Robert Rodriquez directs in one of his finest pieces of work in a long while. Best known for the classics like El Mariachi, and Desperado, he fell into theatrical tedium with the release of Once Upon A Time In Mexico and as far as I'm concerned, the dreadful Spy Kids trilogy. He began to gain his one grand artistic flair back when he did the music for his friend Tarantino in Kill Bill Volume 2. That must have been the catalyst he needed to get back on tracks and when he decided to translate Frank Miller's classic graphic novel Sin City into film.
The cast in this movie is stellar. I'm talking stellar. Everyone, no matter there past in their film career pulls a sloppy job this time around. Jessica Alba is brilliant as Nancy, Nick Stahl is down right amazing as Rourk Jr., and even Josh Hartnett is worthy of praise in this go around. But more on the cast as we unfold.
It is brutally violent to appease the demands of today's audiences. At it's heart it is a classic Film Noir story. Complete with voice over narrations, and multiple story paths. Case in point, they don't make movies like this anymore.
The film kicks into gear with Bruce Willis as Jon Hartigan. A man on his last day on the force before he is forced into retirement. His last case is to find an 11 year old girl who has been kidnapped and about to be raped and murdered by a piece of shit. His partner, played by the subtle brilliance of Michael Madsen however, is looking out for him as best he can. Great quotes abound in this film, and at the end of this scene comes one of the greates.
"An old dies, a young girl lives. Fair trade."
With one story, we move onto another. In which we deal with the head liner of the movie, the character that is the most recognizable character of the movie. Marv. Played by Mickey Rourke. And this guy steals the show. As far as I'm concerned, the reason to see the movie is the scenes that deal directly with Marv. A man on a mission for revenge when he finds the only person to give him any sort of love he has ever, ever known murdered. He then takes it upon himself to dole out misery to everyone and anyone involved with her slaying.
"I love hitmen. No matter what you do to them, you don't feel bad."
Marv makes his way to the Rourk family farm where his parole officer has been kidnapped and a piece of her eaten by a young man named Kevin. Who also happens to be probably one of the most brutal and sadistic killers ever to be filmed. Played surprisingly by Elijah Wood. Seriously, who would have thought Elijah Wood would be playing this kind of character? I didn't. Marv is seriously a bad ass. He's a super human of some kind. Able to take a TON of punishment. Which makes for an interesting character. Especially when his story starts to wind down, you being to wonder whether or not he is capable of being killed at all.
Next is a scene that involves some of the most brilliant work Benicio Del Toro has ever done. And I'm a huge Benicio fan. If every movie he's done was gold, this movie is platinum. His scenes are intruiging, mystifying and damn right entertaining. Especially his scenes with Clive Owen. Brittany Murphy also pulls off a fine job in this same scene. Throw in Rosario Dawson and Michael Clarke Duncan, and probably one of the funniest death scenes I've ever seen with a steel point tip arrow and a note attached to it, and this is easily one of the best pieces of cinematic history ever made.
From here we move onto the conclusion of Jon Hartigan. And his travels through a torturous eight years. And the notes he recieves from the girl he saved. Years later, when she's grown up into Jessica Alba, I had my concerns about her. Considering her lackluster past like Dark Angel, and the horrid, Honey. But let me tell you, when her character Nancy sees Jon for the first time in eight years, I choked up a little. I could feel tears swelling. Of course, all this leads to a grand conclusion with the horrible, the dreadful, Yellow Bastard.
"He smelled like a corpse left in a dumpster in the middle of summer."
And everything they describe this guy to stink like, you can actually smell. He just looks so goddamn disgusting.
I gave credit to the entire cast of The Lord Of The Rings trilogy. I was so sure that there would never be another movie anywhere that could as brilliant job at casting as those three movies. I was wrong. Sin City's cast is 100% spot on. Every character, every actor, was perfect for that role. Seriously, I couldn't see anyone else in all those roles. They were perfect for the part, and the parts were perfect for them.
FINAL ANALYSIS!
I love this movie. This movie is fan-f'ing-tastic. I'm seeing this movie again tomorrow night, and I can't wait. This is classic film making with all the technology and creativity that modern advances in film making can create. Brilliantly directed and brilliantly shot and casted.
Robert Rodruigez has won me back as a fan. I was beginning to worry that the promising director from Desperado was turning into Hollywood fluff. With Sin City, he has staple gunned my belief in him right to the wall.
They just don't make movies like this anymore. And that makes me sad.
"One old man dies, a young lady lives. Fair trade."