FilmDungeon’s Chief Editor JK sorts through the Dungeon’s DVD-collection to look for old cult favorites….

Sin City (2005, USA)

Director: Robert Rodriguez
Cast: Mickey Rourke, Clive Owen, Bruce Willis, Jessica Alba
Running Time: 124 mins.

The cinematic masterpiece Sin City weaves together three interconnected hard-boiled mysteries filled with sex, blood, and violence, all set in the criminal haven of Basin City. With its noir-inspired silhouettes of men in long coats, gravelly voiceovers revealing inner thoughts, and splashes of color that contrast with the shadowy streets, every frame of this film is a visual feast. Each of the three stories revolves around tough, beautiful women with big hearts who find themselves in serious danger, aided by male loners. Bruce Willis plays Hartigan, an aging cop with a bad heart who is determined to protect young Nancy from a sadistic, murderous pedophile. Mickey Rourke portrays Marv, a psychopathic brute made of concrete, who fights on the side of good as he seeks revenge on the men who killed Goldie, a prostitute who gave him the night of his life. Clive Owen is Dwight, a mysterious figure who helps the women of Old Town cover up the murder of a corrupt cop, staving off a potentially bloody conflict. Robert Rodriguez’s adaptation of Frank Miller’s iconic comic series is one of the most successful graphic novel-to-screen translations in cinematic history. Shot and edited by Rodriguez himself, it’s a remarkable technical achievement. But the film’s brilliance doesn’t stop at the visuals, its cast and screenplay are equally stellar. Miller’s sharp, punchy dialogue, already compelling on the page, is brought to life perfectly by an ensemble of outstanding actors: Jessica Alba, Mickey Rourke, Bruce Willis, Rosario Dawson, Benicio Del Toro, Rutger Hauer, Alexis Bledel, Elijah Wood, Michael Madsen, Brittany Murphy, and Clive Owen. The performances elevate the material into something extraordinary. Without a doubt, Sin City is Rodriguez’s finest work to date. It’s a true work of cinematic art.