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Director: Frank Miller & Robert Rodriguez
Year: 2005
Rating: R
Running Time: 2 hours, 4 minutes
Basin City is full of the dregs of society: criminals, prostitutes, crooked cops and politicians. Through a series of short, slightly interwoven stories, a few shady characters are tangled in the muck of this treacherous city. There's Marv (Mickey Rourke), an ugly, brutish ex-con looking the avenge the death of the woman who loved him, if only for one night. Next, we have Dwight (Clive Owen), a man who is a little crazy but helps the prostitutes of Old Town keep their independence after they kill an abusive cop named Jackie Boy (Benicio Del Toro). Finally, there is Hardigan (Bruce Willis), a good yet disgraced cop, who was framed for the assault of the very children that he rescued. He must take the law into his own hands to save Nancy (Jessica Alba), the last girl who knows the truth and is the target of the actual criminal and child molester, Junior (Nick Stahl), who framed Hardigan.
This film is nothing short of brilliant. Its stunning visuals are groundbreaking, which completely drive this neo-noir classic. Along with this, the practical makeup work and CGI settings make for one hell of a film. Its unapologetic use of blood, gore, and sex make this a pioneer in the adaptation of adult-oriented graphic novels. It's thrilling, it's chilling, and we, for one, LOVE this movie! It has been a while since we have watched it, and seeing it again makes us appreciate it even more.
The cast of characters in this film is an eclectic but awesome one. There are too many wonderful performances to mention in great detail, but we will name just a few of our stand-out favorites. It is our belief that this movie helped to reanimated Mickey Rourke's career. He was the perfect casting choice for Marv. Everything about his rugged, hardened-by-life exterior contributed to the believability of his character. One of our favorite performances actually comes from a smaller role, and that's Elijah Wood's character Kevin. He is a silent cannibal killer who has a very eerie aura about him. His smile is horribly creepy and menacing, and Wood pulls it off extremely well. His trophy room of prostitute heads has a macabre feel and brings the sinister factor up a few notches. The fact that Kevin is also very religious makes it that much more disturbing.
We must admit, some of the dialogue is quite over the top and cheesy, often delivered in a dry type of manner. This was obviously intentional and doesn't ever become distracting. It seems to fit the overall feel of the film and reminds us of dialogue from 1930's gangster movies. The voice-over narration, use of old-school automobiles and the mostly black and white coloration, along with this dialogue, really adds to the overall noir feel of this film.
If you're looking to watch a movie where characters kick some serious ass and don't feel bad about it, this is your movie! It's stylish, fun, creative, and most of all, sinful. We cannot wait to see what the sequel holds.
My Rating: 9.5/10This film is nothing short of brilliant. Its stunning visuals are groundbreaking, which completely drive this neo-noir classic. Along with this, the practical makeup work and CGI settings make for one hell of a film. Its unapologetic use of blood, gore, and sex make this a pioneer in the adaptation of adult-oriented graphic novels. It's thrilling, it's chilling, and we, for one, LOVE this movie! It has been a while since we have watched it, and seeing it again makes us appreciate it even more.
The cast of characters in this film is an eclectic but awesome one. There are too many wonderful performances to mention in great detail, but we will name just a few of our stand-out favorites. It is our belief that this movie helped to reanimated Mickey Rourke's career. He was the perfect casting choice for Marv. Everything about his rugged, hardened-by-life exterior contributed to the believability of his character. One of our favorite performances actually comes from a smaller role, and that's Elijah Wood's character Kevin. He is a silent cannibal killer who has a very eerie aura about him. His smile is horribly creepy and menacing, and Wood pulls it off extremely well. His trophy room of prostitute heads has a macabre feel and brings the sinister factor up a few notches. The fact that Kevin is also very religious makes it that much more disturbing.
We must admit, some of the dialogue is quite over the top and cheesy, often delivered in a dry type of manner. This was obviously intentional and doesn't ever become distracting. It seems to fit the overall feel of the film and reminds us of dialogue from 1930's gangster movies. The voice-over narration, use of old-school automobiles and the mostly black and white coloration, along with this dialogue, really adds to the overall noir feel of this film.
If you're looking to watch a movie where characters kick some serious ass and don't feel bad about it, this is your movie! It's stylish, fun, creative, and most of all, sinful. We cannot wait to see what the sequel holds.
BigJ's Rating: 10/10
IMDB's Rating: 8.2/10
Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 78%
Do we recommend this movie: ABSOLUTELY YES!!!
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One year ago, we were watching: "Kick-Ass 2"
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