User reviews

In Sin City nobody is innocent, not even the Bishop, and they are going to pay for that.

The movie is based, both the story and aesthetics, in the noir comic by Frank Miller, who is also co-director of the film,together with Robert Rodriguez; Quentin Tarantino was invited to direct one of the scenes. The movie intertwines four different stories, whose characters will cross paths at certain point: The Customer Is Always Right, The Hard Goodbye, The Big Fat Kill, and That Yellow Bastard The movie is visually stunning and stylish. It looks and feels like a real noir comic, with camera framing and positioning typical of comic vignettes, as well as the use of high contrast B&W and chiaroscuro. The movie has wonderful black, white and sepia tones with cutout reds and bright colors, a technique widely used in Photography and drawing, but never used in movies before. The movie was completely shot using green backgrounds.

The movie is heart-attack paced, with no a moment of dullness or rest. However, is not for the heart faint, as it is extremely violent and gory, very hard to watch sometimes. The fact that those being punished deserve it, does not make the violence easier to swallow.

The characters are never dull, very human - never good or bad, but both things. Moreover, they are at very melancholic types, funny and merciless.

The movie delights the viewer with terrific performances by a large group of A-listed actors. However, Mickey Rourke, Bruce Willis, Benicio Del Toro, Clive Owen and Rosario Dawson really shine through. Jessica Alba and Elija Wood, who are usually a bore, are terrific in their respective roles, too.

The best comic adaptation I have ever seen.

Entertainment and quality together. Brilliant

A film that explores the dark and miserable town, Basin City, and tells the story of three different people, all caught up in violent corruption.

Although the use of digital filming and CGI is very contentious, Robert Rodriguez found a way to make it work to his advantage in a way that may not have been possible with traditional film. The way the black and white brings the noir to life, blending smoothly with the rare other colors... it is the only way to bring a comic book to life. (A similar style is in "The Spirit", which does not get nearly the respect it deserves.)

This casting is incredible, as it is varied and really brought the best performances out of Alexis Bledel, Rosario Dawson and Jessica Alba that their careers ever had. Mickey Rourke was re-invented, and this may have been one of the last great Bruce Willis roles. Such a powerful film.

"Sin City" is gritty, dirty, sleazy and violent. It's an excellent adaptation of the graphic novels by Frank Miller and even if you haven't read the original material, it's a lot of fun. This anthology film features characters that are memorable and likable (or despicable) so it will grab your attention and hold on tight the whole way. There are a lot of memorable scenes and lines that are sure to stick with you too but the best part of the film is the art direction and visual style. An element I'm glad they kept from the original source is that the stories are told almost entirely in black and white, with sharp contrast accentuated in many scenes to not only make certain actions more visually striking, but also to make it easy to follow. Then, the movie does something unique. There are dashes of color in certain scenes to make certain actions and characters even more striking. There's a certain character that is highlighted with the color yellow. His physical appearance already makes him stand out, but that use of color makes him feel extra creepy and it's very effective. The sets and character designs (because some characters here are fitted with heavy makeup and prosthetics to make them stand out and look even more unique) make every frame look like a comic book panel, Every shot I saw looked like it had been meticulously planned out, like a piece of art you could have framed on your wall. The bold style isn't just a gimmick though. It's all blended in seamlessly with the story and helps to reinforce the grittyness and themes of corruption while helping accentuate the prevalent violence of the film. My only real criticism is that some of the performances aren't great (Bruce Willis plays it too low-key). It's a disappointment considering some of the others are quite good, and not in the ways you would expect either. I had to do a double take when I realized that was Elijah Wood and Mickey Rourke I just saw! It's a bit of a mixed bag in that department, but everything else is top notch. Once you see "Sin City" you'll be hard pressed to forget it, and not only because of the visuals. (Extended cut on Blu-ray, August 25, 2012)

With Hellboy, Guillermo Del Toro lovingly recreated panels from artist/creator Mike Mignola's comic book stories and brought them to vibrant life, setting a new benchmark for adaptations that respect their source material. With Sin City, however, co-directors Robert Rodriguez and Frank Miller have done more than just recreate the brutal chiaroscuro of Miller's stark post-modern noir artwork, they've captured the essence and the aesthetic of Basin City (as much a character as Marv or Hartigan) and brought its universe and characters to a stunning three-dimensional life. And unlike Hellboy, which suffered from a weak, confusing script, Sin City weaves a Pulp Fiction-esque narrative which snakes through the dark streets and crooked alleyways of this hellish metropolis like a fever dream.

