Director:
Robert Rodriguez & Frank Miller

Cast:
Bruce Willis
Clive Owen
Mickey Rourke
Jessica Alba

Official URL:

http://www.sincitythemovie.com

Country: USA
Rating: R
Studio Name: Dimension Films
Running Time: 2 hr 6 mins
Release Date: April 1, 2005

Critics's Rating:
(1 1/2 Reels out of 4) 

April 1, 2005

By Veronica Mixon

There is no doubt that Sin City is a dazzling visual feast. Robert Rodriguez has transferred Frank Miller’s comic book world onto the big screen in dramatic black and white, ultra sophisticated film style that he’s known for. Fierce-looking characters speed through the city in a super animated state. Clearly the hugely talented Rodriguez has a unique vision when it comes to creating stories. However, like some of his previous films (Spy Kids and Desperado), the narrative in which characters operate is left undeveloped. But, Sin City is based on a cartoon so the lack of depth in the storyline isn’t too much of a problem in this ultra violent movie.

This is a mega-hyped male fantasy where all of the men whether heroes or villains are a bit loony and the women are cannon fodder! The three interwoven tales involve three avenging killers – Bruce Willis, Clive Owen – fresh from a phenomenal year with Closer and Bourne Identity and Mickey Rourke – who track a pair of vicious psychopaths that delight in butchering women.

The surprise is Mickey Rourke because Sin City is the best role that he’s had in years! He was once a shining star in such films as 9 ½ Weeks, Barfly and Johnny Handsome, Rourke’s career crashed and burned because of his uncontrollable personal life. He is unrecognizable with a huge prosthetic nose but his sensitive performance reminds the audience that he’s still a gifted actor. As the likeable, hideous-looking Marv, Rourke is brilliant. Marv set out on a murderous rampage after his lover, Goldie (Jamie King) is killed. Meanwhile, both Willis finds redemption from the beautiful Jessica Alba (“Dark Angel”) while Clive Owens teams with a gang of armed prostitutes who protect their turf from a murderous lot. Furthermore, young actors, Elijah Wood (Lord of the Rings trilogy) and Nick Stahl (Carnivale) shed their adolescent images with their ugly portrayals as killers.

Sin City will delight fans of comics and the genre but there is little real fascination with this glorified male world. The women are ridiculous! They're either innocents or dangerous! They’re gun-toting prostitutes clad in bondage leather and high heels or victims of killers who want to devour them. The beauties (Rosario Dawson 25th Hour; Devon Aoki; Brittany Murphy and Carla Gugino Spy Kids) generously align themselves with desperate men in ugly situations. Frank Miller’s audience must be adolescent males and this clever film will not expand his audience to women or many adults.

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