SIN CITY - THE HARD GOODBYE

Who is to say if someone is sane or not? OK, I understand that the psychiatric profession may presume that they have all of the answers sussed out already. Still, what if the psychiatrist in question is a nutter also? Who cares! Just watch this film Directed by Frank Miller and Robert Rodriguez; Starring: Mickey Rourke, Jaime King, Jessica Alba, Carla Gugino, Elijah Wood, with Rutger Hauer. Though only in the year 2005, and for 40-minutes.


Sin City - The Hard Goodbye



THE STORY:
After spending the night with a blond haired angel called Goldie (Jaime King), disfigured brute, Marv (Mickey Rourke), wakes up to discover that she has been killed while he slept beside her.

So what does he do about it?

Well, for a start, Marv evades the baying police officers who suddenly show up to arrest him, before doing whatever he has to do next to avenge Goldie's death.

He visits his Mum's house and picks up his gun. He goes to his parole officer, Lucille (Carla Gugino), and takes his medication. And he then goes to a bar and has a drink or ten, prior to interrogating informants and shooting a corrupt priest in the head (Frank Miller) - whom tell him that the Roark family was behind this murder all along.

Still, Marv's mission does not stop there! As suddenly, out of the blue, a woman who looks like Goldie attacks him as soon as he leaves the church. Moreover, when Marv arrives at the Roark family farm to seek Roark, a silent killer called Kevin (Elijah Wood), attacks him as well - only to then lock him up in an abattoir with a severely wounded Lucille.

Thankfully, though, Marv is able to get himself out of this confinement, and then begin to make a number of startling discoveries that will aide him in his crusade. He finds out the true identity of the 'Golden' woman whom attacked him previously. He figures out how to overpower and silence Kevin once and for all. Plus in addition to this, he finally confronts the man who started all of this mess to begin with, Cardinal Patrick Henry Roark (Rutger Hauer).

Well, I suppose that is why what next transpires is a right sin of a circumstance all in all. As people are saved - people die - people know fear - and one person in particular feels the wrath of the electric chair.

Next please!

THE REVIEW:

Many a year ago, I went to my local comic shop in search for something a little different than my usual weekly dose of action and adventure. You know the type of thing, right? A four color funny that was more than just flexing mussels and a tale that felt part of the norm. Just something unconventional - something offbeat - something that would give me a bit of hope that comic books were more than a marketing device used by the corporate heads, to ply youths with superficiality and the next 'product of the month'.

I found 'Sin City'.

Please note, I said 'Sin City' - and not 'Sin City - The Hard Goodbye' - because that is what this story was originally called at the time. Granted, that little bit of information is nothing more than mere trivia in the scheme of things, just like: (1) The character of Marv was a composite of two of Frank Millers other depictions - Batman and Leonidas from '300' - plus a touch of Clint Eastwood and numerous hard boiled 50's detectives as well. (2) In oriental tradition, the most powerful figure a man can have is that of a boy - like Kevin. (3) Although 'Sin City' was the first of the Frank Millers 'Sin City' range of books, it is in actual fact the last story in the series. (4) Originally, Frank only used black and white in this comic book - the red came after in the 're-prints'. (5) Like most film noir, this film has a lot of voice over narration in it - a technique perfected by numerous French film directors of the forties. (6) Robert Rodriguez managed to get Frank Miller to work with him on this film, only after he showed him a film short he devised that incorporated his style. (7) Frank Miller has worked with a number of comic book greats such as Neil Adams [of 'Batman' fame], plus Will Eisner [of 'Spirit' fame]. And (8) Franks first published work as an artist, was for a licensed television series comic book tie-in of 'The Twilight Zone' - Gold Key Comics imprint, 1978.

Anyway, what was I saying again before I got sidetracked with 'mere trivia'? Oh yes! My first experience with 'Sin City'.

You see, prior to reading this graphic opus, I mainly knew of Franks other works in Batman and Daredevil - which was f*cking brilliant by the way. So when I sat down to read this two-color sexually morose book, I was expecting to see more of the same in disguise. I was wrong. 'Sin City - The Hard Goodbye' was just a captivating read from beginning to end, and showed me that comic books could be 'adult' and 'relevant' if in the proper hands. Moreover, I also appreciated the cinematic edge that Frank's layouts brought to the printed page as well - as if I was watching a perverse combination of 'Raging Bull', 'Chinatown' and the Basil Rathbone 'Sherlock Homes' stories from back in the day.  And do you know what? This is exactly the same thing I felt about it's filmic counterpart too!

Honest to God, it's as though this comic book was brought back to life in live action form! The style is the same (thanks to the special effect). The feel is the same (thanks to the actors). And the story is the same as well (thanks to the directors). Plus, give credit where credit is due, Mickey Rourke and company really do aide in this. All of them just adding a vocal and three-dimensional texture to the overall tale, and making me one of the most happiest fan-boys ever with this movie. Heck - that is the main reason why I have decided to review each section of this flick one at a time - just to prolong my own enjoyment of something like...

Well, that is what Marv would do, right? So stay tuned folks for what is to come with this top draw comic book adaptation - one of the all time best - just like this colorful picture...

THE RATING: A