In short, Sin City delivers a blistering ballet of bullets and blood, dames and danger at every turn. It's a kinetic masterpiece of pop culture for the new millennium (and a case could be made that this was the movie that CGI was invented for).

As a Frank Miller fan for over 25 years, I know his work and I know Sin City – and this Sin City will knock your socks off whether you are a fan or a newcomer to the dark delights of his devilish imagination and brutal style. Exceeding my expectations on all levels, this movie ranks as one of the most enjoyable cinema-going experiences I've had in years.

Everything works here. From Rodriguez's cinematography and editing, to the seamless direction (no mean feat when you consider Robert co-directed with Miller and Quentin Tarantino joined the mix as "Special Guest Director"), to the spot-on casting. The script gives Bruce Willis, Mickey Rourke, Clive Owen and Benicio Del Toro plenty of opportunity to chew the scenery – and they do, especially Rourke, who, despite having his mug buried under a thick layer of gruesome latex, delivers one of the best performances of his career and steals the show as Marv, the giant thug with a broken heart. The ladies hold their own, too. Jessica Alba, Rosario Dawson, Brittany Murphy and Jaime King are all great in their roles, particularly Dawson as machine gun-wielding Dominatrix/Hooker-Godmother Gail. And kudos to Elijah Wood (proving there is life after Hobbits) and Nick Stahl who deliver contrasting performances as vile villains, the ultra-creepy Kevin and the disgusting Yellow bastard, respectively.

Sin City is smart, stylish, sexy and sick. It's also violent and funny. Certainly not a film for the whole family, but for those of us who enjoy our movies rated R, this flick kicks the head and the gut like a mule.

Here's hoping Sin City makes a mint, for there are 10,000 stories in the naked (sinful) city, and this is but a handful of them. I'm already praying for a sequel.

A picture perfect "ten" for this cineast.

Based on the graphic novels by Frank Miller (who also co-directed and wrote the screenplay) Sin City tells three stories of crime, corruption, and redemption set in the fictional town 'Basin City'. The first story details the quest of Marv (Mickey Rourke) who searches town for the man who murdered Goldie (Jamie King), the woman he believes to be his one true love. The second tells of Dwight (Clive Owen) who must cover up the death of a corrupt police officer (Benicio Del Toro) in order to avoid a war between the cops, and the girls of old town, led by Gail. (Rosiaro Dawson) The final story shows Hartigan, (Bruce Willis) a beat up retired cop framed for a crime he didn't commit, trying to save the life of a girl whose life he saved at a young age, who grew up to become a stripper, (Jessica Alba) while all the while being tracked by a mysterious stranger with a grotesque appearance. (Nick Stahl)

It's a churning vat of old fashioned pulp style stories, each one more dark and edgy then the last. And yet, Sin City itself is morbidly fascinating; if you don't mind delving through the haze of sleaze, violence and corruption you'll find a really compelling story underneath the hard exterior. Sin City exudes the essence of classic film noir, except combined with over-the-top violence, characters and dialogue to maintain that comic book feel. Giving co-director status to creator Frank Miller and allowing him to write the screenplay was perhaps the wisest move director Robert Rodriguez ever made, because Miller's gritty influence shines through, perfectly capturing the mood of his original creations.

