Sin City A Dame to Kill For Movie Review by Ryan A. Loera

Stars: Jessica Alba (Nancy Callahan) Eva Green (Ava Lord) Mickey Rourke (Marv) Bruce Willis (John Hartigan) Josh Brolin (Dwight McCarthy) Powers Boothe (Senator Roark) Directors: Frank Miller, Robert Rodriguez Release Date: 22 August 2014 Rating: R

Imagine the darkest filthiest city you can think of. Now, fill it with criminals, prostitutes, junkies, gamblers and Mickey Rourke. That’s the kind of city portrayed in Sin City: A Dame to Kill For. It is the sequel to the aptly named Sin City, which was released back in 2004. I recall watching it for the first time on my 22nd birthday. Ah yes… I was so young and naive back then. I was also blown away by the amazing cinematography of Sin City. I mean, for weeks after I actually had dreams of living in a comic book like environment.

Fast forward ten years later and that same mind altering cinematography can also be seen in Sin City: A Dame to Kill For. However, something seems to be lacking from the plot. While the bulk of the movie revolves around two good stories, the rest of it is chopped up by other stories that don't really go anywhere.

The main story involves Ava Lord (Eva Green) and Dwight McCarthy (Josh Brolin). Ava Lord is a hardcore seductress whose manipulations border on something psychotic. She meets up with her old flame, Dwight McCarthy, and tells him she needs to be protected from her wealthy but abusive husband.

Dwight isn't easily convinced. So, Ava has sex with him and then lays it on real thick with the whole damsel in distress routine. Dwight falls for it and with the aid of Marv (Mickey Rourke) he beats Ava's husband to death. Ava then laughs and reveals her true agenda to Dwight. I won't write about what that agenda is so as not to spoil too much of the movie for those who haven't seen it.

Eva Green gives a really stellar performance as Ava Lord! But then she's good in just about every movie I've seen her in. (Too many to list here but definitely worth a Google.)

Jessica Alba also gives an amazing performance as Nancy Callahan. Nancy is a well known stripper in Sin City who has been planning to kill Senator Roark (Powers Boothe) for quite some time. After the suicide of her dearest friend, John Hartigan (Bruce Willis), she gradually became disillusioned and blamed Senator Roark for John's suicide. (The reason can be found in the first Sin City movie.)

She then turns to alcohol to ease her mental anguish but it doesn't last. Soon, she becomes haunted by the ghost of John Hartigan. He warns her not to seek revenge but she refuses to listen.

Towards the latter part of the movie, Nancy undergoes a pivotal transformation from helpless stripper to revenge seeking warrior.

Though the violence is very brutal and bloody, it remains true to the graphic novel format for which creator Frank Miller is known.

Sin City: A Dame to Kill For is definitely worth watching for the cinematography and two great performances by actresses Eva Green and Jessica Alba.

On a scale of 1 tamale to 10 tamales I give it 7 tamales!