SIN CITY: A DAME TO KILL FOR

SWITCH: 'SIN CITY: A DAME TO KILL FOR' TEASER TRAILER

In typical 'Sin City' style, these stories intertwine as characters dip in and out, and writer/directors Miller and Robert Rodriguez aren't afraid to throw the audience back and forth in time; clearly death can't keep a good character down. The stories are well-paced - never boring for one moment - and certainly aren't lacking any of the sex or violence which defined the first film and made it a cult hit.

Considering nearly all of the cast have returned - in one form or another - it's pretty plain to see these big names are having a lot of fun on screen. Mickey Rourke, more than any other, makes Marv so enjoyable to watch; his portrayal is much more of a loveable rogue than simply a ball-busting brute this time around. For much of the film, it seems like Jessica Alba is simply there to dance provocatively - that is, until her story comes to fruition, and she turns dark and dangerous. Josh Brolin plays the love-sick hard-ass well enough, and his portrayal of Dwight balances nicely against his romantic interest/arch-nemesis Ava Lord, whom Eva Green brings to the screen in a way you've never seen her before (possibly due to budget cuts to the wardrobe department). There are a few dead ends in the script, including Christopher Meloni and Jeremy Piven's police officers who become entangled with Ava. Yet the one big disappointment is the storyline featuring Johnny - despite Joseph Gordon-Levitt being his usual captivating self, his tale never really seems to go anywhere, and ends up hitting a brick wall, leaving Gordon-Levitt drastically underutilised.

Visually, Miller and Rodriguez have worked their magic once again, bringing Sin City to life in spectacular style. The melding of 3D and the black-and-white palette completely convince you that you're inside a comic book, and the sequel is even more visually faithful to Miller's graphic novels than the original. Much like the first film, 'A Dame To Kill For' was all shot against green screen, but it's not as though you could ever tell - there's so much detail in every shot.

Maybe I'm a sucker for noir, stylised violence and flawed heroes, but this film entertained me relentlessly for its 102 minute duration. It succeeds because it never takes itself too seriously, with a littering of bad puns thrown in amongst the blood and brutality. 'Sin City: A Dame To Kill For' doesn't quite live up to the original, but it's not far off - and it's so goddamn fun, you won't mind a bit. So be a doll and check it out, would you?

Click here to read our 4-star review of 'Sin City: A Dame To Kill For'.

To celebrate the release of 'Sin City: A Dame To Kill For' in cinemas, we're giving you the chance to win a double pass.

To win one of five double passes thanks to Icon, just make sure you follow both steps:

Competition opens at 5:00pm AEST on Wednesday 10th September 2014 and closes at 11:59 pm AEST on Wednesday 17th September 2014. Five winners will be chosen at random on Thursday 18th September 2014. To successfully win, entrants must fulfil the above entry conditions before the time the competition closes. Current members/followers are eligible to enter the competition. Only one entry per person. Only one winner per household. To be a valid winner, the entrant must not have won a prize from SWITCH within the last 28 days. Each winner will receive one double pass to 'Sin City: A Dame To Kill For'. By entering, you agree to receive occasional emails from SWITCH in the future. If you decide to unsubscribe from these updates, any further entries will not be applicable. Only Australian residents are eligible to enter.