Sin City - A Dame To Kill For

I swear to you all that I went into this sequel thinking I would hate it. I felt very ripped off by The Spirit which was also made by Frank Miller using the same neo noir style that was first showcased almost a decade ago. Nothing is fresh visually but the style of the movie is perfect for the stories it tells. The visuals are still great to look at because of it's unusual color palette. Only certain aspects of the film are highlighted and the effect is often brilliant. I am not saying I want to watch a film done like this every year but every five years is just fine with me.

Frank Miller's comic books are not exactly Shakespeare but they are deliciously noir. I have great affection for what Miller did with that series of books. The beauty of the Sin City films is in the way they make all the best parts of classic noir WORK. They are all style and can be forgiven for the simple substance that is behind everything.

These movies create such a wonderful world of despair. It shows all the ugly sides of humanity while giving us some pretty cool anti-heroes to root for. This one suffered from the lack of surprise. Since the first Sin City others movies have re-set the bar for visual effects. That almost makes this sequel look old fashion in comparison. That make have worked against the sequel's success in the long run.

 

James Brolin is terrific as the love sick Dwight as is Powers Booth. He is as evil as cartoon evil can get and make no mistake, Sin City IS a cartoon. It's just a violent adult cartoon.

Mickey Rourke, again is magnificent as Marv, the Human Tank. Rourke plays him this time for full comic effect. I have to admit I got a thrill out of watching Marv plow through a gang of goons on his way to his objective.

This is not for the faint of heart. Somehow the violence is amplified by the visual style. Black and white can be more blood soaked than a color film.

Eva Green's overacting not withstanding, everything just worked for me, especially all the scenes that showed Eva Green nude. The film takes every opportunity to objectify her magnificent body. Would her obvious seduction techniques work on anyone in the real world? Of course not but that is how Frank Miller sees women and it's not a very flattering opinion. The girls are all whores and alpha predators and the guys are stupid punching bags. Everyone gets exactly what they deserve in this film because they are not nice people.

Worth seeing for its visual splendor, and for that fearless, unapologetically scene-chewing performance from Green that encompasses the archetypal Madonna and Whore, as well as the endless depths of the rage endemic in the exploited female.



I understand this movie bombed at the box office that that is a shame because it's not bad at all. If you liked the first Sin City you are guaranteed to like this one as well. All the stars are game and know what they are making is just a gonzo exploitation flick. For what it wants to be it delivers. I am sure that like Dredd 3D, Sin City, A Dame To Kill For will find it audience through DVD sales and downloads.