Not aware of the cast except Bruce Willis and Jessica Alba, I was amazed by several minor but impressive performances- Elijah Wood as the nerdy-looking but chilling cannibal (can you imagine that? THink about him in Lord of the Rings!) and Devon Aoki (Yes! the half American half Japanese Chanel top model!) as the lovely mute angel-whore-swords-woman, Miho. Initially i thought that Quentin Tarantino must have been responsible for Miho's sword fight scenes, cos the scenes immediately reminded me of his Kill Bill, but later someone else corrected me that QT directed instead the car conversation scene.
Watching this film in the theater is awesome. Words can't really convey the sensation, you have to go watch it yourself.
This film is not for everyone- if you don't like QT-styled/influenced films or you can't take exaggerated, gruesome violence (body parts chopped off and flying away or beaten to a pulp) or you can't maintain a playful, detached mindset, then this film is NOT for you.