Wednesday, August 20, 2014

Sin City: A Dame to Kill For Review - 1 Star

Graphic novel legend Frank Miller and exuberant violent director Robert Rodriguez pour on the sex and violence in “Sin City:  A Dame to Kill For.”  Clearly they want to pay tribute to the “B” movies of the 40’s and 50’s — while celebrating the graphic novels that stand in today for the pulp fiction of yesterday.  The movie requires a lot of getting used to — real actors move and snarl and speak against computer generated backgrounds in black and white.  The movie spins several stories, including Mickey Roark’s night he can’t remember, Josh Brolin’s unhealthy attraction to femme fatale Eva Green (who incidentally spends most of her time swimming, bathing, or reclining nude), Joseph Gordon Levitt’s unhappy try at fatherly revenge involving Powers Booth, and Jessica Alba as a stripper with a heart of steel.   For all of the sex and violence and tough talking,  I found myself checking my watch.  This story arrives in 3 D and mostly black and white — a little old school and high-tech.  I wish I could tell you I loved it.  Instead “Sin City:  A Dame to Kill For” took more energy to watch than I wanted to spend.  Four stories feel like too many and they all take longer than they deserve.  Does it deliver what it promises?  3 D movie of a graphic novel.  Is it entertaining?  I’d rather read the book.  Is it worth the price of admission?  I pass.