Sin City: A Dame To Kill For Review
Hard to say how to start this review... Hell, I don't think I ever really know how to start any review... Watched Sin City: A Dame To Kill For today. It was decent enough, nothing close to the first movie though... Na, it can't even hold a candle to it...
Guess they decided to change up the format a bit for this one, go with a more linear storytelling structure than the previous. Still not technically one single story, more like 3 intertwining stories that connect at points throughout, but it was told in one fluid motion rather than the way it was done in Sin City 1, where they split the stories into a series of short films.
That's not to say the story wasn't good, I just don't think that Sin City 1 really screamed out for a sequel, it ended perfectly the way it did. But with this one we get a look into the lives of the characters from the first in a bit more depth, some stories set before Sin City 1, some after.
They still decided to stick with that whole, black & white, "Film Noir" style, using color only to highlight things and for not-so-subtle symbolism, such as green eyes when a certain someone tries to control people with lust and envy.
Bruce Willis was also sorely lacking from this film, showing up only once or twice, which is understandable considering the first movie, I won't say more for fear of spoilers, but it was still a bit sad. Jessica Alba also making a re-appearance in this one, with a far more interesting and lengthier role.
So what can I really say about this movie, Sin City: A Dame To Kill For? Cheesy acting, cliched one-liners and plots, lots of "Max Payne-style" monologuing and seeming like it was trying to give itself credit for more depth than it actually had. I enjoyed it! Admittedly, not quite as much as the first, and having never read the graphic novels, I have no comparison to them, but for what it was, I found it fairly enjoyable, if dragging a little bit at points.
Sometimes cheesy acting improves a performance, sometimes cliched one-liners are exactly what is needed. The monologuing gets a little annoying at times but it's a useful storytelling device, if a bit overused in this movie.
Overall, I say it's worth a watch. If you liked Sin City 1, then you'll at least appreciate this one. But if you haven't seen the first, I would strongly recommend watching that one first as you may get lost at times if you don't.
7/10
Written By Kieron Behan
