Sin City (2005) Directors: Frank Miller and Robert Rodriguez

Based on Frank Miller's graphic novel series of the same name, Sin City is possibly the most violent film I have ever seen - a cannibal has his arms and legs cut off and is then, whilst still alive, eaten by a dog...a sexy hooker makes a 'Pez dispenser' out of a cop...Bruce Willis castrates a child abuser and then pummels his head to pulp - pretty full on, hey?

The reason why Sin City doesn't make you puke in your shoes is because it's 'comic book' violence (well, 'graphic' graphic novel violence to be exact); this film noir is in black and white, apart from noteable uses of colour throughout such as Goldie's red dress and Roark's 'Yellow Bastard' character, and looks like a graphic novel - old-fashioned, noir-ish, animated to a sense. The blood flows in white and occasionally in bright red.

This visual shaping is glorious and, along with the breaking up of the film into essentially four seperate, yet linked, stories, is what makes Sin City so absorbing. You get transported into 'another world', one where violence is on every corner and there is never daylight.

There are some outstanding performances; for me, Bruce Willis is brilliant as cop John Hartigan who saves an 11 year old girl from a grim fate with Roark...Mickey Rourke is unrecognisable as Marv, who sets out to avenge the death of a hooker called Goldie. In his story, we meet a chilling Elijah Wood who is as far off the scale from Frodo as you could ever be, playing a cannibal called Kevin...also standout is Rosario Dawson who plays head prostitute Gail...the look on her face as she guns down a bunch of mercenaries is full of naughty delight!

Sin City may not appeal to everyone but as a very adult 'comic strip', don't feel bad in enjoying what it has to offer.