“Sin City” is the most entertaining cinematic amalgam of sex, violence and depravity that I have ever seen. In an era where most auteurs are afraid to show or talk about anything risqué for fear of crossing a moral line, “Sin City” revels in its debauchery. From start to finish, the film jumps unabashedly from taboo to taboo, using pedophilia, murder, cannibalism and prostitution as subject matter. But then again, what else could be expected from the man who brought us the ultra-violent “Spy Kids” trilogy?
“Sin City 's” visual style is instantly one of its most striking aspects. Shot entirely in black and white with splashes of color to accentuate eyes, clothing or blood, it perfectly mimics the style of the graphic novels on which it is based. In fact, there are several websites where there are panel to screen comparisons, and they are spot on.
Every role in “Sin City” is perfectly cast. It's almost as if Frank Miller, the writer of the “Sin City” graphic novels, wrote each character specifically for them. Even actors who have been out of work or were considered washed up turn in top-notch performances.
“Sin City” shows disdain for conventional linear plot structures, jumping from character to character, story to story. I found that this format helps the movie, as even minor characters make more than one appearance and become familiar to the viewer. In this regard, I felt a strong stylistic similarity to “Pulp Fiction,” which was no surprise, given that both works are regarded as homage to noir.
“Sin City” works because of its slavish devotion to the source material, and even though there are some minor cuts to the material, there are no detrimental additions. Director Robert Rodriguez worked extensively with Frank Miller to ensure complete authenticity, even going so far as to make him co-director, a move that forced him to quit the Directors Guild of America before he was removed.
There is no better example of a labor of love than this movie. You can almost feel the geek-like level of obsession in the attention to detail in every frame. Rodriguez has assured the few fanboys angry at the minor exclusions in the film that the three books that comprise “Sin City” have been shot in their entirety and will exist as such on the DVD. Viewers will have the opportunity to watch the theatrical cut of “ Sin City ,” or watch The Hard Goodbye, The Big, Fat Kill and That Yellow Bastard, as they existed in book form.
Shot entirely in front of a green screen on a soundstage in Austin , Texas , “Sin City” cost just $40 million to make, a pittance in Hollywood today. As of this writing, it has grossed over $60 million, virtually ensuring a sequel consisting of some of the remaining books in Miller's “Sin City” series. Rodriguez and Miller have both expressed a desire to do another “Sin City” installment, and I can't wait. |
