Most Important Since Star Wars

Rating: 10/10 (11 April 2005)

If you're my age (44), you remember what a mind-blowing experience _Star Wars_ was when it came out. If you're older or younger than I, but are interested in film, you probably nonetheless have a good since of what a genre defining/breaking film Star Wars was.
_Sin City_ is not better or worse than _Star Wars_, and it's not more or less important. It's another film in the same class-less class: a sui generis MiND BLaST!. Rodriguez and Miller have made something that enlarges our sense of possibility for both film and comics. (I could say "graphic novels" instead of "comics", but after _Sin City_, we don't have to flop around to find elevated terms for this other wonderfully creative and vital American visual art form.)
I haven't memorized Citizen Kane or anything... I'm not the font of all film knowledge... but, I can't think of another performance to match Rourke's in terms of sheer stage presence. He's a beast... it seems like he's there in the theater with you. Amazing. Oscar-worthy.
Willis also does a great job, but -- perhaps because he's turned in so many solid performances in recent years (esp. Pulp Fiction) -- he doesn't take off the top of your head like Mickey does.
And (here I really am damning with faint praise), I can't fault Clive. I can't imagine how anyone could play his part better, but, he's overshadowed by his villain and his ladies. I don't mind that at all.... I LOVE that. I love the way the camera is learning to caress the un-heros with this film. But the anthology format invites one to compare the three male leads, and on that scale, Owen comes up short (part of it is the part).
I love this film. I will watch it for the rest of my life. I suspect I'll find more to notice and cherish each time. I more-than-suspect that what I notice and cherish will be visual and conceptual: it's in these realms that it breaks truly new ground.
Oh... and yeah... it's really violent and sexist. Enjoy.