Sin City

Three of Frank Miller’s graphic novels are brought to the big screen in a bloody and excellent adaptation by Miller and Robert Rodriguez.

Into the 124 minute running time are packed three loosely-linked stories of Miller’s well-crafted, claustrophobic and violent world, incorporating bent cops, gun-toting women of the night and a homicidal, cannibalistic Elijah Wood.

The movie opens with the beginnings of That Yellow Bastard, in which Bruce Willis is on familiar territory in his role as an honest cop, set up for raping the 11-year-old girl that he saves from the clutches of the son of Sin City’s senator, played by Nick Stahl. Second, The Hard Goodbye (featuring some guest direction from Quentin Tarantino) tells the story of Marv (excellently-played by Mickey Rourke), who battles against Kevin the bouncy cannibal (Elijah Wood) to prove his innocence over the murder of a hooker. In the third story, The Big Fat Kill, Clive Owen’s private investigator becomes involved in aiding the prostitutes of Old Town in their shaky truce with corrupt cops.

There are two features distinguishing Sin City from other comic book adaptations and from other movies in general – the film noir atmosphere and the over-the-top stylised violence. If these factors had not been present it would be unlikely that the film would have been released, let alone been such a successful adaptation.

The atmosphere is bolstered by Frank Miller’s scriptwriting, with fast witty lines and monotone voiceovers giving an authentic graphic novel feel. The authenticity is made possible by the fact that the actors’ surroundings were added in (the actors worked in front of a greenscreen).

Next, the violence. If there is one thing that some people will not like about this film, it is the fact that it is crammed with people being shot, stabbed, castrated and eaten alive from start to finish. However, because the comic-style violence is so stylised its impact is softened, making it a lot more palatable than some other equally violent movies. Aside from that, the violence is an integral part of the film: it would just not be the same film without it. On the one hand it could be said that it is propping up a movie with little else in it, but since it is the fact that the violence is portrayed in such an original and artful way that makes it such a successful adaptation of its source material, its necessity is no bad thing.

Finally, the acting is absolutely flawless, with all three vengeful protagonists standing out. Willis is his usual brooding self and Rourke plays the psychotic Marv admirably, whilst the supporting cast, including such big names as Benicio Del Toro and Rosario Dawson, were equally impressive.

Sin City, with its top-notch acting, aptly tense atmosphere and originality is well worth a look for all who can stomach it.