Hunted By a Freak
04-02-2005, 08:31 PM
*Warning: Spoilers for Sin City Inside*
Here is the movie review for Sin City; obviously the reviewers don't "get it" and aren't fit to be reviewing this movie.
http://movies.msn.com/movies/article.aspx?news=186857
First off, there are a couple of things they just don't understand
"...or Elijah Wood as a lethal prodigy who apparently survives a beheading."
Elijah's character, Kevin, was killed by Marv in his quest to avenge Goldie. At the end of Marv's tale, he is electrocuted (twice) and killed. Later, when Bruce Willis's character, Hartigan, has his story concluded, we see a glimpse of Marv in the bar, watching Nancy's show. This should have been clue number 1 that the movie jumps around a lot, time-wise. Secondly, we see Kevin again, reading the bible at the Roark farm, while Hartigan goes after the Yellow Bastard. If you've seen Pulp Fiction, Reservoir Dogs, or Kill Bill, (etc.) you should know that Tarentino jumps around a lot in his narration. Obviously this film went the same direction, evidenced by Tarentino's part in making the film.
"...death by sledgehammer..."
I honestly don't remember anyone dying by sledghammer. Marv gets hit in the face with one in his first battle with Kevin, and wakes up in his cell. He isn't dead.
.."and Clive Owen, as an obsessed creature who seems capable of leaping tall buildings in a single bound."
He's not a super hero. He jumped from a building ledge to the grass, to make it exciting and over-the-top. That's it.
"...Maybe that's too many cooks. The movie is all over the place, mixing film-noir visual styles and plots with famous actors whose faces are so buried in makeup it's hard to tell who's playing what."
All over the place? You heard what I had to say about other films with similar narration. Does this make the film bad, because it has complex narration? No. It's a break from the norm. Also, who cares if you know who plays Marv, or which character Nick Stahl is. The point of casting major players was to get experienced actors that could handle making a great film with great acting, not to use as a selling point. MSN even uses it as such, toting "Can stellar cast redeem Sin City?". They are missing the point. The characters are supposed to be alien and detached, unlike average movie characters. Often times, charcters in the stories represent the darkest depths of mankind's being, as does the whole of Basin (Sin) City.
The rest of the review throws out names of those involved, but doesn't say anything for the plot really, negative or positive. Reading some of the user reviews of this movie, it seems like a lot of people don't get this movie. Some people gave it 1 stars and described the blood and gore it contained. Yes, obviously this movie isn't for children. Regardless of this, this movie stays VERY true to the comic, and all the violence and subject matter is stylizied to suit them. Of course you can't survive the electric chair, of course you can't survive getting shot dozens of times and getting hit the face with a sledge hammer. This isn't the point. All of these things are merely over-exagerations used to define the gritted determination and sheer bad-*** will of the characters involved. It gives us something somewhat realistic, then puts it on steroids to peak the believability just a bit. This movie is about characters, not realism. It's about finding something worth fighting for, making sacrfices, realizing yourself, fighting against unspeakable odds, having iron will and determination, and finding redemption in an environment full of debauchery and evil. Of course some of the dialogue is campy or catch-phrasey. It's supposed to suit the characters. They're bad-*** men in the most stereotyped noir style; it's purposeful. The somewhat simple dialogue just helps guide us through the plot and provides a backdrop for all the action and thoughts going on with the characters. The characters' actions; those are what define them and who they are. As they say, actions speak louder than words.
There is a lot of violence, but maybe we should take a look at what this film is trying to accomplish instead of remarking on how taboo it is.
Sorry for the unorganized post and ramble. :p
Here is the movie review for Sin City; obviously the reviewers don't "get it" and aren't fit to be reviewing this movie.
http://movies.msn.com/movies/article.aspx?news=186857
First off, there are a couple of things they just don't understand
"...or Elijah Wood as a lethal prodigy who apparently survives a beheading."
Elijah's character, Kevin, was killed by Marv in his quest to avenge Goldie. At the end of Marv's tale, he is electrocuted (twice) and killed. Later, when Bruce Willis's character, Hartigan, has his story concluded, we see a glimpse of Marv in the bar, watching Nancy's show. This should have been clue number 1 that the movie jumps around a lot, time-wise. Secondly, we see Kevin again, reading the bible at the Roark farm, while Hartigan goes after the Yellow Bastard. If you've seen Pulp Fiction, Reservoir Dogs, or Kill Bill, (etc.) you should know that Tarentino jumps around a lot in his narration. Obviously this film went the same direction, evidenced by Tarentino's part in making the film.
"...death by sledgehammer..."
I honestly don't remember anyone dying by sledghammer. Marv gets hit in the face with one in his first battle with Kevin, and wakes up in his cell. He isn't dead.
.."and Clive Owen, as an obsessed creature who seems capable of leaping tall buildings in a single bound."
He's not a super hero. He jumped from a building ledge to the grass, to make it exciting and over-the-top. That's it.
"...Maybe that's too many cooks. The movie is all over the place, mixing film-noir visual styles and plots with famous actors whose faces are so buried in makeup it's hard to tell who's playing what."
All over the place? You heard what I had to say about other films with similar narration. Does this make the film bad, because it has complex narration? No. It's a break from the norm. Also, who cares if you know who plays Marv, or which character Nick Stahl is. The point of casting major players was to get experienced actors that could handle making a great film with great acting, not to use as a selling point. MSN even uses it as such, toting "Can stellar cast redeem Sin City?". They are missing the point. The characters are supposed to be alien and detached, unlike average movie characters. Often times, charcters in the stories represent the darkest depths of mankind's being, as does the whole of Basin (Sin) City.
The rest of the review throws out names of those involved, but doesn't say anything for the plot really, negative or positive. Reading some of the user reviews of this movie, it seems like a lot of people don't get this movie. Some people gave it 1 stars and described the blood and gore it contained. Yes, obviously this movie isn't for children. Regardless of this, this movie stays VERY true to the comic, and all the violence and subject matter is stylizied to suit them. Of course you can't survive the electric chair, of course you can't survive getting shot dozens of times and getting hit the face with a sledge hammer. This isn't the point. All of these things are merely over-exagerations used to define the gritted determination and sheer bad-*** will of the characters involved. It gives us something somewhat realistic, then puts it on steroids to peak the believability just a bit. This movie is about characters, not realism. It's about finding something worth fighting for, making sacrfices, realizing yourself, fighting against unspeakable odds, having iron will and determination, and finding redemption in an environment full of debauchery and evil. Of course some of the dialogue is campy or catch-phrasey. It's supposed to suit the characters. They're bad-*** men in the most stereotyped noir style; it's purposeful. The somewhat simple dialogue just helps guide us through the plot and provides a backdrop for all the action and thoughts going on with the characters. The characters' actions; those are what define them and who they are. As they say, actions speak louder than words.
There is a lot of violence, but maybe we should take a look at what this film is trying to accomplish instead of remarking on how taboo it is.
Sorry for the unorganized post and ramble. :p