Sporting a star studded cast, it’s a disappointment that the much anticipated “Sin City: A Dame To Kill For” falls very short of expectations.
In April 2005, the original “Sin City,” directed by Robert Rodriguez and Frank Miller, released to generally positive reviews and made over $74 million.
Based on the graphic novel of the same name (also written by Frank Miller), Sin City is considered one of the reasons why Hollywood started taking the idea of comic book movies seriously – they brought in audiences and cash.
With all that success, it was only a matter of time until a sequel was made. Nine years passed until the sequel was released, and “A Dame To Kill For” tried living up to the expectations of its predecessor.
“Tried” is the keyword here, as “A Dame To Kill For” came off as a flop that tried too hard to recapture the originality of the first.
Plot-wise, the movie is a step down.
Three of the separate character storylines were toss-away items that took place prior to the first film, allowing new actors like Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Lady Gaga, Josh Brolin and Eva Green to interact with returning actors Jessica Alba, Mickey Rourke and Rosario Dawson.
To explain how these characters are not in the first movie, all new characters are either killed off or, in Josh Brolin’s case, undergo heavy plastic surgery to become someone the audience recognizes.
In addition to weak a weak plot, “Dame to Kill For” is somehow even more sexist than the original.
While the original “Sin City” did feature a section of the town that was run by prostitutes ( which does return for this film), “Dame” takes the sexism to both genders.
The men are all manipulated by woman when they offer sex, and the men accept the offer. Sex is turned into a risk-and-reward system in the movie – a woman needs help; offers sex in exchange for help; man takes it because he has earned it.
Overall, “Dame to Kill For” is a movie that can not stand alone and leans too heavily on the lore it has already created.
New characters are used to reinforce already-established characters, solo plot lines are too complex and sex is the greatest reward one can receive for helping anyone.
If you want to go see this movie out of some kind of nostalgia of the first movie, wait until it comes out on Redbox, but don’t waste the money on a $12 ticket.
