Movie Review: Sin City

Nothing like sneaking out of the office to catch a great flick!

Sin City

Cast & Crew

Directed by Frank Miller
and Robert Rodriguez

Special Guest Director: Quentin Tarantino

Based on the graphic novels by Frank Miller

Screenplay by Robert Rodriguez

Starring
A whole lotta people…

Original Release Date

April 1, 2005

Summary

A collection of short stories from Frank Miller’s Sin City graphic novels. Based in and around Basin City, the stories involve revenge, lust, power, abuse of power, and even cannibalism.

Review

Um. Wow. I knew this was going to be interesting, but damn. The film is going full tilt start to finish and you revel in the ride all the way along.

High Point

Miho. That’s one bad-ass girl.

Low Point

Some of the points get belabored towards the end (Hartigan’s inner monologue). Though, in all fairness, that’s standard stuff for Noir.

The Scores

Originality: It’s film noir…on speed and steroids. 5

Effects: The fact that it looks like a comic book makes the effect look flawless. 5

Story: It’s a set of short stories ala Pulp Fiction, that all tie together in the end. Great. 5

Acting: Brilliantly over-the-top. Its heavy dialogue is delivered perfectly and wonderfully. 5

Emotional Response: You get into these characters, even though you probably shouldn’t. 5

Production: This is a stylized masterpiece. It’s beautiful, even when it’s trying to be ugly. 6

Overall: Certainly one of the best looking films in years, it’s a gory, messy masterpiece. 6

Total: 37 out of 42

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6 replies on “Movie Review: Sin City”

  1. A question while I process
    I just saw the flick a few hours ago. I’m going to mull it over before I say anything of substance.

    Before I call it a night, I’m going to ask, what the hell is a “Special Guest Director”?

    • Re: A question while I process

      I just saw the flick a few hours ago. I’m going to mull it over before I say anything of substance.

      Before I call it a night, I’m going to ask, what the hell is a “Special Guest Director”?

      That is the flap I heard about on NPR today. Essentially, the director’s guild would not allow Frank Miller to be named Co-Director. So the director quit the guild and named him the “special guest director”. Or so I surmise anyway.

      • Re: A question while I process

        I just saw the flick a few hours ago. I’m going to mull it over before I say anything of substance.

        Before I call it a night, I’m going to ask, what the hell is a “Special Guest Director”?

        That is the flap I heard about on NPR today. Essentially, the director’s guild would not allow Frank Miller to be named Co-Director. So the director quit the guild and named him the “special guest director”. Or so I surmise anyway.

        Actually the “special guest director” is the scene that Quentin Tarantino came in to direct. Listen to the extended version of the interview and they describe Tarantino comming on set and the scene that he directed.

        • A slightly different perspective

          Yeah, it was beautifully stylized. I can’t say that I disliked it. Some of it I quite liked. However (and is it relevant I saw it with someone who spent her childhood in a war zone– actual, not figurative? Someone who shared my first reaction below, perhaps for different reasons?)–

          Does it have anything to offer, besides stylized violence? I’m still not certain of the answer. Create a world so corrupt and so over the top that anything goes in the name of a heroic cause.

          My main complaint: these stories seemed paced right for the individual graphic novels that they were. Individually, they worked for me, more or less. Three of them together was overkill. I felt less exhilarated than numbed at the end.

          In the end, I would recommend it to fans of the genres (noir, comix, videogames), but I wouldn’t necessarily suggest running out to see it right away, if, say, you have a cheap repetory cinema in the area.

          • “Oh, sugar! You’ve gone an’ done the dummest thing in your life, mister.”

            Does it have anything to offer, besides stylized violence? I’m still not certain of the answer. Create a world so corrupt and so over the top that anything goes in the name of a heroic cause.

            My main complaint: these stories seemed paced right for the individual graphic novels that they were. Individually, they worked for me, more or less. Three of them together was overkill. I felt less exhilarated than numbed at the end.

            Well, it’s got stylised everything. Violence by the barrel full, but it’s got pretty people in interresting places. It has horror, it has pathetic do-goodness, it’s got a lot more than just violence.

            But it did get to be a lot thrown at you. It’s a movie with 3 stories, that’s a lot to digest in one sitting.

  2. The Scariest I’ve Seen Elija
    That Last Head On The Wall…

    Was That Sarah Michelle Gellar? I Wasn’t The Only On In My Group To Think So.

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