And the visuals... extraordinary. The entire film is shot in black and white, except for certain items which appear in colour. (a red dress, red blood, although sometimes the blood is stark white, and not to mention Nick Stahl's character, Yellow Bastard, who is, indeed, yellow) Rodriguez is also smart enough to use a greenscreen backdrop, so as to recreate Miller's gritty, moody sets by computer animation instead of trying to create them first hand. And it works, wonderfully - the sets perfectly set the tone for the rest of the movie: dark, bold, over-the-top and quality work unlike any other. Add the characters' noirish costumes (almost every male character sports, as Marv puts it, a "damn fine coat") unique appearances, (it says a lot for the quality of the movie when a character like Yellow Bastard doesn't seem out of place) and movement (take note that if the movie was paused at any given point, the frame would look like a panel from a comic book) and Miller and Rodriguez perfectly nail the comic book feel.

It also helps that a wonderful cast has been assembled to bring life to the mayhem. Spot on performances abroad here, but the standouts in my opinion were Elijah Wood, who was truly chilling as Kevin, the silent, cannibalistic serial killer; Nick Stahl as Roarke Junior/Yellow Bastard, a truly creepy and disgusting character; Clive Owen, playing against type as Dwight; (who isn't exactly a sophisticated, British gentleman, but then again, no one in this film is) Mickey Rourke as Marv, managing to turn out a stunning performance, even with his face buried under several layers of latex; Benicio Del Toro almost unrecognizable as corrupt cop Jackie Boy and a welcome appearance from Michael Clarke Duncan as Manute, an enforcer specializing in inflicting pain. The hard edged ladies also do a great job, with Jessica Alba, Rosiaro Dawson, Carla Gugino, Jamie King and the rest all giving great performances.

It's all in the style of such films as Pulp Fiction and Kill Bill, so it may be wise to use those films as guidelines of what to expect in terms of content. It's true that Sin City is not for everyone: the violence is brutal and unflinching, most characters are disreputable, manipulative and sleazy, and the whole feel of the film is undesirable, and not too cheery. But if none of that deters you, Sin City should be known as a must see, for the superb visual stylistics if nothing else. But the style and feel of the comic books is perfectly captured and thrust into our faces. Frank Miller must be proud.

-10/10

I caught the Philly sneak preview of "Sin City" yesterday, and I have to say my hat is off. Few comic book movies have ever looked good on screen. The X-Men and Spider Man movies have done a good job breaking that stigma. In my opinion the aforementioned flicks have been a perfect melding of Hollywood and the Comic book universe, but "Sin City" elevates it to an art form, literally. It is hands down, the best representation of a comic book turned film ever. After catching the trailer on a TV commercial, I was intrigued, to say the least. So I went to my local comic book store and bought the Frank Miller books the movie is based on, and enjoyed them for their off beat humor, incredible violence, and stories of love, lust, friendship, honor and seedily-earned redemption in the underworld of fictional Basin City. Upon further contact with the Comic Book store owner, he clued me in to the sneak preview on the 16th of March (yesterday as I post this), so like a kid on his way to pick up the latest issues of whatever comics are popular these days, I took the day off and went to the showing. Having recently read the stories that are included in the film ("Sin City," later renamed to "The Hard Goodbye"; "The Big Fat Kill;" and "That Yellow Bastard"), I was amazed at how much of the dialogue and narration of the books actually made it to the big screen translation. This coming from a guy whose heart was ripped out by the bastardization of "The Sum of All Fears," bear in mind - I know what it's like to have a book you love not be given the loving attention we feel it deserves when it hits the big screen. The dialogue isn't always the best (it's a comic book, not Shakespeare, people) and even the best acting in the world won't change that. But seriously, if you're paying attention to that minor blemish, you're missing the point of the movie to begin with. Aside from the dialogue, the imagery in the film is something to be appreciated, whether you like the stories or not. Equally beautiful and gritty black and white, with occasional brushes of color that all but explode off the screen- the comic books (graphic novels to you purists) act like storyboards for this movie- as life is breathed into the still images on the pages. The "From Book to Screen" section that is no doubt going to be a feature on the future DVD release of this movie will no doubt drop a few jaws for those that haven't bothered to check out the source material. Cold, cruel humor and over-the-top, audience-wince-inducing violence are blended in the style of "Pulp Fiction" and "From Dusk 'Till Dawn" for obvious reasons, but as I stated before, it's all direct from the books. Kudos to Robert Rodriguez for not compromising in the making of this film and for his commitment to the original source material; and also to his co-director Frank Miller for his obvious contributions. And to the actors in it- the cavalcade of them. My favorite performance was turned in by Mickey Rourke for playing Marv absolutely letter perfect from the book (and he demonstrates one of the best narrative voices I've heard in a movie since Morgan Freeman in "The Shawshank Redemption"). Elijah Wood has a non-speaking role, but his Kevin will follow you home as much as Nick Stahl's Junior does. Clive Owen is solid as Dwight (and I know a lot of geek fan-boys out there were upset that he was picked for the character) and Bruce Willis does what he does best as a cop that won't quit, Hartigan. The standout female performance is a toss up between either Rosario Dawson for her valkyrie, warrior, hooker Gail, or (it kills me to say it) Brittany Murphy as a "His Girl Friday" cocktail waitress. The movie is definitely not for all tastes, and kids shouldn't be allowed in buildings even next to theaters showing this movie- but it will no doubt be a hotly discussed film as we creep through Hollywood's typically "phoned-in, pre-Summer" Feb/March/April offerings.

