Dead on.

Rating: 9/10 (2 April 2005)

Ever since I saw the trailer I've been waiting to see this movie. Just the look of it caught my eye, and it has addicted me ever since. After seeing the movie, I can say that Sin City definitely did not let me down. I read the graphic novels awhile back, but after seeing the trailers I had to go revisit them to get ready for the movie. Even in the first scene of the movie, you can tell that a movie has finally retained the artistry of a graphic novel in its conversion to cinema. Finally, the spirit of a comic book has been kept alive in the transition. Finally, a movie has been made that is incredible faithful to the material it is based off of. Finally, a movie has been made of which you have a hard time saying, "The book was better." Well, to clear things up, this movie is definitely not for the faint of heart. It is chock full of violence, has a bit of nudity (though not really sexual), and is full of those themes we love to hate such as pedophilia, prostitution, torture, etc. Yet, the movie doesn't really hold any of things seriously. It's hard to explain. In some way, they were able to make this movie full of glorified violence (though much of it is "comic-booky" meaning lots of fake blood spurts, think Kill Bill Vol. 1) and immoral EVERYTHING and do it in a properly tongue in cheek manner. If you let yourself laugh, instead of sitting there shaking your head at how the world is going to hell because of movies like this, you will enjoy yourself.
Finally, the movie is good at telling the story. You would think that the plot would get lost in all the bloodbath, but it doesn't. Of course, the plot isn't incredibly deep full of twists and turns, but it gets the job done in that properly retro-noir flavor. And for once the big name actors are there for a reason. They can almost make you take seriously the purposefully cheesy dialogue that hearkens back to old Film Noir movies. And even though I knew what was going to happen, they kept me glued every minute.
If you are looking for a visually stunning and incredibly entertaining action flick, go see Sin City. But leave your morals at the door and not take everything so seriously, and you'll be in for a hell of a ride.
9.5/10