It died in the 1950s. Since then, admirers pay respect in quiet allusions and an occasional tribute. Though it exists today in a “neo” fashion, it has yet to be fully embraced since its demise after a 25-year movement with a lasting impact. Now, with the collaboration of directors Robert Rodriguez and Frank Miller, it has returned. Nothing short of monumental, “Sin City” marks the resurrection of classic film noir — with a few 21st-century updates, of course.

The word “classic” is of utmost importance here. After classic film noir dissolved in the late 1950s, neo-noir films like “Chinatown” and “Body Heat” kept the tradition alive, but were approached as tributes to, or remakes of, classical noir — a style of black-and-white American crime or mystery film marked by its distinct “darkness” of theme and visual effect.

“Sin City,” however, is not a creative homage but a return to the fundamentals of 1930s and 1940s noir and all of its archetypes. Bruce Willis and Mickey Rourke star as the essential tortured male protagonists — entangled in the double chase from both the police and the bad guys.

Jaime King’s Goldie so strikingly resembles Phyllis Dietrichson, the original 1944 femme fatale from “Double Indemnity,” her character is both an acknowledgment and a fulfillment of the archetype.

Each actor seems to really get what Rodriguez is doing and is careful to not just perform, but to really represent the spirit of their classic predecessors.

Aside from actors and story, the overall visual style of “Sin City” is so overwhelming it’s almost too much. As much of the film’s backdrop is entirely digitized, there is a pervasive artificiality to the film, making for a cartoonish atmosphere and in turn allowing Miller to retain much of his vision from the original graphic novel.

Several actors like Benicio Del Toro, Rourke and Nick Stahl are hidden under prosthetic noses, chins, foreheads and various other body parts to better represent Miller’s original characters and visions.

For Rodriguez, this artificiality allows him to play with noir’s roots of German Expressionism. With high-contrast black and white dominating the canvas, Rodriguez employs the old noir/expressionist tactics of disorienting oblique angles, confining geometric lines around tiled rooms and spiraling staircases, gigantic shadows and hard angles on tortured facial expressions. The skill with which Rodriguez crafts the world of “Sin City” will allow modern viewers to discover the beauty and artistic potential of black-and-white film.

But as classic noir as “Sin City” may be, updates are essential for a today’s audience. Rodriguez is careful to achieve a balance between fresh comedy and classic sarcasm, aggressive sexuality and refined sensuality, and gory violence and stylish elegance. With sheer perfection, Rodriguez weaves in fresh, modern elements and avoids tampering with the nature of the classic style.

Haunted by the ghosts of classic directors, “Sin City” is a gun-to-the-forehead noir, complete with the Cadillacs, sex, rain-beaten dark city streets and enough cigarette smoke to bring Humphrey Bogart back to life. It’s both beautiful and terrifying — a testament to a monumental movement that has not been seen in 50 years.