I'll put my bottom line at the top so you can decide whether to read on. I can't recommend this film to the average cinema-goer. Instead, I will recommend it to those who are fans of Frank Miller, film noir, Robert Rodrigues, and to a lesser extent Quentin Tarantino. This is also not a film for feminists. Others should read on and decide if this is something they want to see.

The fact that Frank Miller was listed with Robert Rodriquez as co-director of this film, and the cleverly ambiguous film noir trailer hooked me. So, the spouse and I went to see it shortly after release, expecting exactly what we got - a very cleverly and interestingly shot film noir version of several Frank Miller stories taking place in Basin City, the locus of Miller's graphic novels of the same name as the film.

Quentin Tarantino guest directs one of the segments. I'm not sure which - Rodrigues' style is as often violent, but a bit more comic. Based on some of the ridiculous violence of the film, I think it likely that QT had some influence on the other segments as well. My only objection to this film is really the quantity of absurd and frankly grotesque violence scenes. Though the violence is true to Miller's work, seeing it as a process creates a very different effect than Miller's art. Fortunately, Rodrigues' sense of humor also prevails in most of the most violent scenes. The use of colorization emphasizes the film's bloodiness through the only colors used in the film - red, ultra-white and yellow - comic exaggeration and a wonderfully eerie noir feel.

Predictably, this is a very dark film, and quite a bit more disturbing than the average commercial stuff.

What the spouse and I didn't expect was pleasantly surprising - one of the most artistically well done interpretations of the comic medium I have yet seen (and I have seen them all) and stand-out performances by Del Toro, Mickey Rourke and Willis. I expect nothing less from Del Toro, but I have to admit Rourke just blew me away as Miller's phenomenally ugly and invincible tough guy - Marv - who decides, for once, to do something good with his life. Rourke's character is played with such empathy that you won't want his segments to end - you will want him to become the final hero of the film. I was less enchanted with Clive Owen's portrayal of Dwight. Though this segment was good entertainment, I thought Owen could have given a more emotive performance. Elijah Wood was exceptionally creepy and well cast in his very brief role.

All of the heroic male characters (and this film is VERY much filmed from a stereotype film noir male point of view) have one common characteristic - they are all very tough critters fighting against all odds against endemic corruption, murder and injustice, but not at all afraid to indulge in it to further their own ends. The vignettes are loosely but satisfactorily connected. But the plots are less important than the way the film FEELS. The film mixes hopelessness with fearlessness and fatalism to the extent that you'll feel like an honorable death ending a brief life is far more appealing than a lengthy life devoid of self-respect. It's a really well done homage to Comic Book as an art form, and the film noir motif. Whoever thought of putting Rodriguez and Miller together on this one deserves a nod from fans of both genres.

