Review: Sin City (18)

NOIRISH comic book adaption Sin City is a brutal thriller that is not for the faint of heart.

The film weaves three dark and dangerous stories, set in Sin City, from the mind of acclaimed writer Frank Miller.

All three are packed with hyper real comic violence that needs a strong stomach.

Take freakish brusier Marv (played by the perfectly cast Mickey Rourke), who commits a whole host of vicious and nasty acts to avenge the murder of his girl, Goldie.

Like Pulp Fiction, Sin City has three serparate stories which touch on occassion.

You also get hard bitten hero Dwight (Clive Owen) trying to helps the city's prostitutes, while disgraced police detective Hartigan (Bruce Willis) is on the trail of a paedophile.

Sin City's greatest strength is the dark and seedy look that director Robert Rodriguez plunges us into.

He takes the classic noir look to an extreme level, with the film etched in jet black and bright white, apart from the odd splash of colour.

At times this super-stylised look can be too much, but works beautifully for the most part.

The characters are broad and brutal strokes, which makes it hard for the audience to cheer for them.

In Sin City there is only a whisp of a line between hero and scumbag.

Despite the film's superficialness, a tremendous cast helps it along.

Rourke steals the film as the indestructable Marv, while Willis is reliably good.

There's no doubting Sin City is a film for the lads.

The action is uncompromising, while female characters are sleazy barmaids or hookers with hearts and bloodlust.

Despite its limitations the film has more than enough to entertain.

Sin City is not a place you'd want to live in, but is worth visiting for just for the sheer excitement.

Peter McKinney

l Sin City went on general release on June 2.