The story of Basin City and its violent and crime ridden underbelly.

In Brief
In Basin City violence and corruption are rife and this film shows the lives of its inhabitants as they are caught up in this dangerous place. It follows several people closely and is told in short stories that intertwine each other. One of the main character's is Marv (Mickey Rourke) , a tough gladiatorial type man who has only one soft spot, for the woman he loves, 'Goldie'. When Goldie is murdered he sets out to find her killer and seek his revenge. What he uncovers leads to the heart of some of Basin City's worst elements and he fights to keep his sanity and take revenge. Another is Harrigan (Bruce Willis) , an over the hill cop who must protect a young woman who has fallen prey to a vile predator of the city while keeping himself alive even though he has a heart condition. Another is Dwight (Clive Owen), a man with a shady past that goes after the abuser of his new girlfriend. His target, who just happens to be a decorated cop, is one of the worst elements of the corruption in the city. Their lives criss cross and impact each other as they all seek to do what in their minds is the right thing. Can the City hold its self together with so much violence at every corner or is this just another day in the lives of its 'Sin' City?

1st Time Around
This a an adaptation of the Frank Miller's short stories bringing them together in a cartoon type way. The presentation in refreshing and one of a kind as a lot is made to look like the cartoon's it imitates and this is done wonderfully. The violence through frequent is done in a mostly cartoon fashion and being in black and white the use of color to add to the impact.The story telling is cleverly done with twists and turns with the characters unknowingly being involved in each others stories. This film is heavily narrated which brings an element to the film not usually seen, you get to know their thoughts and reasons behind what they do which I thought was clever. Mickey Rourke for me steals the show as the unstoppable and unrepentant Marv. A one man army. I enjoyed this film though it does have its faults. Some of the acting I found a little wooden but with such a star studded cast and amazing visuals this can be glossed over. Not a classic by any stretch of the imagination but with its unusual style its sets a president that others are sure to follow.


2nd Time Around
If you liked it the first time around then you will probably enjoy watching it again and filling in on some of the bits you missed. The violence may be too much for some as it is graphic in places but if you can stomach that then definitely worth watching again.

8/10