Review: Sin City: A Dame to Kill For

Release date: August 22, 2014
Running time: 102 minutes
Starring: Mickey Rourke, Eva Green, Jessica Alba, Josh Brolin, Joseph Gordon-Levitt
Who to see it with: Someone who loves the first one

David:

A sequel that's a long time coming, Sin City: A Dame to Kill For is being released almost a decade after the first one caught us all by surprise. Based on Frank Miller's amazing graphic novel, the comic book style and drastic black and white filming made the film stand out from the pack. The additional flashes of color for emphasis was a revelation, and something I wish the similarly shot Much Ado About Nothing had utilized to give it some pop. The story was mostly forgettable, over-the-top film noir but it dealt with some controversial issues and had some pretty extreme violence for the time. The sequel sees the return of some of the favorites from the first film, but also introduces a host of new characters to the Sin City universe, including the devilishly sexy Eva Green and the hot-headed and charismatic JGL. The film is styled as 3 main stories that slightly intertwine but could easily be told separately. In that respect, it's less enticing than the first one because it feels like the series of stories are less connected than the slightly incoherent, but connected original. A Dame to Kill For is actually the main story of three; a better name would have been Sin City Stories. 

If you liked the first film's style, it's back and even more pronounced. It's amazing how much more pop this simple technique has a decade later, but the film is absolutely gorgeous and the splashes of color are perfect. They help to emphasize important points and make certain scenes really stand out. However, something else has changed in the last ten years. When the first film came out, it was ultra violent and controversial; a decade later, for better or worse, it doesn't seem to be that shocking. The violence is violent, but it doesn't have the same impact as the first film's. The swashes of blood just don't take you by surprise. Additionally, the story and writing are weaker this time around. The film is supposed to be a pulpy noir, but it feels like there is a little extra pulp in here; the film knows that the story is ridiculous, but the writing takes itself a little too seriously. Important points that are meant to be impactful just sound corny. Sin City: A Dame to Kill For is definitely a sight to behold, but maybe you should wait a few months to see it.

Rent it.