A feast for the eyes but not the senses, well maybe one. That in itself is not a bad thing unless you go to the movies for entirely different reasons you go to a theme park and take a ride. I admired what computers can do in the hands of visual artists. Some of the images where out of a Gustav Dorè of the future, I mean the present. A Dorè with sudden bursts of red the reddest red you've ever seen. I must confess I was very unfamiliar with the comic "Sin City" is based on. A male fantasy of the first order. Blood, guts, huge guns and fabulous babes. The almost adolescent Jessica Alba throws herself in the arms of Bruce Willis, promising eternal love. Willis, by the way, is terrific so is Clive Owen. My God what a face! A heroic movie icon for the ages. Mickey Rourke picks up where he left off, deformed, full of blood and moving, very moving in a chilling kind of way. I didn't recognize Benicio del Toro until it was too late. Rosario Dawson, Brittany Murphy and the afore mentioned Jessica Alba are nothing short of spectacular. To boot Josh Harnett appears as beautifully creepy bookends. And yet, I was left with a sense of frustration. I was in the mood for a movie and found myself in a theme park ride. But if you're in the mood for that, I recommend it.

Sin city changed the way I looked at films. Frank miller really created a style all his own when he shot this film the way he did. It was the look and feel of the film that drew my attention fully. I love the idea of the red blended with the black and white. It's just capturing in every way. When I shoot my films I always do a noir style like sin city cause it's just such a great film. Also with the blend of Robert Rodriaguez and Quentin Tarantino this film is easily the best of it's genre and an all time favorite of mine. Another great compliment is to the casting of the film. Jessica alba really brings the sexiness as always and josh hartnett plays my favorite character of all. I can't say I love every scene about many other films but this one I can honestly say that.

A visually stunning movie, and a mesmerizing feel as the characters narrate their stories. The noir genre gets a much needed dose of contemporary improvement

This is a rare gem of art meets technology in a wonderful piece of film.

Channel surfing late one night I stumbled across this film and stopped to look because of the unusual cinematography. It's visually stunning, mostly in b&w and that evokes a film noir atmosphere punctuated with those brilliant flashes of color. Two minutes later I couldn't take my eyes away. This unique film is superbly executed, the casting, the screenplay, the special effects, everything about it. As we all know, there is an expansive library of film work out there for a wide range of tastes and sensibilities. If yours are delicate, if you are offended by gore and violence, then this film will NOT be your cup of tea. Stay away from it. But if both the horror and film noir genres appeal to you, you'll probably find this movie as captivating as I did.

When it come's to comic-book films, some become good (The Dark Knight) and some are bad (Batman And Robin). But Robert Rodriguez decided to adapt Frank Miller's acclaimed Graphic Novel, "Sin City", into a feature film. The result: An amazing adaptation.

What make's this film impressive, is the visuals. It feel's like a Graphic Novel being brought to life. The story's were interesting and the cast including Bruce Willis, Jessica Alba, Benicio Del Toro, Rosario Dawson, Clive Owen, Mickey Rourke, Elijah Wood and the late Brittany Murphy were great.

I can't say anything else because this movie was really excellent. So in the end, "Sin City" is worth watching.

I must admit that I know, or knew rather, very little about the story or history of Frank Miller and his series of comic book novels - and maybe that is why I enjoyed this movie so much. Although, this is still a different type of situation where one who was a big fan of the stories might be seriously critical of every little detail of the comic book turned movie. I don't believe anyone who considers themselves truly knowledgeable about Miller's work can say that this was not represented well on the big screen. I'm now intrigued to go back and check out some of his work.

That aside, as far as it being a movie and a work of art, I would give this movie high marks in both categories. For it being a movie, it was nice to see something so different as far as the approach to making it go. Also, having such an incredible cast makes it all the more intriguing. I don't see anyone else having portrayed any of these characters any better than the cast that was hired to do so.

