Review: Sin City / The Spirit
Watching these instant-classic flicks, both artsyfartsy shot, movie-package made me jump for joy.
Sin City (2005)
Director: Robert Rodriguez, Frank Miller, Quentin Tarantino | Cast: Mickey Rourke (Marv), Clive Owen (Dwight), Bruce Willis (Hartigan), Rosario Dawson (Gail), Jessica Alba (Nancy Callahan), Benicio Del Toro (Jackie Boy). | 120 min.
Frank Miller created a City of Sin and his comics where stylized, gritty, brutal, perverse, yet sexy, intriguing and dynamite-on-paper. His inky shadowy art with bright white details and red or yellow highlights made the ‘Sin City’ series a classic and director Robert Rodriguez acknowledged the movie-sequenced comic book as one worthy to make this logical next step.
Rodriguez successfully used the graphics from the comic to create the same sequentials in the movie, almost like watching an animated comic book, but then with more flair and geste then could ever be possible of course via regular means.
Sin City is a city filled with deadly prostitutes, corrupted politicians, child molesters and serial killers, set against unholy and uncanny anti-heroes who only discuss matters via hard-boiled dialogue and muttered one-line dialogue. The casting of Micky Rourke as a force of nature, called Marv, is brilliant in that he is acting ánd looking like a train-wreck throughout the movie.
Semi-heroic Hartigan, played by Bruce Willis, has an odd relationship with Nancy Callahan (Jessica Alba). Nancy has the most sensual cowgirl-pole dancing act but fits in perfectly in this story, as Hartigan’s protegé, rescued at the age of 11 from a sadistic Yellow Bastard paedophile. Willis’ monologues are as gritty as can be and seem like the best fit for this tough actor, while the chemistry with Alba seems and feels genuine.
The lesser of the three stories is the one in which Clive Owen plays Dwight, especially because his origin is not worked out and so his relationship with power-madame Gail (Rosario Dawson) seems to just ‘happen’ even though Dwight hints at more. The true hit of this sequence however is deadly but silent Miho, a silent hooker who handles her shuriken and her swords better then her tongue.
Sin City is amazing and a must-see if you are into non-fiction. This movie is over the top and has as much machismo as gorgeous females, working their skills to the bone and making every scene that more deadly and impressive, as ravishing and stunning.
The Spirit (2008)
Director: Frank Miller | Cast: Gabriel Macht (Spirit), Samuel L. Jackson (The Octopus), Eva Mendes (Sand Saref). | 98 min.
After SIN CITY, Frank Miller takes one of his own favorite characters in comics, and tries to make it work like in Sin City. Unfortunately Miller falls short of delivering the blow that Sin City was, but this movie still remains a nice one to watch.
In this tale of a killed rookie cop, revived as the Spirit to battle arch-nemesis Octopus against his search for immortality. Battling the insanity called Octopus is not enough as he face many challenges as treacherous beauties including sexy copper Morgenstern (Stana Katic) and/or snoozy secretary Silken Floss (Scarlett Johansson), regular drop-dead gorgeous Ellen Dolan (Sarah Paulson), siren Lorelei (Jaime King) and even Spirit’s real love – and jewel thief- Sand Saref (Eva Mendes) seem to either want to eat the hero alive, mate with him, kiss him or finish him off at every turn.
Frank Miller succeeded in making this movie a Sin City “Light” with less rough edges around the characters. He also succeeds in making this movie look unique, as with Sin City, and the overwhelming over-acting of all actors never fail to come across as funny and awesome. Sadly the under-acting of Gabriel Macht kills the mood just too many times.
C4S verdict: This 2-movie-pack satisfied me! Seeing these stylized frames on the screen, makes for very enjoyable moments.
About the Author
Richard Boom Richard is the driving force behind Comics for Sinners. His love and admiration for female comic book characters is virtually unparalleled, which immediately explains his biggest 'sin': his Hot Mummy fetish. This sketchbook theme is philogynistic in nature and even the source of his WIP comic book series "The Sisterhood".
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