"Sin City" (2005) - Movie Review

When “Kill Bill – Vol. 1” came with bright stars and strong direction of Quentin Tarantino, I was thrilled to see it. While I liked the way the movie was made, I did not like the blood it splattered all over the place. Then came, “Kill Bill – Vol. 2” and I loved it. The characters were developed and well made. It was a treat to watch the last 15 minutes in it. Here comes, “Sin City” and similar to “Kill Bill – Vol. 1”, I did like the way the movie was made, for its visuals and narration style, but the blood bath was unnecessary even with a “Graphic Novel” tagged attached to it.

Frank Miller’s graphic novel, “Sin City” takes the screen form with the assistance of Robert Rodriguez and special guest director Quentin Tarantino. There are four segments with common characters and lots of blood in between them. The movie kicks off with Josh Hartnett playing a hitman, followed by the rescue mission of Hartigan to save a little girl and then later goes on with the savage vengeance of Marv (Mickey Rourke) for his one night love Goldie (Jaime King). After those segments come how Dwight McCarthy (Clive Owen) joins hands with his ex-girlfriend Gail (Rosario Dawson) to save the truce which exists between the Police and the brave prostitutes. To its finale, the movie goes back to the start of finishing of the broken first segment. All these depict how the Basin City, nick named Sin City is flooded with corruption, murder and mayhem. There are tons of stars and bodies falling from all places in the movie.

The film is the presentation of how a new narration of a story can be done. The movie is the clear portrayal of how the current technology in film industry can be employed to give the novel and creative experience to the audience. “Sin City” opens the doors to the world of digital movie making on to a new level. The detailing of the screen, pixel by pixel to the finest shine possible, provides one of the best visual experiences anyone could have watched. The shady lights, the glossy skins, the selective colours to come out and excellent execution of the comic onto screen are the courses for getting the best out of the technology. The characters are shady and fearless. They show emotions in and out of them. There is solidity in those blood seeking paper thin characters. After a point of time, the viewers just sit back and watch. They get used to the mindless killings and colourless blood. The viewers somehow become numb to all the graphics after a point of time. Is this due to the fact of how well the movie has been executed? Maybe. Or is it due to the fact that there is no more to expect out of graphic novel onto the film screen? Maybe. Or is it just the fact that the film invokes so much violence; the viewers are caught by the characters itself? Bingo! Strangely is it the success of the movie or the downfall of it? Yes and No.

I have not read the comic book and the performers bring those in the screen. They give the portrayal of the characters and stay loyal to it (which I assume it is). The movie handles all the characters with equal depth and shallowness as well. Visual may bring out the clarity and experience but editing pieced it together like a perfect match. The score brings out the detective noir experiences which sometimes seem like a spoof.

Film is a medium of art which are used to convey what anyone wants in a most interesting and entertaining way. While it is an absolute freedom of every individual to show case the thoughts, there is a purpose to everything. “Sin City” has the purpose of show casing a city filled with the most atrocious crimes possible. Almost all the characters in the movie get a chance to hold a dead head. It may be compared to the current dark corners in the society but is it a solution or a mere pleasure of giving a graphic content? There are so many questions which need to be asked as regular movie goers.

“Sin City” is definitely a path breaking movie as far as movie making is concerned. It can be even said as the landmark in the execution of a stunning visual display. The harsh truth is that it gets covered in its own mud. There is too much blood and it is just too much. They try to paint it with different colours (quite literally) and yet it never dulls down. All the stories could have been said with little goriness as possible but they stuck loyal to the novel and hence the result.

“Sin City 2” is up next and I am hoping it to be more of characterization as “Kill Bill – Vol. 2” did. I am hoping that Robert Rodriguez with the same employment of skill in this movie brings out the human inside the characters who appear to be merciless blood thirsty beings. While there seems to be couple of characters showing signs of all those, there is so much happening that the viewers miss those essence in the midst of all those. “Sin City” clearly delivers the new style in the movie making as “Pulp Fiction” but sadly falls apart due to blood which comes in different colours with the same sick effect.