On an artistic level, it is extremely hard to think of any other movie that comes close to being in the same league. I did not see Sky Captain, but I would say that anyone who liked Pleasantville for its cinematography and graphic elements, would love Sin City. The use of black and white photography with only specific colors added later make for a far more dramatic effect. And so much of the cinematography being so close to a "moving picture" version of comic book art simply makes this movie worth seeing.

Take the artistic elements of this movie, and put it together with the amazing cast (both looks and talent) and throw it together with a very different but coherent plot, and you've got yourself an extremely enjoyable movie that is definitely worth seeing. And seeing at the theater no less!

My hats off to Robert Rodriguez, Frank Miller, and the rest of the cast and crew for putting together something different for a change.

My only complaint about the whole movie - the use of labeling Quentin Tarantino as a "Special Guest Director" is almost too lame to deal with.

Visually stunning

Unique presentation

Great pulp stories

Great acting

Captivating atmosphere

Trend setter

Funny, sexy and exciting

A must watch!

Sin City is based on three different stories in a place called Basin City. The way the three stories unfold and collapse against one another is captivating to see. Based on the graphic novels by Frank Miller, Sin City is perhaps the first film ever made to really have the authentic tone and look of comic books. Even if you have not seen the film, you probably had heard of this film for it's original style and unique touch of black-and-white special effects. I thought this was one heck of a movie. I thought this was one of the few films to actually have a really powerful narration, which is done by the three main characters played by Mickey Rourke, Clive Owen, and Bruce Willis. I thought the first third with Marv(Mickey Rourke) was one amazing story. I loved the beginning, and I loved this story the best out of the whole film. The second story which focuses on Dwight(Clive Owen) was to an extent different, although the same menacing feel is still there. Whereas Marv's story relied more on suspense and mystery, this part was more action-packed, which had really amazing uses of violence and gore. The third and final act, about Hardigan(Bruce Willis) was more similar to Marv's story, and also had the right use of violence, mystery, and action. I thought the ensemble cast was certainly one to marvel at. There are a lot of movie stars in this film, and some of them are brilliant, whereas some of them not so much. I thought Mickey Rourke, Bruce Willis, Rosario Dawson, Elijah Wood, and Benicio Del Toro were the best of the film. They all delivered their best. Especially Benicio Del Toro, who really gave us a creepy and menacing villain. There were others who were not as great. Clive Owen was mixed. In some parts he was great, in others he seemed so dull. Alexis Bledel, Jaime King, and Jessica Alba also had some good parts, but in others they were all sort of bland or bad. But the biggest problem was Brittany Murphy. I thought Murphy was just horrible. In her only scene, she was just talking and acting so mediocre, did not like her one bit. I have seen her in other films, and I thought she was a good actress. Maybe something happened with her here, but she was by far the worst. The writing is also something to appreciate. It was cheesy in parts, but I thought everything, from the dialogue to the events, were all done as they would in a comic book, or in this case graphic novel. I especially liked the imagery and figurative dialogue and the narration that was used, and really enhanced the film to another level.

Overall, Sin City is one of the most ambitious, original, entertaining, captivating, action packed, visually stunning and artistically magnificent films I have ever had the pleasure of watching. I expect a lot of repeat viewings, and action films had never gotten better than this. A one and only film that needs to be watched, even if only for for its incredible style and ambitious craft.

I went in to "Sin City" with high expectations, and came out a bit disappointed. With all of the hype I had been hearing, I suppose I expected something more.

The movie follows three overlapping stories of men seeking justice in the extremely corrupt city. Along the way they beat up and shoot a lot of people (it is an extremely violent movie, which didn't bother me, but it might bother some people).

