Sin City (R)

Released in 2005, “Sin City” does what the Spiderman and Batman movies fail to do – it takes a perfect representation of Frank Miller’s series of graphic novels and flawlessly translates them to the big screen. Effectively blending the elements of Miller’s Neo Noir landscape of rampant violence and bloodshed, pithy dialogue, and effects, “Sin City” embodies its own mythology and unique style like nothing else, and actually brings a comic to life.

Based on three of Miller’s books: The Hard Goodbye, That Yellow Bastard, and The Big Fat Kill, “Sin City” employs a cast that directors wouldn’t dare dream of, so large and talent laden its almost ridiculous to name. Unlike other movies where big name stars are inserted for no other reason that to entice the masses, the players in “Sin City” seem destined for their roles. Miller himself said of the casting “Strange things started happening. People showed up who looked like my drawings.”

Keeping true to comic style form, the narratives are tight and terse. Character backgrounds and previous interactions are intentionally left ambiguous and only the basics of good vs evil are revealed, with enamoring heroes pitted against odious villains, and a harem of beautiful women littered throughout.

The film is divided into three separate tales, though the characters in each cross paths with one another throughout the individual stories. The fictitious urban metropolis of Basin City is brought to life by a trio of stud directors that take turns at the controls of the movie; Robert Rodriguez, Quentin Tarantino, and Miller himself – with a perfectly smooth and indistinguishable flow. The corrupt and violent city is literally brought to life.

Miller’s great talents as a writer are also showcased, with powerful lines of dialogue that paint a brilliant portrait of the titular town and its horde of unusual inhabitants. “Walk down the right back alley in Sin City, and you could find anything.” Simple and effective, the quotes make a perfect representation of every scenario taking place on screen.

The heroes in “Sin City” are distinct and likable, each headlining their own respective story, and not one overshadowing the others. Mickey Roarke will blow you away as the barbaric brute Marv – hell bent on avenging the death of a beautiful hooker (Jaime King). Marv is described as “having the rotten luck of being born in the wrong century. He’d be right at home on some ancient battlefield swinging an axe into somebody’s face.” During one casting session, Frank Miller said he left having written down just one note on his pad – ‘Mickey Rourke he is Marv.’

In addition to Roarke, Clive Owen portrays smooth talking gunslinger Dwight, who dates a saloon girl played by Brittany Murphy. Murphy does an incredible job with the limited role of Shellie, and was a great talent lost too soon. Bruce Willis plays the battered old detective Hartigan – one of the few honest cops in the entire city.

Like any good comic, the villains are sleazy and wicked, and the cast is equally impressive – Benicio Del Torro, Rutger Hauer, Nick Stahl, Powers Boothe and Elijah Wood (who is surprisingly great in his portrayal of heinous cannibal Kevin) to name a few. The women of Basin City are out of this world beauties, stunning and at times equally if not more formidable at mayhem then their male counterparts; Rosario Dawson, Jessica Alba, Devon Aoki, Carla Gugino, Marley Shelton, and (one of my own Hollywood crushes) Alexis Bledel. The group sounds like a list of top hotties you would find in Maxim Magazine, and each does a remarkable job in the role they are cast in.

Its absurd to even list these names as cameo roles since any could and have stared in leads throughout their careers; Michael Madsen, Michael Clarke Duncan, Josh Hartnett, Nicky Katt, Jude Ciccolella Tommy Flanagan -there is simply no weak link in terms of the acting talent throughout the entire movie. Despite the big names, all graciously take a back seat to the movie itself.

“Sin City” stands out in its use of limited colorization sprinkled into the black and white backdrop, creating a brilliant appearance that stimulates the eyes. The copious amounts of blood contain a glowing hue that pop out in a near 3-D form against the archaic black and white tones. Rarely do visual effects dazzle me, but “Sin City” is captivating from every angle with visualizations so amazing, they are impossible to describe.  As a big fan of the graphic novels, Rodriguez (who begged Miller to make the film) would state “I didn’t want to make Robert Rodriguez’s Sin City, I wanted to make Frank Miller’s Sin City.”

I saw the trailer for “Sin City” online and circled the date on my calendar. After two theatre viewings it was already one of my all time favorite movies and an Instant DVD Purchase upon its release. “Sin City” is the type of movie that gets watched over and over again and never loses any of its juice. Somehow, it was completely missed at Academy Award time (losing out to such agenda-driven crap as “Brokeback Mountain”) but the loss is entirely theirs.

“Sin City” is more than a movie – its a thing of beauty.

by – Matt Christopher