Movie Review ... Sin City: A Dame To Kill For

 

Robert Rodriguez and Frank Miller are masters of their chosen professions.  The former has built a steady career as director of cult hits such as ‘From Dusk Till Dawn’ and the ‘Spy Kids’ films.  The latter is renowned for his work in comic books such as the seminal classic ‘The Dark Knight Returns’.  Together they are a formidable team as ‘Sin City: A Dame to Kill For’ proves.  A sequel to their 2005 movie, it continues showing how their visual and story-telling dynamic sets them apart from less stellar creative types.

Sin City is a place of contrasts.  Beneath its veneer of glamour lies a maelstrom of violence and decay.  One of its newest inhabitants is Johnny (Joseph Gordon-Levitt), a gambler looking to make a big score. His dangerous story is one of many with others including Marv (Mickey Rourke), Dwight (Josh Brolin) and Nancy (Jessica Alba) along for the ride.  Each has their role to play in the darkness enveloping a city thriving on crime and plenty of sin.

Formed around a quartet of stories, ‘Sin City: A Dame to Kill For’ is an ode to classic film noir.  Full of duplicitous ladies and rugged men, their actions are fuelled by lust and greed.  Running the gamut of the Seven Deadly Sins, the city they inhabit oversees their dramas with a baleful eye.  The performances generally match the quality of the stories with a few actors over-playing their roles.  Whilst offering more style over substance, ‘Sin City: A Dame to Kill For’ is a worthy match to its predecessor.

Making it memorable is the rich visuals.  The infrequent neon tinged colours seem to intrude in the black and white universe on display.  When colours appear they infuse more power into scenes.  This goes some way in masking some of ‘Sin City’s’ mis-steps with the often cartoonish violence detracting from the gritty atmosphere.  Kudos goes to Rodriguez and Miller for doing something different with a noble failure better than an over-rated and dull success.

‘Sin City: A Dame to Kill For’ makes good use of format and characters.  It also shows why Rodriguez and Miller have stayed the distance with their imaginative flair for fantastical visions always something to appreciate.

Movie Review Rating out of 10:  7

Movie Review by Patrick Moore

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Patrick Moore's Movie Review is an alternative look at movie releases in Australia.

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