SIN CITY

This film combines three of Frank Miller's graphic comic book stories; The Hard Goodbye, The Big Fat Kill and That Yellow Bastard. Technically brilliant, Sin City is an extraordinary surreal film that must be the closest a film can get to creating the feel and style of a comic book. Filmed mostly in black, white, grey and silver every scene has the feel and style of a comic book but every so often vivid colours are splashed against the greys for effect. Artificial sets and limited dialogue add to the comic book feel. The film takes on the style of a violent adult 1940's film noir with strange characters narrating their thoughts as they go about the streets of the seedy city looking for justice or revenge.

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One of the intertwined stories has Bruce Willis as a cop struggling with a bad heart as he tries to save a young kidnapped girl. Another story see the misfit character Marv (Mickey Rourke) out to avenge the death of Goldie, a prostitute and the only woman who was kind to him. The third story is that of Dwight (Clive Owen) who helps protect the prostitutes of Old Town.

Even the violence, and there is plenty of it, takes on a stylised comic-book feel and this lessens the impact of some of the more graphic scenes. Blood is often shown as white instead of red and some of the characters survive numerous shootings and fights! Images of violence can be necessary but given the puerile nature of some of these graphic scenes it might make some viewers feel a little uneasy.

Towards the end and in spite of its originality I began to find the character's narrative a little tiresome and I reckon 30 minutes could have been shaved off the film.

Bottom Line: In creating a dark comic-book story this film couldn't have been better but it won't be everyone's idea of entertainment. For what the movie achieves I would recommend all movie fans to see it but for anyone else I would be slow to give that recommendation as it is the type of movie that you will either love or hate.

If you enjoy Sin City you might also enjoy Kill Bill Vol. 1, or Kill Bill Volume Two.

Reviewed by Niall Quinn, Premier Movie Reviews 2005.

RELATED MOVIE REVIEWS: BRUCE WILLIS: Bandits,  Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle, Hostage,  Unbreakable.  MICKEY ROURKE: Once Upon A Time In Mexico,  Man On Fire.  CLIVE OWEN: The Bourne Identity,  Closer,  King Arthur.  ELIJAH WOOD: The Lord Of The Rings - The Fellowship Of The Ring,  Lord Of The Rings - The Two Towers,  The Lord Of The Rings: The Return Of The King,  Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind.  ROSARIO DAWSON: Men In Black II,  Alexander.  BENICIO DEL TORO:  The Hunted.  NICK STAHL: Terminator 3.  BRITTANY MURPHY: 8 Mile,  Don't Say A Word,  Just Married, Good Boy.  MICHAEL CLARKE DUNCAN: The Green Mile,  Planet Of The Apes.

Genre: Crime/Gangster

Director: Robert Rodriguez and Frank Miller

Certificate: Sin City was rated 18 by the Irish Film Censor's Office (www.ifco.ie) i.e. suitable for those of eighteen years of age and upwards. Violence = strong. Drugs = none. Language = mild. Sex/nudity = mild.

Official Movie Website: Sin City

~ Main Cast ~

Bruce Willis

Mickey Rourke

Clive Owen

Elijah Wood

Jessica Alba

Rosario Dawson

Benicio Del Toro

Nick Stahl

Brittany Murphy

Michael Madson

Michael Clarke Duncan