Sin City
Directed by Robert Rodriguez and Frank Miller.
In the current overload of comic book adaptations this month, Sin City is worlds away from anything before it. Based on the graphic novel series created by Frank Miller, the series is virtually unknown outside the comic book world, where it has received constant critical acclaim. Consequently, Sin City is greatly unique and in its production, the original supporters haven’t been forgotten and purists shan’t be disappointed.
With Quentin Tarantino featured as guest director, his style shines through, especially in the construction of the story and presentation. Sin City follows a method of broken progression, interchanging largely between the viewpoint of 3 main characters, echoing with the classic construction of Pulp Fiction. The story begins plunging us straight into the action with the efforts of Hartigan, played by Bruce Willis, as he stuggles to fight against his aging body in pursuit of justice. We are then soon introduced to Marv, an almost unrecognisable Mickey Rourke. Almost caricature like in appearance, he is the lovable, wise-cracking, yet emotionally troubled lunk, not dissimilar to Ron Perlman’s performance as Hellboy, in the movie of the same title. Marv, searches for answers as he awakens with his perfect woman lying dead in bed beside him and the cops hot on his trail. The 3rd character Dwight (Clive Owen), takes the form of a young vigilante, who finds himself fighting to maintain stability between rival groups in Sin City, resulting in the pursuit of a decapitated head.
The viewpoints cut back and forth numerous times, cutting between time spans, slowly unveiling how each story interconnects, eventually clarifying the incidents as a whole, leaving a longing to view the movie again. Although 2 hours long the movie feels somewhat short as all 3 viewpoints are unveiled, leaving an interest to know more about Sin City, as will no doubt be explored in the inevitable sequels, which are already underway.
The cast behind the film is not short of some of Hollywood’s finest talents, yet not all used for their star power, nor is their star power abused, Some stars are unrecognisable, whilst Elijah Wood doesn’t speak a single word, nonetheless he plays one of the most memorable characters in the film. The characters themselves are gritty and hard as nails, yet have very human qualities.
Sin City has a distinct and highly artistic visual style with a largely black and white presentation. This assists in creating a very 50’s mob scene atmosphere. Colour is featured every so often, yet is savoured, truly heightening emotions in the film, calling back to Pleasantville. The only indication towards the film’s modern setting is the occasional modern car or object, the rest of which wouldn’t seem out of place in 50’s Chicago. There are subtle touches that shed light on the comic book roots of the film, in the form of silhouette death scenes and the application of flat colours for reflections, ever present in the glasses of Elijah Wood’s character ‘Kevin’. This presentation stays true to that of the graphic novels and may either be its biggest deterrent for the mainstream public, or a means to mark its impact.
As expected from directors Robert Rodriquez and Quentin Tarantino, Sin City is filled to the brim with a plethora of blood, violence and brutality, it’s questionable as to whether it was leading towards an R rating, yet at the same time so much of it is sadistic humour. A prime example of this is expressed by Dwight’s monologue heard over a key scene in the movie, “She doesn’t quite chop his head off. She makes a Pez dispenser out of him”, which cracked up the entire cinema.
Overall, Sin City brings forth a new approach to comic book adaptations. No longer have the concepts of the comic book been removed and adapted for the big screen but rather the film has entered this same world and is not trying to fool anyone. The world of Sin City offers a unique and high class presentation, that delivers a stellar production, that whilst may not appeal to everyone, is sadistically humour filled action romp, with an intriguing story that longs to be further explored.
Matt Williams
Plot outline: An adaptation of Frank Miller’s graphic novel, set in Basin City. Following characters’ redemption via unaccustomed means in a world full of crime, lust, shadowy honour and above all the possibility of being beyond redemption.
This has to be the best conversion of a Graphic novel (Comic book for those unused to this expressive medium) to film ever done so far. This movie seems to come straight of the pages of Sin City, yet still gives an excellent account of itself.
When the movie starts we arrive upon young woman outside on the balcony taking a smoke, the whole scene is in black and white except for her dress and lips which are a brilliant red. She is met by a man who talks to her, assures her and informs her of her worries and proceeds to… All the while we get a monologue from this man about what he thinks, very reminiscent of 50’s films and this is done very well throughout the whole film. I said that this film was in black and white, yet to be more exact it is in Silver and Black, which makes for an eerie light about the whole world of Sin City, just as in the graphic novel.
When talking about the theme, it is nothing like its we would expect: namely ‘black and white;’ for we find out that those who seem black of character, act white in nature, and vice versa; thus it’s a very powerful look at redemption from those who need it most.
This city is aptly named, for corruption runs rife, the weak are exploited and the strong exploit. During the course of the movie we follow many characters and their stories, but the central character is that of Marv, a man who is ‘like the devil’ and uses violence to solve everything. In his own way he has honour, and doggedly sticks to it, which results in him tracking down the person responsible for Goldie’s murder. Goldie being the lady that slept with him right after getting out of prison, someone who showed him kindness in a world of cruelty.
This movie, like the graphic novel, is filled with violence, mild nudity and explicit themes, including cannibalism; yet without them they would not make as an alluring movie as they did. Not for the faint of heart or the squeamish.
I recommend this movie to all graphic novel lovers and those interested in Sin and the ways to redeem oneself. Thoroughly engrossing, spectacularly visual and a great score. Best ‘comic’ adaptation to date, a great film and a great graphic novel.
Alex Massy Gartly
What an awful film this was.
People say this movie is cool. Why is it cool to like stories about corruption, greed, hatred and violence? How can you positively respond to this question? The movie’s unrealistic, and original, style is perhaps one of its redeeming features, as this at least reminds us that the almost universally despicable characters we see on screen don’t represent the reality of our world. Every authority figure here — save one — is corrupt; every woman is a stripper or prostitute; every hero is brutal. It’s a world suited to a young teenager, rebellious, pessimistic and desirous of simply writing everyone off rather than making the effort to change things.
I’ve made a sincere effort to figure out what we’re supposed to gain by immersing ourselves in Miller’s pubescent worldview, but I’ve yet to find it. Film noir long ago probed the underbelly of the American Dream; what’s the point of just taking it farther and farther into darkness? Sin City is slickly made, and its attempts at shocking us are certainly successful, but what’s the value of shock for shock’s sake?
Don’t people understand that a stylish film, completely lacking in any moral grounding, is a pointless, if not dangerous, one. At the very least, this film was overwhelmingly boring, apart from being sexist and nihilistic.
EMPTY AESTHETICS. It would seem that directors like Tarantino and Rodriguez are perfecting their formula, albeit derivative and detached from all humanity, while having less and less to say.
There’s already more than enough hipper-than-thou cynicism in our day-to-day lives; we hardly need another huge dose of it at the movies.
This movie can go fuck itself.
Harry Black