I had a few problems with this film: First, I didn't really get how the three stories connected to each other, besides taking place in the same city. There were a few overlapping characters and locations, but they were pretty superficial. Second, the whole movie came off (at least to me) as a two hour exercise in hyper-masculine fantasy. In part this is due to the nearly constant violence in the film, but a lot of it has to do with the role of women. Nearly every female character in the movie is either a hooker or a stripper, and all of them are completely reliant on the male characters for everything - and seem to pay them back with sexual favors. The only women who had any type of independence were the hookers - seemingly sending the message that women only get power through sexuality. And even then, the hookers need one of the main male characters to save them. Third, the dialog seemed awkward in many places. I don't know if it was the way the actors delivered the lines or the way the comic book was adapted to the screen, but in a lot of places it didn't really work. It was supposed to be kind of like old-school film noir dialog, but a lot of it just came off as laughable. Finally (and this is really a minor complaint) there seemed to be an excessive amount of male crotch smashing. Once or twice is understandable, but there must have been at least 10 violent acts (punching, shooting, etc) directed at the male groin throughout the movie. There really wasn't any reason for them (except maybe in one case), and after a while it got kind of weird.

That being said, the movie was visually amazing. Some of the best and most unique cinematography I have ever seen. The music was pretty good too. As for the acting - Bruce Willis and Mickey Rourke were good, and Elijah Wood was downright freaky, but Clive Owen seemed stiff, and Rosario Dawson came of as downright ridiculous in parts. And the story (or stories, really) itself was interesting - I just think that something may not have transitioned properly from the book to the screen.

"Sin City" wasn't bad, but I had some problems with it. I guess it just wasn't my type of movie.

Rating: 6 out of 10

I watched the 'Unrated, Recut and Extended' version of the movie, which is pretty different from the theatrical version of the film (which I've also watched). It's really a 'superhero movie' like those DC/Marvel movies in disguise... these people have super powers, but it isn't explicitly stated. The movie was also breathed-upon by Quentin Tarantino and it totally shows... this is a very 'Quentin Tarantino-esque' movie. It's filled with action, though there's a good amount of drama and story/plot mixed in so that you don't get numb to the bombardment of constant action. Each of the characters are heavily unique yet extremely stereotypically portrayed (for good reason). Overall it's a good film and eventhough this type of movie will only appeal to a small percentage of general audiences, I would recommend that you watch it at least once if you're not certain, as it is really a pretty good movie, especially given the unique artistic choice with the dark art style.

Sin City is (like Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow) a visual achievement, and deserves credit for bringing realism to the graphic novel of the same name. It's hard to criticize a movie that does in spades what it sets out to do.

I will say, however, that if you're not a fan of graphic novels, and their predispositions for violence, sexual stereotyping, and grim looks at humanity, then you'd be better off skipping Sin City. With only a few exceptions, every character in the movie is a psychopath, complete with a killing and/or torture fetish and the expected lack of remorse. We are given "good" guys and "bad" guys, but they're hard to tell apart sometimes. And I don't think I've ever seen a movie in which 90% of the female characters are strippers or prostitutes. But of course, this is a depiction of a fictional city, in which there is a lot of sin. Hence the title.

This is an obvious generalization, but this movie will go over really well with guys who like violence and naked women. It will offend just about everyone else. There will be a few who will accept it as a well realized comic book fantasy, but they won't like the aftertaste. 6.5/10

"Walk down the right alleyway in Sin City and you can find anything."

A film for which the term "Graphic" (and all its connotations) was invented for, and quite simply the best comic book film adaptation I have ever seen (with "Batman Begins" probably coming up slightly behind it in 2nd place) Frank Miller's "Sin City" is an extremely brutal, wonderfully violent, incredibly stylised tale of cops, criminals, and stunning-looking prostitutes.

With a cast to die for (and believe me many do in quite graphic ways) Bruce Willis, Michael Masden, Rutger Hauer, Jessica Alba, Benicio Del Toro, Josh Hartnett, Elijah Wood, Rosario Dawson all shine through in a heady ensemble, but it's Mickey Rourke looking almost unrecognisable as Marv who steals the show, giving the performance (so far) of his chequered career.

