Pretty good, Dick Tracy on Roids if you like......

Rating: Null/10 (3 April 2005)

......but they DO overkill on the violence. I am always rather suspicious whenever I see the Harry Knowles fanboys going KooKoo over something like this, you just Know it's something that generally was only seen inside the covers of 'Heavy Metal' or in a bad Quiet Riot video from 20 years ago.
What's good: Fine turns by Willis, Mickey Roarke, Del Toro. Great atmosphere. Having not read the comics I'm going to assume that this was as faithful to 'co-director' Frank Miller's originals as humanly possible. Stunts, action, cool retro cars, they're in there.
What's not so good? You don't Need to see Frodo there being munched by a wolf, the yellow Kid being castrated by Bruce or watch Del Toro riding in a car w/ a gunbarrel sticking outta his forehead. A little of that sorta thing goes a lonnnnnnng ways.
The gals--every single one, by and large, was a hooker, either w/ or w/out a heart of gold. Not a single semi-believable woman in the lot. Now Don't get me wrong-I Very munch enjoy seeing Ms Dawson, Alba and Gugino etc etc dressed up like most of Prince's gals in the '80s-you know, Vanity, Sheila E and Appollonia. That's all well and good. But by the time you get to the scenes of these Uzi toting hookers in bondage gear letting loose on 'Bear' from Armageddon's guys in the streets below.....I was just laughing my head off. Any minute I was expecting Winger, Whitesnake and Warrant to show up. I did think Jessica Alba played a sweet part, and yes, Dawson's legs go up 9 stories. Calling it anything more than an adolescent fantasy though would be kind indeed.
Yes I enjoyed it though, if you liked the old Film Noirs w/ Mitchum or Bogie, don't be expecting to see that level of quality here though. 'the Third Man' this is NOT--think more 'Pulp Fiction' churned thru Dick Tracy, Maybe. This is strictly from the world of Del Toro, Rodruiguez, Miller and Tarentino, period.
***, not for kids or the squeamish. Helps to be a fan of the genre.