Fine adaptation of rather inferior material

Rating: Null/10 (9 April 2005)

The best way to think about SIN CITY is that it's an extremely faithful adaptation -- in many ways it IS the comic book up there on screen -- of rather dumb material. Frank Miller's world here is loud and cartoonish, full of violence so graphic it ultimately becomes exceptionally silly, macho monologues that are just wincing in their tin-ear notes (easily the worst part of the movie is the dialog, often lifted directly from the books) and women who are really ridiculous fantasy figures for teenage boys: all sorts of hookers with hearts of gold or strippers who'll love you no matter what or waitresses looking for love. Really stupid.
All that said, it is what it is, and it's not bad for what it is. It looks absolutely fantastic, light years beyond what SKY CAPTAIN was able to put on screen. The acting from the guys is all pretty decent: Rourke in particular is exceptional. You really believe in big IL'Marv: the fact that Rourke can make you care about his plight is pretty amazing. All the guns blazing and gratuitous nudity and cannibalistic practices and the like are entertaining, in their way. Rodriguez is a good action-cartoon director: he's particularly good at pacing, and the film never slows down. It's one quick two hours.
Destined to be overrated by certain segments overimpressed by style and underimpressed by substance. Basically belongs in the hopper with KILL BILL and SHAUN OF THE DEAD, though nowhere near as good as those two movies. Okay, though.