A Brilliant Modern Noir

Rating: 9/10 (27 August 2005)

There has certainly been no shortage of comic book movies lately. From "Spider-Man" to "X-Men", for one reason or another, it just seems to be the current craze. Most of the films in this group are nothing but pointless Hollywood garbage full of drawn-out action sequences and cheesy dialogue. However, there are those select few that stand out. "Sin City" is one film does just about everything but get lost in the crowd.
The film, based on the graphic novels by Frank Miller, follows three stories. One is about Hartigan (Willis), a cop with a "bum ticker" on the verge of retirement who rescues a little girl from a rapist with political ties (Stahl); one is about Marv (Rourke), an odd-looking man searching for the killer of his "true love", Goldie (King), a prostitute who slept with him and "was nice to him" - something no other woman had ever done; and the other is about Dwight (Owen), a man who aids a group of prostitutes in the murder of several men, one of whom turns out to be a cop, which sends Old Town (a city run by prostitutes) into a war. And this is all tied together by several elements, including a prostitute waitress (Murphy) and a cannibalistic serial killer (Wood).
By now you've probably realized that "Sin City" isn't exactly a cookie-cutter PG-13 comic book movie, due to all the prostitutes, murder, and what-not. In fact, it's a violent pop-culture celebration, featuring one of the most remarkable casts in ages and being directed by Robert Rodriguez, Quentin Tarantino, and Frank Miller himself.
The film's visual element is undeniably fantastic, as it remains strikingly faithful to Miller's graphic novels. Using a gorgeous mix of black and white and strategically placed color, the film creates an atmosphere reminiscent of the classic noir films of the '30s and '40s while still maintaining a distinctly modern feel, and also moves at a deliberate pace, as it is loaded with snappy dialogue, clever editing, and over-the-top violence.
The film's only real flaw is its hit-and-miss acting, but I guess this may have been done somewhat on purpose, perhaps to further enforce the comic book element? Maybe, but I doubt it.
But that aside, "Sin City" is a truly great, original film that screams for numerous sequels, as it seems like it just has so much more to show us. It almost feels like this film is just an appetizer. Let's hope Rodriguez doesn't destroy the sequels to this wonderful instant classic, which is arguably the best comic book-to-film adaptation ever made.
9/10