A must see for all comic book fans.

The first thing you will notice about Robert Rodriguez's violent comic book crime masterpiece is the outstanding visual style. While many comic book movies are happy to simply take the story from their source material and turn it into a film, Rodriguez has gone further and took both the story and the comic book's own style, and the result is a movie that really feels like a comic book brought to life. The way the action quickly jumps from one scene to another, the over the top dialogue and, most importantly, Frank Miller's use of colour, are all there; and all in all, Sin City has raised the bar for comic book movies. Sin City is very positive for cinema on the whole, as it proves that there's still some originality left, and it also shows that if used properly, computer generated environments definitely can compliment a film and, in this case, even make it what it is. I had designs on what I thought the movie would be like before viewing it, but even so; after the first scene, which is completely in black and white except for the red on the dame's lipstick and dress, completely took me by surprise and throughout the movie you cant help but marvel at the unique visual treat that is being put before you.

Robert Rodriguez is a man that often loses out in the credibility department to his more popular friend (and special guest director on this production) Quentin Tarantino, and this is unfair in my opinion. Let's not forget that Rodriguez is the man that made El Mariachi for a mere $7000, and made it GOOD. The rest of the Desperado trilogy showed that Rodriguez has a real flair for comic book style action, and all in all I don't think there could have been a better man for the director's chair on Sin City. Rodriguez has applied his trademark of rounding up a host of popular stars to this film as well, and simply put; this film could not have been better cast. Mickey Rourke is the standout as the brute Marv, and he gives an amazing performance in that role. The way he commands the screen is great and his ugliness compliments the role excellently. Bruce Willis and Clive Owen are the other two lead men, and while Willis doesn't quite look old enough to be playing a 68-year-old copper; both of them do well in their roles also. Jessica Alba is scintillating as the very sexy Nancy Callahan, and the guys will be pleased to know that Sin City features a plethora of scantily clad women!

The film is split up into three stories, each based on a different Frank Miller book. Mickey Rourke's section of the film is the best, with lots of torture sequences and a beautiful dame at it's centre. Clive Owen's story is a treat for the eyes, as we enter 'old town'; a part of Sin City run by a load of prostitutes. And finally, Bruce Willis' story sees him on the trail of a child molester who he 'disarmed' years earlier. This tale is the creepiest of the bunch, and that story's central character, 'The Yellow Bastard', is a masterpiece of scum and villainy. The entire movie plays out like a film noir from the height of the era; only the comic book style gives it an extra ounce of muscle, and describing this film as 'film noir on steroids' wouldn't be a misplaced description. The melodramatic acting and dialogue help the film to capture the 50's style, and it's a treat for a fan of those sorts of films, such as myself, to see a modern day take on it. Overall, Sin City is one of the best films to come out this millennium. It's visual style is superb and this, when mixed with some invigorating stories and a fantastic cast, make Sin City a winner all the way.

I think Quentin Tarantino organised a lot more of the cinematography than what was said. If Quentin Tarantino didn't help direct this movie, I think almost all the cinematography would be different. In the first scene after the opening credits, the way the camera zooms in on Bruce Willis (Hardigan), facing him as he's driving. It is a very similar camera shot as as the beginning and end of Kill Bill Vol. 2 facing Uma Thurman and as the end of Jackie Brown, facing Pam Grier. As I've said before the cinematography in every Quentin Tarantino movie is absolutely brilliant, one of the qualities is that he often goes into black and white (probably because sometimes it can be a lot more affective than colour) and that same quality is used in Sin City; my guess is that it's a mixture of Frank Miller and Quentin Tarantino's idea. The whole element of the character "Mi-Ho" and her weaponry tactics is like a page out of Kill Bill's book.

Even though I am disagreeing with people saying that Quentin Tarantino was involved a lot more than what is said, this is not a negative comment. I thoroughly enjoyed the movie, because the combination of Frank Miller, Robert Rodriguez and Quentin Tarantino made the cinematography perfect!