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Movie Review: Sin City: A Dame to Kill for (2014)

Written by Anthony Sargon

I enjoyed the original Sin City. It was different, it was fresh, and it was fun. Nine years later, it’s certainly not going to feel different or fresh, but is still any fun? It is…to some degree, but after such a long wait and a slew of comic book/graphic novel adaptations in between, it feels like too little too late, and judging by the meager box office, audiences seem to agree.

The film’s structure is identical to the last one, with small individual stories making up the narrative whole. Some Sin City favorites like Marv (Mickey Rourke) and Dwight McCarthy (Josh Brolin replacing Clive Owen) are back, along with newcomers like Ava (Eva Green) and Johnny (Joseph Gordon-Levitt). The stories are all connected somehow, although it felt pretty forced this time around.

What the first Sin City flick lacked in substance, it more than made up for with its gorgeous visuals. A Dame to Kill For is thankfully also quite the visual treat, although after watching other Frank Miller adaptations like 300 and The Spirit, it definitely doesn’t feel as fresh. Still, Robert Rodriguez’s direction is on point, and his collaboration with Miller has once again paid off in a strikingly faithful visual adaptation.

While the visuals are as good as they’ve ever been, the stories just don’t pack the same punch. The Dame to Kill For portion worked thanks to Eva Green’s scene-stealing performance and, um, luscious curves, but the pacing was way too slow. The story featuring Nancy (Jessica Alba) wanting to avenge Hartigan’s (Bruce Willis) death didn’t work at all and had me checking my watch repeatedly. While Joseph Gordon-Levitt’s character was cool, his story pretty much went nowhere. Mickey Rourke was once again brilliant as Marv, and honestly could carry this franchise on his own. The faux-noire dialogue and tone go a long way in making the Sin City world what it is, but become a problem when the movie starts taking itself seriously.

The Verdict:

Sin City: A Dame to Kill for is strikingly beautiful, but after a nine-year wait, it doesn’t do nearly enough to justify its existence. Fans of the original will enjoy it for what it is, but at this point, does anyone care?

Numerical Score: 6.5/10

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