Review of Sin City (2005) by Stevenf — 31 Jul 2013

Another breakthrough in cinema comes in the form of Sin City, a film brimming with so much drama, flare, excitement and beauty that it will ultimately be one of the defining, unforgettable and dramatic pieces of modern cinema that explores and discovers new ground, and brings the comic to movie adaption scenario to a whole new level. The film is told through various stories based on Frank Millar's comic book series, the man who also directed the film along with Robert Rodriguez, and a special credit for Quentin Tarantino, along with an ensemble cast that have the pleasure of taking part in such a unique film.

We have Bruce Willis playing an ageing cop with heart problems, who struggles to do his duty, while in another story we have a heavily make-upped Mickey Rourke playing Marv, a man on the hunt for the person who killed his mistress in the night, and he will not let anyone stand in his way, good or bad. The large cast which also includes Jessica Alba, Josh Hartnett, the late Brittany Murphy, Elijah Wood and Michael Madsen, all play very versatile and intriguing parts, and to my understanding this is more a "translation" than an adaption, as it is very close to the comics. These actors and actresses really throw themselves into the roles, particularly Mickey Rourke as the larger than life Marv, and also Clive Owen, a mysterious man helping out a town of prostitutes.

The statement of the film and its faithful translation of the comic series is visually true on screen, when we see the graphic content and the neo-noir effect used entirely throughout the film, where it is predominately black and white save for certain colours such as blood and lipstick.

This unique and edgy form of filming is magnificent and full of gore, with an exaggerated and out of this world form of violence. Its a real delight when a film like this comes along, combining the power of technology and of course, the imagination, to create a very singular and unorthodox film that never quits being surprising, innovative and most of all, fun.

The film is one of historical significance in terms of its groundbreaking style of filming, but it is also well written and can be summed up in various aways, a crime film, a thriller but also a very brutal and imaginative tale, a must see for comic book and film fans alike.