Sin City

Okay, better 'fess up here. I am a big fan of Frank Miller's original graphic novel series, upon which this film is based, and I have to say the result is fantastic, without doubt the best comic book adaptation ever made.

One of the principal aspects of its success is the ultra stylish look. Filmed against a green screen, the backgrounds have a subdued grittiness that has seldom been seen in the cinema.

There are three stories: The Hard Goodbye, in which Marv sets out to find who killed the woman of his dreams (Jaime King), The Big Fat Kill, which features Dwight, trying to prevent a war breaking out between the cops, the mob and the Old Town Girls after the death of Jackie Boy, and That Yellow Bastard, which features ailing cop Hartigan, trying to catch a child killer (Nick Stahl). All are extremely hard-bitten pulp revenge stories, which stay close to the original graphic novels, and, as a result, the movie is very violent.

People might criticise the fact that the women appear to be prostitutes, strippers or damsels in distress. This is the way Miller has written them and, in this instance, the audience will have to like it, or lump it. Miller, on the other hand, might benefit from an appointment with the therapist.

The performances are the trump card, with an unrecognisable Mickey Rourke doing a sterling job as Marv, Bruce Willis delivering the goods as Hartigan and Clive Owen mean and moody as Dwight. The ladies are also good, although some seem to be a little underwritten. However, Rosario Dawson excels as the gorgeous and deadly Gail. The best performance comes from Benicio Del Toro, as the sleazeball cop Jackie Boy. He is marvellously depraved and humorous in a role that could so easily have been a typical movie thug.

The film is truly fantastic. I know it will mostly appeal to comic book fans like myself, but people should give it a chance, if only to experience its style. For fans, it will be manna from heaven.

Film of the year so far, without doubt.