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By CityFrank Miller's Sin City - ***** out of 5
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Frank Miller's Sin City - ***** out of 5An Amazing & Unique Film Experience Comes To DVD
2005-08-20
Article Written by: Todd Darby
If you're like me, you've been having some box office blues lately. You've already seen the few really good movies out this summer, Murderball STILL isn't playing anywhere in your tri-state area, and you have not had that full frontal lobotomy required to actually spend money to go see Dukes of Hazzard or Deuce Bigalow (Is that spelled right? ...Aahh, who really gives a crap? It's such a stupid movie). So why not check out a truly original and mind blowing film from earlier this year, that you may have missed? Sin City comes out on dvd August 16th. Based on the cult favorite graphic novel by Frank Miller, who's take on Batman was a major influence on Tim Burton's and Christopher Nolan's film versions, and directed by the master of do-it-yourself filmmaking, Robert Rodriguez (Once Upon A Time In Mexico, From Dusk Till Dawn) along with Frank Miller himself, Sin City takes its look from Miller's graphic novel, literally, almost frame by frame. (Wow! That was THE longest run-on sentence ever!) This is one of the most amazing looking films you will ever see! Robert Rodriguez is working in a completely different medium with this film than 99% of the movies coming out of Hollywood right now. Sin City is a visually stunning work of pop art. The all star cast, which includes Bruce Willis, Benicio Del Toro, and Brittany Murphy, etc, etc, etc, were filmed in front of a green screen- wait a second, did I just say I really liked a movie where the cast was filmed entirely in front of a green screen? No really, this actually works. This isn't Sky Captain & The World of Boring. The film is mainly in black & white with splashes of color ( red blood or lips, blue eyes or a villian's yellow skin ). And what I believe makes the green screen and computer effects work in Sin City is that unlike Star Wars or Sky Captain, it doesn't "try" to make it look extremely realistic and fail. It is supposed to be a comic book come to life. The world of Sin City is surreal and things are exaggerated. And the cast plays it totally straight. There is no winking to the camera. This is film noir right out of an old pulp crime novel with all of the classic archetype characters, the one good cop, the damsel in distress, the hardened ex-con, and even the hooker with the heart of gold.
Sin City consist of three semi-interlocking stories revolving around the strange inhabitants of the dark and seedy city. The 1st story has Mickey Rourke giving an incredible performance as a bulky tough guy with a face like concrete out to avenge the death of Jaime King, for which he is framed. He seeks the help of Carla Gugino (the mom from Rodriguez's Spy Kids), who is completely naked for no apparent reason. Thank you Mr. Rodriguez, thank you very, very much. Jamie King and Carla Gugino are just a few of the many, many beautiful and sexy women who populate Sin City. Rodriguez has always shown a love for the ladies and proven that he knows how to film them and make them look great. How could anyone forget Salma Hayek in Desperado and From Dusk Till Dawn? Mickey Rourke also battles a cannibalistic, hooker killing, glowing eyed Elijah Wood, who has cat like reflexes. And no, I did NOT just make that up.
The 2nd story features a dashing Clive Owens and a town of noble prostitutes lead by Rosario Dawson up against an army of crooked cops lead by a one eyed, Michael Clarke Duncan (The Green Mile), who are after the prostitutes when they kill an even weirder than usual looking Benicio Del Toro, who is stalking a young bright blue eyed hooker played by Alexis Bledel (Rory from Gilmore Girls). Tsst! What would Lorelai say?
The 3rd and final story has Bruce Willis giving one of his best performances ever. In a perfect world, both Willis & Rourke would be nominated for Oscars. Bruce plays "the one good cop in town", who let himself be put away for about 10 or so years for a crime he didn't commit, to protect a little girl he saved from a freakish yellow skinned child murder/rapists. Yeah, I know, I know, it's a crazy movie! The little girl Bruce Willis saved grew up...and HOW! She is now a leather-chaps wearing, hip-shaking stripper played by Jessica Alba. Once again, thank you Mr. Rodriguez, thank you very, very much. Jessica Alba is the film's iconic sex symbol. She is so breathtaking and drop dead gorgeous in this movie that you actually almost don't notice the fact that she can't really act whatsoever.
I keep having to stop myself from saying tired old critic clichés like "visually stunning", "action packed" and "a wild ride" so I'll just say it as simply as I can: Sin City kicks ass! It is as just about as entertaining as a movie could get.
Now if you HAVE already seen Sin City in a theater when it was out then I'm sure that this DVD release has been something you've been looking forward to for awhile. The one big bummer, as you may have heard about is that the DVD has virtually NO extras on it at all, accept for a short making of featurette, similar to what you may have seen on the E! Network. This is especially odd for a DVD from director Robert Rodriguez, who is well known to pack his film's DVD editions with loads of goodies. So the question is, should you buy this DVD? Well, if you haven't seen Sin City or have seen it and just want to reintroduce yourself to the film, rent it or buy it now but if you're a big fan of Sin City, who may want to hold off for the special super deluxe collector's edition, which, although there is no official word on ever actually coming out, probably will....most likely the day right after you buy the regular DVD.
