Sin City Poster, originally uploaded by rikimaru0101.

What I'm Watching:

Sin City: I've seen it before. I recommended it to Nancy, who wanted to know about the violence against women in this movie. I had to think about it - I recall saying that I didn't think the movie is anti-women and that most of the violence towards women is implied. Now after watching it again I have to stand by my remarks. For the record, theres a couple of shootings, smackings, and one whipping on-screen, but none of the scenes struck me as voyeuristic nor at any time did the tone of the movie imply "she had it coming". The violence towards the men, however, both heroes and villains, is downright torture-porn.

Not all the men are monsters; Bruce Willis especially is a decent man who rescues a young girl from being raped, tortured, and murdered. He spends a long time in jail for his good deed, and keeps himself sane and in one piece because the girl he rescued sends him letters. The other two heroes - a totally unrecognizable Mickey Rourke and a very recognizable Clive Owen - are hoods but because they actually like women and try to help them, are heroes of sorts.

Even though most of the women in Sin City are all prostitutes or strippers exotic dancers, the movie is sympathetic to them and portrays the men who exploit them as monsters. Really gross monsters. If I have any complaints I'm not much into the 'women as helpless victims for heroes to rescue' stories, but the movie totally makes up for it with a sequence where a bunch of scantilly-clad, pretty hookers open fire on a bunch of men (who had it coming).

So in short I think women would like this film. As for men who are wondering if they should watch: the movie has whores with guns! what more do you want?