An absolutely amazing experience

Rating: 8/10 (3 June 2005)

The first thing you will notice about Robert Rodriguez's violent comic book crime masterpiece is the outstanding visual style. While many comic book movies are happy to simply take the story from their source material and turn it into a film, Rodriguez has gone further and took both the story and the comic book's own style, and the result is a movie that really feels like a comic book brought to life. The way the action quickly jumps from one scene to another, the over the top dialogue and, most importantly, Frank Miller's use of colour, are all there; and all in all, Sin City has raised the bar for comic book movies. Sin City is very positive for cinema on the whole, as it proves that there's still some originality left, and it also shows that if used properly, computer generated environments definitely can compliment a film and, in this case, even make it what it is. I had designs on what I thought the movie would be like before viewing it, but even so; after the first scene, which is completely in black and white except for the red on the dame's lipstick and dress, completely took me by surprise and throughout the movie you cant help but marvel at the unique visual treat that is being put before you.
Robert Rodriguez is a man that often loses out in the credibility department to his more popular friend (and special guest director on this production) Quentin Tarantino, and this is unfair in my opinion. Let's not forget that Rodriguez is the man that made El Mariachi for a mere $7000, and made it GOOD. The rest of the Desperado trilogy showed that Rodriguez has a real flair for comic book style action, and all in all I don't think there could have been a better man for the director's chair on Sin City. Rodriguez has applied his trademark of rounding up a host of popular stars to this film as well, and simply put; this film could not have been better cast. Mickey Rourke is the standout as the brute Marv, and he gives an amazing performance in that role. The way he commands the screen is great and his ugliness compliments the role excellently. Bruce Willis and Clive Owen are the other two lead men, and while Willis doesn't quite look old enough to be playing a 68-year-old copper; both of them do well in their roles also. Jessica Alba is scintillating as the very sexy Nancy Callahan, and the guys will be pleased to know that Sin City features a plethora of scantily clad women!
The film is split up into three stories, each based on a different Frank Miller book. Mickey Rourke's section of the film is the best, with lots of torture sequences and a beautiful dame at it's centre. Clive Owen's story is a treat for the eyes, as we enter 'old town'; a part of Sin City run by a load of prostitutes. And finally, Bruce Willis' story sees him on the trail of a child molester who he 'disarmed' years earlier. This tale is the creepiest of the bunch, and that story's central character, 'The Yellow Bastard', is a masterpiece of scum and villainy. The entire movie plays out like a film noir from the height of the era; only the comic book style gives it an extra ounce of muscle, and describing this film as 'film noir on steroids' wouldn't be a misplaced description. The melodramatic acting and dialogue help the film to capture the 50's style, and it's a treat for a fan of those sorts of films, such as myself, to see a modern day take on it. Overall, Sin City is one of the best films to come out this millennium. It's visual style is superb and this, when mixed with some invigorating stories and a fantastic cast, make Sin City a winner all the way.