Based on Frank Miller's gritty graphic novel of the same name, the Sin City series is a highly stylish and hyper-violent neo-noir crime drama directed by Robert Rodriguez. Even though the second installment, Sin City: A Dame To Kill For could not achieve the cult level popularity of its predecessor, both films are bolstered with an iconic and talented ensemble, including the likes of Rosario Dawson and Eva Green.
The former appeared in both films, playing the character of Gail, one of the self-governing sex-workers of Old Town. Green, on the other hand, plays the role of the femme fatale Ava Lord, who is one of the sequel's protagonists.
Rosario Dawson: Effortlessly Fits In The Action Scenes
Rosario Dawson has a deep filmography, playing all sorts of roles. In films such as Men In Black II and Top Five, along with roles like Claire Temple in the Netflix Marvel Universe, she plays gentle, soft-spoken characters. However, she can also boost her confidence in action films like Death Proof and Sin City.
Even though she has limited runtime as Gail, she makes her presence felt with all her loud-mouthed brashness. The Big Fat Kill segment of the first film features Gail and the other Old Town girls unleashing some over-the-top armed violence on the police. In this particular portion of the film, Dawson perfectly echoes the sadism of her character.
Eva Green: Her Trademark Charm
Eva Green perfectly emulates the vices of Ava Lord, having played similar characters in the past. The French actress has often played such manipulative, multi-layered characters before, and her expertise really shows in the A Dame To Kill For segment of the second Sin City film.
The main story arc driving her character is the toxic romance she shares with Dwight (Josh Brolin). Fans of the actress would clearly remember similar on-screen toxic romances that Eva Green has been involved in, with films like Casino Royale and Dark Shadows.
Rosario Dawson: Breaking Typecast
As mentioned before, Dawson has tried to break the typecast with most of her performances. Eva Green, on the other hand, might feel a tad bit too cliched in the role of the femme fatale as it doesn't seem to be challenging or innovative enough for her. This, of course, gives Dawson an upper hand.
Gail is a pretty different role for Rosario Dawson, be it with the kind of melodramatic dialogue she gets or the overall costume design of her character.
Eva Green: Chemistry With Dwight
Dawson's chemistry with Dwight is pretty straightforward. They both are passionate lovers and faithful allies. However, it's Ava Lord's wavering romance with Dwight that makes her narrative more interesting. Green shines in moments when she lures in the lonely drifter into entering a toxic romance, only to have him beat up beyond recognition.
By the end of A Dame To Kill For, Dwight obtains more clarity in assessing the antagonistic qualities of his former lover but as the story opens, Eva Green's acting does perplex both Dwight and the viewers into figuring out her real motivations.
Rosario Dawson: Emulating The Violent Nature Of Sin City
What's remarkable about Rosario Dawson's Gail is the way her character normalizes her dangerous lifestyle because there's no way out of Sin City. Most of the torn-up town's inhabitants are brooding characters with their own vendettas. Be it Jessica Alba or Mickey Rourke, all these actors fall within the trapping of the classic tragic hero who has nothing left to lose. This explains their long, brooding monologues.
Dawson, on the other hand, makes use of her limited runtime to present a slightly different citizen, a self-dependent vigilante who has learned to smile through the heinous violence she encounters on a daily basis.
Eva Green: Gets A Better Character Arc
Eva Green's performance is standout mainly because her character's background is fleshed out way better than that of any other characters in the Sin City universe (many of which might seem too one-dimensional).
Green elegantly captures her affection for Dwight and the levels to which she can misuse this affection for her own vile goals. At the same time, her performance doesn't reduce her to just a promiscuous woman seeking materialistic goals. Her take on the character adds certain emotional elements too with her expressions. And by the end of her story, viewers might wonder what drove Ava to this habit of manipulation in the first place.
Rosario Dawson: Great Dialogue
The writing doesn't seem to be in favor of Eva Green, with the actress getting some overdone lines of seduction and sensuality. While Green does give a convincing portrayal, the femme fatale trope might get tiresome towards the conclusion of A Dame To Kill For.
As for Dawson, she delivers her lines in a dramatic fashion that suits the comic-bookish nature of the film. In the first Sin City, a memorable moment is when she leads the girls of the Old Town in a violent battle. She rouses their spirits by saying, "We'll fight the cops, the mob, and anybody else who tries to move in on us. We'll go to...war."
Eva Green: Chanelling The Obsessive Nature Of Ava
While Ava Lord's over-sexualization and continuous manipulation might not be everyone's cup of tea, Green seemed like the perfect fit for playing such an obsessive, soulless character. Her personality is devoid of emotions and as is revealed later by the people around her, Ava Lord is a parasitic being who can drive her lovers insane. She's even described as a goddess at one point, with powers to get what she wants.
Green keeps her melodrama under check and pulls off a good 'underacting' routine in showing off the slyness of the so-called 'goddess.'
Rosario Dawson: Justice To Source Material
As Frank Miller was himself involved in the writing and direction of both films, attention was given to every nuanced detail to replicate the comics in the most accurate fashion possible. As Gail, Dawson effortlessly fit in the role carrying her craving for adrenaline-fueled action and her enigmatic past.
While one wouldn't know how much the actress studied the comics for her role, she does nail the scenes featuring Gail's deadpan stare, her smoking habits, and her manic smiles while shooting down people.
Eva Green: Breaking Away From The Melodrama
As mentioned before, the characters of Sin City can be pretty brooding, resulting in overlong monologues or voiceovers. Eva Green breathes new life in Frank Miller's sleepy universe, with her flamboyance. She turns Ava into a character that's so bad that she's good.
While the other performers act to their melodramatic best, Green's Ava proves to be a more believable and realistic component of this ludicrous over-the-top franchise.