No question that Sin City
is a labor of love for writer/director Robert Rodriguez (Once
Upon a Time in Mexico,
The Faculty),
who went through painstaking effort in order to capture the look, feel
and characterizations of the original comic book by the legendary
Frank Miller. Miller's original graphic novels were sleekly
drawn, with stark silhouettes, shadows, drawn in black and white
accented with a minimalist color scheme -- all of which are replicated
perfectly here. The replication from page to screen is so
complete that Rodriguez even gave Miller co-directing credit for
setting up the look and feel of the scenes that were shot for the
movie, even though he didn't actually direct in the traditional sense.
Thanks to Rodriguez, this is Frank Miller's Sin City, in every sense
of the phrase.
The movie, just like the comic it is inspired from, is not to every
taste. Hard-boiled action, crime noir dialogue, and an ever
present sense of the perverse and macabre permeates every frame, so
those looking for traditional fare might not be in tune with the world
both Miller and Rodriguez have represented. The violence, while
stylized, is quite brutal, with sadistic torture and seedy
underpinnings that aren't for those with weak stomachs or the easily
offended. You've been warned.
Sin City
features three main storylines, all taking place in Basin City, each
adapted from a separate series of "Sin City" comics, although some
overlap between the stories exists as some of the characters and
locations of the city are the same. After a mostly tangential
opening scene featuring Josh Hartnett (Wicker
Park), we are introduced to Detective John Hartigan (Bruce
Willis, Hostage),
a soon-to-be-retired cop out to crack the last case of his career,
nailing the child-raping son of a senator, Junior (Stahl,
Terminator 3).
The second main segment stars Mickey Rourke (Man
on Fire, Spun)
as Marv, a grizzled lowlife who takes a liking to a prostitute named
Goldie (Jaime King,
White Chicks),
only to vow ruthless revenge when she is murdered. Clive Owen (Closer,
The Bourne
Identity) takes center stage right after, as Dwight, who takes
up the fight along with Old Town's prostitutes when a slimy cop gets
iced, potentially starting a war between the city's competing factions
should the police no longer offer their "protection". The film
picks up the first story once again, although out of continuity,
several years later.
I'm going to guess that Sin
City is likely to strongly polarize viewers with its strong
violence, knowingly superficial characterizations, and decidedly
different look. Some viewers will be blown away by the visuals
and dynamic sense of viscerally engaging aesthetic. It will also
please those who enjoy movies that push forward the titillating nature
of sex and violence -- it is called "Sin City" after all. On the
other extreme, there will be those who are repulsed by the imagery and
dark themes, not really entertained by the very unrealistic characters
(especially the man-eating Kevin and the grotesque Yellow Bastard), or
the intentionally stilted noir dialogue. It all depends what
your cup of tea is. Make that a cup of coffee. Strong, black,
unsweetened coffee.
Of course, I can't presume to
speak for everyone. I can only offer my take, and that is to say
that the strengths and weaknesses are both there, but the overall
experience is so strong, that whatever faults one can ascribe to the
film are overshadowed by the things which Rodriguez does so well.
The visuals are the largest of the strengths, with actors mostly
shooting their scenes in front of blue screens (or green screens) with
backgrounds added after the fact. It really is a beautiful
looking movie, in its dark and sinister way, with lush black and white
photography, and splashes color to accentuate the action. The
ensemble of actors is also very impressive, each very strong in their
respective roles, with a performance by Mickey Rourke that will have
many critics and fans clamoring, "comeback".
I do have a few minor nitpicks.
Although I do realize that Rodriguez was trying to capture the look
and feel of threedistinct stories from the books they are based on, it
probably would have helped the cinematic flow if they overlapped each
other, instead of playing out sequentially. Although most of us
have grown used to movies shot out of sequence, the final scenario
does show some characters who have already died, and it does beg the
question as to why it was split from the first sequence to begin with.
There is also a bit of aloofness to the story for long periods,
despite the humor and very in-your-face violence. It's almost so
over-the-top that it lacks the ability to achieve shock value anymore,
as we watch grisly murders and decapitations among many characters,
and yet have little or no feeling for any of them. In other
words, Sin City can be a bit boring at times.
Quentin Tarantino (Jackie
Brown,
Reservoir Dogs) pays back Rodriguez for some scoring work he
did on Kill Bill
by shooting a scene of the movie, although I honestly wish I didn't
know this from the outset. Wondering with each scene if it were
the one QT directed can be distracting, so I'll do some of you a favor
by letting you know that it is the sequence where Clive Owen is
driving an incapacitated Benicio Del Toro (The
Hunted, The Pledge)
in a speeding car. It's one of the best sequences in the movie.
Sin City
is an experience unlike any other, which should not only please Frank
Miller's die-hard fans, but probably will earn him a legion of new
ones in the process. Robert Rodriguez has made a near masterwork
here, in one of the joyously pungent pieces of moviemaking I've seen
in quite some time. While it isn't a perfect film by any means,
it is a film made with so much ambition, the fact that it succeeds so
often is far more than anyone could or should have ever expected.
Sin City is for lovers of neo-noir and those who are "ready for
a bit of the old ultra-violence".
-- Followed by Sin City: A Dame to Kill For
(2014)
