Original Sin

Go see it right now.
"Frank Miller's Sin City", of course..the latest greenscreener at your (not my) local megaplex. This will be a spoiler free review. Sin City opened wide April 1st everywhere but here, where "the Pacifier" has been playing for a month. Is the sarcasm self-evident or do I have to bring "Miss Congeniality 2" into the picture?
Greenscreen, CGI + live actors a la "Skycaptain and the World of Tomorrow" and "Casshern", has not be so fully realized yet. The director, Robert Rodriguez, made deliberate stylistic choices to bring Frank Miller's noir vision to life.
The first Frank Miller book I picked up was "the Big Fat Kill" back in the mid 90's. No, not the compilation volume but the individual Dark Horse issues. I had some time to kill before a conference and needed something to read. I was bowled over.
The stark black and white with no gray fit the black and white universe contained within. I became a fan with one issue.
Let me recommend tracking the books down rather than the thick spined compilations, they are markedly superior in print quality. The story (and the rest of the Sin City books I would purchase, was a direct, brutal tale of moral absolutes set in a compromised world of corruption and decay.
Rodriguez understands Miller's work, and has brought it to life, with a little help from his friends. I'll let others talk about Tarantino's contribution, but I will mention this collaboration worked much better than their previous, "From Dusk 'til Dawn"!
Mickey Rourke, Bruce Willis and Clive Owen are Marv, Hartigan and Dwight respectively, the protagonists of three Sin City tales. All three do terrific jobs, inhabiting their roles/costumes/prosthetics with every ounce of conviction necessary to keep the audience sucked in to this surreal landscape.
I have spent hours nitpicking fine details of this epic (partial courtesy of the 1 hour drive to the theatre) and am looking forward to the Dvd, which I am certain will be packed full of cutting room floor bits.
Once again, hats off to Rodriguez, Miller and the entire cast!