Klonor
18-04-2005, 15:22
In theatres now, the movie Sin City has its roots in a graphic novel series by Frank Miller. The first of the series, The Hard Goodbye, is one of the stories you follow in the movie and I made a thread about it yesterday. The second novel in the series, A Dame to Kill For, is just as good, but I think Ava was getting a bit desperate towards the end.
The story follows Dwight, a character in the movie, as he goes about his normal life. Dwight has had some rough times in the past, hard drinking coupled with hard fighting, but the guy is really making an effort to bring himself back on track. He wont even go over the speed limit, he keeps himself on that short of a leash. He's a freelance photographer, formerly of advanced skill and reputation and now following around husbands that wives think are cheating on them. But it's legal work and it keeps him fed. Everything's going great (Well, not great, but liveable) when he gets a call from Ava.
Ava is an old flame who I'd guess is responsible for the bad times in his past, she dragged him in and then tossed him aside for a man with a big wallet. That started the drinking and brawling that he's tried so hard to escape. Well, Ava gives him a call and begs a meeting. He goes to see her and she breaks down, pleading for forgiveness from him and begging that he remember her when she's gone, which she thinks will be really soon. His interest is piqued when Manute, also in the movie and working for her husband at this point in time, shows up and reminds her that she's needed at home (It does not sound like a servant reminding the woman he works for, if you catch my drift).
Well, after much more contact between the two Ava has Dwight convinced that Damien Lord, her husband, is a psychotic sadist who regularly tortures her, or has Manute do it and watches, and is soon planning on capping off his experiments with her death. Dwight is pissed (Wouldn't you be?) and decides to rescue her. He can't handle Manute by himself, so he has Marv run interference (I gotta tell you, Marv tears that guy apart) and he breaks in and kills Damien Lord in a fit of rage. He realises what he's done a second after he's done it, and collapses in a horror at himself. Avas next actions don't help much, as she shows up and puts about six bullets into him before he falls out the window. She planned the whole thing, manipulating Dwight to kill her rich husband so that she'd get the money. Bitch.
Well, Marv picks up Dwight and hauls him out of the mansion and gets him to Old Town where Dwight gets the medical attention he needs and the support of a few well armed and deadly friends (Miho is no less terrifying on paper than she was in the movie). He has plastic surgery so he looks completely different than he did before, a good thing when you consider how hideous he was after being shot and falling through a window, and he plans on getting revenge. He, Gail, and Miho get into the mansion and start to take the place apart. It ends with Dwight facing off against Ava and Manute (Who has also been twisted around Ava's finger), with only a tiny derringer-like pistol up his sleeve. He puts a few rounds into Manute, who seems to barely feel it, and knocks Manutes two guns out of his hands. He grabs one, Ava grabs one, and Manute is about to start pulling his limbs off. Decision time: Shoot Manute and be shot by Ava, or shoot Ava and be beaten to death by Manute? It doesn't matter what you pick, he doesn't have to chose. Ava screams for him to get down and plugs Manute quite a few times. It seems she didn't like the way things were turning against her and decided to jump teams. She then runs over, babbling about how Manute used ancient mysticism and techniques to control her mind and force her to manipulate Dwight like she did. Oh, none of it was her idea, she was forced into everything. She really does love Dwight, if only he'll take her back she'll be nice and his. It was all mind control! Fortunately, this time Dwight's not enough of an idiot to fall for it and puts a few lead casings into her chest. She got what she deserved (Once you drive a cop to murder and suicide I've pretty much given up any thoughts of mercy that you might want).
Great story, it was well written and well drawn. It was excellent, and it set up perfectly for The Big Fat Kill, which is one of the stories in the movie. But, and this might just be me, don't you think Ava was grasping at straws at the end? Seriously, blathering about mind control and ancient mysticism. I expected better of her.
The story follows Dwight, a character in the movie, as he goes about his normal life. Dwight has had some rough times in the past, hard drinking coupled with hard fighting, but the guy is really making an effort to bring himself back on track. He wont even go over the speed limit, he keeps himself on that short of a leash. He's a freelance photographer, formerly of advanced skill and reputation and now following around husbands that wives think are cheating on them. But it's legal work and it keeps him fed. Everything's going great (Well, not great, but liveable) when he gets a call from Ava.
Ava is an old flame who I'd guess is responsible for the bad times in his past, she dragged him in and then tossed him aside for a man with a big wallet. That started the drinking and brawling that he's tried so hard to escape. Well, Ava gives him a call and begs a meeting. He goes to see her and she breaks down, pleading for forgiveness from him and begging that he remember her when she's gone, which she thinks will be really soon. His interest is piqued when Manute, also in the movie and working for her husband at this point in time, shows up and reminds her that she's needed at home (It does not sound like a servant reminding the woman he works for, if you catch my drift).
Well, after much more contact between the two Ava has Dwight convinced that Damien Lord, her husband, is a psychotic sadist who regularly tortures her, or has Manute do it and watches, and is soon planning on capping off his experiments with her death. Dwight is pissed (Wouldn't you be?) and decides to rescue her. He can't handle Manute by himself, so he has Marv run interference (I gotta tell you, Marv tears that guy apart) and he breaks in and kills Damien Lord in a fit of rage. He realises what he's done a second after he's done it, and collapses in a horror at himself. Avas next actions don't help much, as she shows up and puts about six bullets into him before he falls out the window. She planned the whole thing, manipulating Dwight to kill her rich husband so that she'd get the money. Bitch.
Well, Marv picks up Dwight and hauls him out of the mansion and gets him to Old Town where Dwight gets the medical attention he needs and the support of a few well armed and deadly friends (Miho is no less terrifying on paper than she was in the movie). He has plastic surgery so he looks completely different than he did before, a good thing when you consider how hideous he was after being shot and falling through a window, and he plans on getting revenge. He, Gail, and Miho get into the mansion and start to take the place apart. It ends with Dwight facing off against Ava and Manute (Who has also been twisted around Ava's finger), with only a tiny derringer-like pistol up his sleeve. He puts a few rounds into Manute, who seems to barely feel it, and knocks Manutes two guns out of his hands. He grabs one, Ava grabs one, and Manute is about to start pulling his limbs off. Decision time: Shoot Manute and be shot by Ava, or shoot Ava and be beaten to death by Manute? It doesn't matter what you pick, he doesn't have to chose. Ava screams for him to get down and plugs Manute quite a few times. It seems she didn't like the way things were turning against her and decided to jump teams. She then runs over, babbling about how Manute used ancient mysticism and techniques to control her mind and force her to manipulate Dwight like she did. Oh, none of it was her idea, she was forced into everything. She really does love Dwight, if only he'll take her back she'll be nice and his. It was all mind control! Fortunately, this time Dwight's not enough of an idiot to fall for it and puts a few lead casings into her chest. She got what she deserved (Once you drive a cop to murder and suicide I've pretty much given up any thoughts of mercy that you might want).
Great story, it was well written and well drawn. It was excellent, and it set up perfectly for The Big Fat Kill, which is one of the stories in the movie. But, and this might just be me, don't you think Ava was grasping at straws at the end? Seriously, blathering about mind control and ancient mysticism. I expected better of her.