Arts

Film: Sin City

I'll be surprised if Sin City doesn't at least get an Oscar nomination for Art Direction. It's like nothing you've seen before and perfectly reflects the graphic novels the film is based on: high-contrast black and white, with an occasional sparkle of colour.

Unfortunately for me the look is the best thing about the film. Its episodic nature belies its Rodriguez/Tarantino roots, as does its extreme violence. And unusually it was the violence that really turned me off the film. The narration seems laboured and unnecessary, although very nearly saved by the phrase "thugs with delusions of eloquence".

I can't decide whether the film is a landmark. It's certainly worth catching a glimpse of, but ultimately perhaps not worth watching right through.