2005’s Sin City would have to be one of Die Laughing’s favourite movies. It’s frickin’ awesome! Three directors: Frank Miller, Robert Rodriguez and Quentin Tarantino (rumoured to have guest directed for one day for only a dollar) take Miller’s own series of comics to the big screen. Unlike other comic book adaptations (Batman/Spider-man/Fantastic Four) which, because of studio rights, change the stories cherished by fans of the comic-books, Sin City intertwines three different original Miller stories whilst remaining true to their printed source.
The film consists of four stories following the parallel theme of each protagonist’s conception of justice. The first follows Bruce Willis saving a young girl named Nancy, later played by the beautiful Jessica Alba, from a powerful paedophile, but before the story ends another follows. Mickey Rourke plays a tough gladiator of an ex-con fighting for the only woman he’s ever loved and runs up against the most powerful vicar in Basin City and his silent yet deadly assassin Kevin, played by Elijah Wood perfectly, no words said, no words needed. The other main story line is not as strong as these two but still works well as the girls of old town run into more trouble than they asked for when Clive Owen comes knocking.
The stories are so powerful because they all full of what we love from noir: anti- heroes, beautiful femme fatales, deception, bad guys who should be good guys. Sin City has you gripping your seat, taking neo-noir to the next level. This film is more of a direct translation from print to film than an adaptation. The graphics are original, having strong colours against a black and white film with the most noticeable being Yellow Bastard. The cultish dialogue comes straight from the comic; it’s highly wrought, with instant one-liner potential between friends. The score and the acting seethes with spine-shivering melodrama, making you wanna scream that a comic-book adaptation can be this good whilst dodging the cheesiness frequently associated with the genre.
Sin City is a must-watch for anyone that likes film with a dark edge. Sometimes it’s hard to watch but it’s done well, really well. Frank Miller and Co, you can die laughing because as your character, played by Mickey Rourke, Merv says: “I can die laughing if I do this one thing right”.
Soundtrack Includes: Robert Rodriguez, Graeme Revell, John Debney
Running Time - 124 mins / USA 147 mins (directors cut)
Year - 2005
Die Laughing Reviewer... Thomas Rogers
Edited by William Hensher
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