The joint venture between Frank Miller and Robert Rodriguez to bring Miller’s Sin City comics to life on the silver screen was an impressive undertaking that resulted in a magnificent film, if gritty noir tales are your cup of joe. The Bonus Features, most of which were part of the previous two-disc DVD set, show the work that went into the film’s creation and revealed the amazing talents of all involved.
The review of the film when it was out in theaters can be found here.
Released on Blu-ray, the high-definition format is the perfect match for the film’s stunning visuals, which are presented in 1080p in a 1.85:1 aspect ratio. The look mimics Miller’s template in the books of mostly black and white images, with limited use of color for emphasis that becomes heightened due to the backdrop. The black and white shows great contrast and a range of gray variations. The colors are vibrant and pop off the screen, the reds in particular from The Customer’s red dress in the opening cutting across the balcony to Dwight’s car racing through the city. The textures have great detail, from the actor’s faces to the digitally created settings.
One issue with the video is some of the digital effects at times appear to be just that and don’t seamlessly mesh with the actors. Some of the bonus features contribute to this problem as well, which I will further elaborate on.
The audio available in English 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio is a great soundtrack. The surround engulfs the viewer in the world whether it’s raining rain or raining bullets. There’s a lot of internal dialogue that also makes use of the surround, creating a sense of being in a character’s head. The sub-woofer augments the action with its low-rumbling bass. The dialogue is clear and consistent throughout.
Article comments
1 - Phillip Winn
It's reviews like this that make want to move to Blu-ray. I'm still a holdout.
2 - El Bicho
Thanks, PW. Prices are supposed to be really low by next Xmas. But you really need the whole system to make it work. I don't know why some people bother.
3 - barbara barnett
Looking forward to the prices coming down. have a great home theater sound system and high def television. But my hi-end-ish Denon home theater came with a regular DVD player. Go figure.
4 - Phillip Winn
Yeah, that's the reason I've held out -- why get a new TV without HD sources to drive it, why get Blu-ray without lots of media, etc. To do it right would cost me many, many thousands, and so far I'd rather stick with DVDs and a 4:3 TV. :-)