Just saw Sin City last night. What a visual treat, literally like nothing else ever made.
The story is a bit convoluted; non-linear storytelling seems to be the trend lately, thanks in part to Tarrentino who is the master of the craft. The main idea though is three separate stories told from the point of view of one of Frank Miller's gritty heros/anti-heros.
The film is visually impressive and uber-violent. The violence is over the top though in the same vein as Kill Bill and was tolerable only adding to the "Holy Shit!" effect.
The best story of the three will be up for debate no-doubt. My personal favorite was Mickey Rourke playing the brutal but, and dare I say it, loveable Marv from an adaptation of "The Hard Goodbye". A hulking Neanderthal of a ruffian who is out to avenge the one woman he ever loved.
Included in the vignettes are Hartigan, a down-on-his-luck copper with a bum ticker vowing to protect an eleven year old girl from a menace that vows to do her harm.
Lastly in the tale is Clive Owen as Dwight, the handsome killer and co-hort of the killer prostitute babes of Old Towne.
The film is shot and directed by Robert Rodriguez who brought us "From Dusk Til Dawn" and the "SPY KIDS" franchise. It is good to see our man back directing family fare such as this.
The only downside to the film is that after the first hour the novelty wears off. Halfway through the 2 hour and 15 minute running time I was checking my watch every ten minutes praying that the dark spectacle before me would end.
So what was missing in the film? Not much other than a plot and some character development. If you never read the comic books (graphic novels) on which the film was based you may end up a wee bit confused by some of the characters and what their deal is.
The only other downside is Brittany Murphy; interesting enough, I have said the same thing about every other movie I saw in which she had a role. Coincidence? I think not. This poor man's Drew Barrymore lacks any definition of talent. Any talent this starlet had was left on the set of Girl Interrupted.
The film is definitely not for minors, leave the kids home for this comic book inspired thriller as it contains gratuitous nudity, cannibalism, mutilations, and more crotch obliterations than Lorena Bobbitt in a Turkish Bathhouse.
So spend your money, see this movie and be prepared to be blown away by the visual styling of Frank Miller's Sin City.
This post was last modified: 04-04-2005, 10:48 AM by Tony H.