Review: SIN CITY

Hartigan: Bruce Willis
Marv: Mickey Rourke
Nancy: Jessica Alba
Gail: Rosario Dawson
Jackie Boy: Benicio Del Toro
Dwight: Clive Owen
Kevin: Elijah Wood
Bob: Michael Madsen
Junior/Yellow Bastard: Nick Stahl
Manute: Michael Clarke Duncan
Shellie: Brittany Murphy

Written and Directed by: Frank Miller and Robert Rodriguez
with guest directing by Quentin Tarantino
Running Time: 124 minutes
Rated: R (for extreme violence, nudity and sexual content)

This is a comic book that many thought would be next to impossible. Based on the Frank Miller comics that are both brutal and extremely graphic, some feared it would be rather difficult to bring a truely loyal film version to the screen that would do the comic any justice. Not only has Miller and Rodriguez done the comic justice, they have created a film that is a cinimatic masterpiece. Ozzing in Film Nior and only showing color everyone once in a while like a quick tease, this film sharp yet brutal film is a work of art that I comic fans have been dying to see for a long, long time. The movie is made to look like a moving black & white comic book with splashes of intense color, and it succeeds mainly not just because of its stlye but because of a spectacular cast and a dialogue that is as sharp and brutal as its action. The absense of color didn’t take away from the film at all, and I really think that all color in this film wouldn’t have been the same. It would have just been to messy to be enjoyed. Less was truly more in this film, and its stlye allowed the violence to be a part of the story as opposed to something that stuck out so much that it was a distraction. The directors did this with great east, making this in my humble opinion one of the best films I’ve seen all year.

The entire film is actually three radically different stories that managed to fit together, similar to what was seen in Pulp Fiction but something that will be easier for average viewers to follow. In the first tale, we have a cop named Hartigan, a cop that used his last day on the force to cross all political lines and do the right thing to save a young girl from a dangerous predator. The second story was about Marv, a killer/thug who was framed for a murder he didn’t commit this time. Then we have the story about Dwight, a defender of women whether they be dometically abused or being pushed out of business on the streets by thugs. Three great characters, and interesting stories make for some rather entertaining moments. And if you’re the sort of person who loves all that self narration you see in old school Film Noir, then these stories will know your socks off as all three characters listed above are the narrators.

To make these great stories work (as well as the narration of them), you needed some great actors to pull off what are rather complex and deep chracters. Bruce Willis made a great Hartigan, and pulled off the compassionate cop role to a tee. He was an old man with regrets who acted his age and looked it. A great role for Willis and he pulled if off nicely, making it some of his best work since in a while. Clive Owen was equally as impressive as Dwight, proving to us that his stunning award winning work in Closer was no fluke. This guy is capable of being a fantastic lead actor, and his talents were used to their full effect here as a guy who not only didn’t hesitate to go in for the kill, but did it for the right reasons. These are great characters, and using all three to tell specific and popular Sin City stories (The long goodbye, The Big Fat Kill and That Yellow Bastard) rather than just one complete narrative made this film much more enjoyable and different. Each story comes together in the end, similar to Pulp Fiction but it’s much easier for everyone to follow.

Allowing creator Frank Miller write the script for this film was the right choice as the dialogue is sharp, edgy and extremely faithful to the original material, which I am sure will please the hardcore fans. The filming of the scenes almost make the film look like a living comic book, making it a visual masterpiece. All the shots were made with the background being filled in later for every shot, and this is the first film that manages to do that without taking away from the picture. Shooting the film this way actually gave it a more comic book like feel to the film as the cinematography is jaw dropping. Robert Rodriguez has clearly outdone himself, more than making up for his recent haitus to make a few kid’s films. This is by far the best work Rodriguez has ever filmed to date. But I have to warn some people that this movie is extremely violent, so those who are not eager to see some rather graphic scenes would best avoid this film as it’s extremely loyal to the intense action that comes from the infamous comic books.

Overall, while the movie is full of hardcore and violent images, it manages to maintains it’s comic book feel. This along with some of the best peformances of the year make this one of the best films of 2005. It’s a very different kind of comic book movie if you compare it to other films in the genre like Spider-Man or Hulk as its very dark and extremely ruthless. With great acting (expecaially from the lead actors), this is a must see for those who want to watch something that is not only entertaining, but a movie that someone can call the genuine comic book movie. Robert Rodriguez (with the aid of Miller and Tarantino) have managed to deliver an very violent, yet magificent work of art. Sin City is a fantastic film that oozes with Film Noir yet still manages to do its own thing… something I think many moviegoers will get a big kick out of.

Rating: 10 (Out of 10)