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Special Features
Ten-Minute Flick School
Inside Troublemaker Studios
Ten-Minute COOKING School
Film is Dead: An Evening with Robert Rodriguez
The Anti-Hero's Journey
The Good, the Bad and the Bloody: Inside KNB FX
Robert Rodriguez Audio Commentary
MovieIQ
The Cutting Room
Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
Product Description
Customer Reviews
Antonio Banderas returns as El Mariachi, reprising his the role from Desperado that made him a name in Hollywood. Also included is Selma Hayak as Carolina, Johnny Depp as the corrupt CIA operative Agent Sands, Willem Dafoe as a cartel drug kingpin Barillo, Mickey Rourke, Eva Mendes, Enrique Egelsias, Cheech Marin, Ruben Blades, and character actor Danny Trejo.
The plot, as I understood it, involved a complicated scheme to overthrow the president of Mexico, and who would end up assuming power in the vacuum that follows. Agent Sands was particularly involved in this, seeming to work both ends for his own profit. El Mariachi is recruited by Sands to eliminate the general hired by the leader of the drug cartel to assassinate the president. The reason Sands contacted El Mariachi for this is due to a past, unresolved conflict between El Mariachi and the general. Sounds complicated? At some point, you may have to just go along with the movie, accept all the little subplots, and enjoy the ride. And a fun ride at that.
The action is wonderful in this movie but scenes choreographed and shot beautifully, with associated scenery adding real texture and depth to the proceedings. The characters, especially Agent Sands (Johnny Depp) are fun to watch, and the bullets do fly. Explosions, bodies flying, action flowing in and out...there are few dull moments in this film.
The main problem I had with the movie is the plot just got too convoluted. With the number of characters running around, the character of El Mariachi seemed be relegated to a secondary plot thread at times. Maybe this was the intention, but having seen the two previous movies in this series, I think he should have had more screen time. And some of the scenes cut out but put into the deleted scenes section would have helped in some cases to keep the flow of the film moving. There was one scene, where Agent Sands is wearing a really bad fake moustache, and then the following scene he doesn't have it on...a deleted scene shows what happened to it, but had it been left in the movie, it wouldn't have created this minor gap that only served to bring me out of the movie. One minute moustache, the next, no moustache...not a big deal, really, but this happened a couple of other times. Also this movie seemed to lack the chemistry created in Desperado between Antonio Banderas and Selma Hayak. You'll understand more if you watch the movie, as I don't want to give away too much, but their relationship seemed glossed over, probably due to the inclusion of other elements.
The movie looks wonderful, and there are scads of extras in this movie, and they are listed on the product page, so I won't get into them. All in all, a fun, flamboyant, action filled movie with beautiful scenery that got tripped up a little on its' various subplots, losing the viewer in the process at times.
OK let me explain the plot. This person is double crossing this person, who in turn wants to be with this person and to have this one thing at the end. But this other person double crosses this person because they have a diffrent agenda while the lead only has revenge to look foward to. This complet different person hires this other group of people kill this other group of people, only for things to backfire.
With me so far? So the plot is little bit muddled. Who care!?!?! It's an action movie. And the action flies high and fast. At the core Banderes and Hayak sees most of the action largly due to some rather crazy and over-the-top flashbacks. The action is where this movie is at. This is the only place you can see someone change directions in the air due to a well placed gunshot blast to the chest. Very nice.
This isn't to say the script is completly bad. The movie has its share of great lines and dialoge, just that takes a back sent to the action.
The disc is very nicely done. (A preview of Hellboy is even on there. One of my must sees for the next year.)On it you will also find:
Commentary by director Robert Rodriguez
Music and sound design track with commentary
Ten Minute Flick School
Ten Minute Cooking School
Eight deleted scenes with optional director's commentary
Inside Troublemaker Studios
The Anti-Hero's Journey
Film Is Dead: An Evening with Robert Rodriguez
The Good, the Bad, and the Bloody: Inside KNB FX
DVD-ROM: Test your wits in the shooting gallery
Rodriguez always has some of the best commentaries. Given inside stories and how to's he is always a joy to hear. I would've like to see a DTS track on it since the Superbit Desperado kicks it into the next level, but I really can't complain. The DD 5.1 mix on Desperado set a bench mark with DVD sound and this one quickly follows suit.
This is a good action movie and a great conclusion to the "El" Trilogy.
