Style Over Substance

Rating: 10/10 (13 November 2011)

Probably no other film deserves the title 'comic book movie' more than Sin City, though it has no men in tights and capes. It adapts Frank Miller's classic pulp stories lovingly and faithfully, to the point of using the comics themselves as a storyboard, often recreating frames down to the smallest details. More impressively, though, it manages to maintain the original atmosphere, and to create a total 'comics' feel despite the fact that it plays within a genre usually associated with film.
It needs to be said that Sin City is, to all intents and purposes, trash. It's stupid, it's violent, it's sexist, it has all its plot devices deeply rooted in the clichés of film noir and crime pulps. It's a classic case of style over substance - but with so much style, it really doesn't matter. Back in 2005 Sin City's stylish use of CGI was revolutionary, in that it used it to create a unique look rather than try imitate reality or even surreality; and it still stands out today as one of the most beautiful films ever made, where every single frame is a work of art. But in contrast with the other two Frank Miller-involved movies - 300 and The Spirit, both of them gorgeous as well - Sin City isn't just a series of pretty pictures, it excels also in perfect pacing, that makes sure the viewer is excited, pumped up and glued to the screen constantly. In fact, it's one of the best action movies seen in the 2000's, one which has its roots in the true classics of the genre rather than the modern Michael Bay-induced plague of slow motion, explosions and jittery camera.
Sin City is a must watch for cinema lovers and design enthusiasts. It shouldn't be taken too seriously - anyone raging about the movie being predictable or unoriginal isn't really saying much. It's all about visuals and style, and as such it's one of the most amazing and unique films ever made.