Sin City is a town made from the ashes of film noir and a good old fashion detective novel. The black and white landscape adds to the gritty feel of the story. There is no build up to the plot, out of the gate we are faced with Marv’s reality. Marv is not the typical hero/anti-hero, those constraints don’t apply to the force of nature known as Marv.
A “chance encounter” leads Marv into the hands of the beautiful and now dead Goldie. Marv is the best fall guy to take the rap for Goldie’s murder, but who would want Goldie dead? The aftermath of Marv and Goldie’s encounter is the foundation of the controlled mayhem that Sin City: The Hard Goodbye is built upon.
As the story unfolds you begin to realize that the term hero doesn’t fit Marv. He’s a vigilante with one goal and purpose, this is his drive. Self-preservation isn’t in his vocabulary, brute force with a mix of fearlessness and devotion are the things that make Marv jump head first into this mission of carnage.
The pace is fast, and you begin to see how all the puzzle pieces fit together to create the full story. Frank Miller weaves this tale brilliantly, allowing for twist and turns with the clear purpose to show the reader the core of Sin City.
Sin City is more than an urbanscape, it’s a town that feeds on cause and effect. They are no heroes, just men and women like Marv and Goldie who understood that the city can destroy you. In the end there is still room for retribution, that makes this wild ride even more satisfying.
