Comic book geeks have been waiting for “Sin City” the movie for years, using Frank Miller’s brilliant graphic novel essentially as masturbation fodder until he or she (lets be honest though, most likely he) could see a stunning, spot on visual representation of it. Unapologetic, unyielding, unnerving, but more importantly, the coolest thing to hit the big screens in years, “Sin City” is practically flawless.
Nothing you have seen can prepare you for the cinematic experience that is “Sin City,” well unless you’ve read the graphic novels. It is rather incredible how similar the graphic novels are to the movie, as if Miller’s pages simply leapt onto the big screen. The stylized color scheme, the writing, the way Mickey Rourke looks exactly like the character of Marv, even the unabashed, sometimes, shameless nudity is so similar it’s almost eerie. “Sin City” the movie isn’t so much of an adaptation of the graphic novels, but more of an exact visual replication. Miller was co-director (in name only though), an act which black listed actual director (or as he puts it ‘shot and cut’) Robert Rodriguez from the Directors Guild of America.
Using the same cutup plot motif as Quentin Tarantino’s, “Pulp Fiction,” “Sin City” weaves its way through three main story lines revolving around the characters of Hartigan (Bruce Willis), Marv (Mickey Rourke) and Dwight (Clive Owen). “Sin City” isn’t so much about an actual plot though, and a recap of it would prove to be tedious. It is more of an in-the-moment, visually stunning, ass-kicking mayhem.
Sin City is a place devoid of morals, laws (both natural and governmental) and ethics. Sin City is a place that, although might have its few unmarred not morally corrupt characters, will quickly manipulate them into strippers, prostitutes, killers and shockingly enough, cannibals. Sin City is a place where you might love to visit, but wouldn’t want to live there.
On a scale of one to ultra-violent, “Sin City” is practically off the Richter scale. Sledgehammers to the head, beheadings, cannibalism and castration seem to be all too common within these city limits; yet, Rodriguez’s digital black and white filter creates a sense of distance between the audience and the violence. Sure it’s shocking, but it is nowhere near vomit inducing. To be honest, it is more cool than anything else. Most of the movie is black and white, but Rodriguez colorizes certain images: the beautiful prostitute Goldie’s (Jamie King) silky hair, the crimson blood that leaks from nearly every character, the teal exterior of American classic cars and the yellow mutated skin of Rourke Jr., a.k.a Yellow Bastard (Nick Stahl). The effect it nothing less than eye popping.
Aside from being mind-meltingly cool, “Sin City” is the first cohesive, all digitally shot movie. That means that all the acting was done in front of a green screen and all the scenery was later added during postproduction. “Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow” (2004) tried this effect, but its end result was far too cheesy and campy. With “Sin City” however, the audience is more drawn into the effects rather than being brought out of the movie by them, the plight that “Sky Captain” fell victim to. Hopefully, “Sin City” is just the tip of the iceberg and there will be a whole slew of mind blowing all digital movies for similar cinematic achievements.
Just so you know before seeing the movie (because you might be disappointed otherwise) Jessica Alba is not nude. Neither is Brittany Murphy. But Rosario Dawson practically is and Jamie King bears it all, from the waist up anyway. This was one of the only confusing points of “Sin City,” the inconsistent amount of nudity. Advertised as containing smoking hot girls, “Sin City” seemed to tease the audience with mindless nudity from the minor characters while the more famous actresses held out. Rodriguez blue balls moviegoers by making Alba a stripper, but not nude. It was like Rodriguez was teetering on the line, not wanting the go over the top, but the end result was perplexing. Rodriguez should have chosen a side, one way or another.
Another mildly disappointing aspect was the big to-do the trailers made about Quentin Tarantino ‘guest directing’ a certain scene. Since you can’t tell which scene is Tarantino’s, this must have been a cheap marketing gimmick. Throw Tarantino’s name on there for an extra million in ticket sales, or something to that effect. The story goes that Rodriguez did the score for Tarantino’s “Kill Bill” for a mere price of one dollar on the condition that Tarantino would direct a scene in “Sin City” for the same fee. Regardless of the authenticity of this story, the addition of Tarantino seemed unnecessary; the movie was cool enough without him.
If “Sin City” isn’t the best movie of 2005, than it’s certainly the coolest. “Sin City” has everything: blood, guts, effects, acting, writing and is surprisingly smart and edgy. Sadly though, “Sin City” will never get the acclaim it deserves, other than being regarded as an instant cult classic. It will be snubbed by the Academy, that’s a give-in. However, “Sin City” never lets up, there is never a dull moment for a quick bathroom break, and somehow has some intangible ethereal effect which will draw its fans back to the theaters, plunking down another eight dollars, just to catch another glimpse of the magic.
Grade: A
