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Antonio Bandares returns to the roll that made him famous, even though he doesn't have a lot of screen time, he always manages to capture your attention whenever he's around. He's brooding, big and he has the loudest gun in the world.
It's plot is a bit complex for a movie like this, there's a lot of characters and there's a side-story that involves a plastic surgery that could've been tossed out, but hey, it gets Willem Defoe in cool bandages so I won't complain too much. I would've liked more shooting, but it manages to feel EPIC. The final battle has military and people warring it out in the streets, 3 Mariachis attempting to save the Mexican president and "El" finally getting revenge and getting "free", it's all fantastic.
The movies full of quirkiness too, from Mickey Rourke hiding his cute little dog from his boss, to Depps strange obsession with pork, it adds lots of humor to the shooting.
And speaking of the shooting, it's SO over the top it can't help but be un-effecting. There's hardly any blood in this thing, which is all good, it makes it easier for the audience members who actually take this stuff seriously.
Is this a sequel? Ummmm, erh...no, not really. It's a sequel the same way Desperado was a sequel to El Mariachi, but who cares about stuff like that? This is a cool flick, and it's nice to have Robert Rodriguez back making real movies instead of kid stuff.
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.
El Mariachi (Antiono Bandaras, Spy Kids), that guitar welding Mexican, is back. This time he's hired by a CIA agent named Sands (Johnny Depp, Sleepy Hollow) to kill a rival named General Marquez (Gerardo Vigil). Marquez it seems has robbed some very important things away from El Mariachi, and so revenge is on his mind.
There are a few other sub-plots to sift through. With a rouge FBI agent (Ruben Blades, Cradle Will Rock), drug kingpin's (Willem Dafoe, Existenz), exiled criminal from the US (Mickey Rourke, 9 ˝ Weeks), a corrupt cop from Mexico (Eva Mendes, 2 Fast 2 Furious) and El Marichi's pals (Enrique Iglesias and Marco Leonardi (Texas Rangers)) show up too.
There is so much to sift through in this movie's plot; it took a while for it all to make sense. Who are the good guys? Who are the bad guys? Just what is Willem Dafoe's character up too? All is answered but you need to give the movie enough time, you need to wallow through the confusion, until it all begins to make sense.
What makes this process easier is the wild action sequences. Which are some of the most inventive in a while. With very little CGI and lots of wild camera angles, this is not your run of the mill explosions, and shaky-camera stunts. I especially liked the sequence in which Mariachi and Carolina (Salma Hayek, Frida) are hanging from the side of a building. It's breathtaking and death defying all at the same time.
I also liked how the film keeps its tongue firmly in cheek. This movie is full of laughs and one liners that don't take away from the film. The humor also manifest's its self in some of the more inventive sequences. I loved Sands three-arm routine, and the bomb in the Bass case. Lot's of fun for everyone.
The other saving grace is Depp. Who gets the most screen time, even more than the film's hero does. His character is so layered; you're not quite sure what side he's on. He's funny, a little mysterious, and the only character fully realized in this film. Just to watch him is to appreciate Rodriguez's witty and spry sense of humor and how it translates to the screen. I'd love to see Depp work with Tarantino. Hmm...
Bandaras, Hayek, Dafoe, and Rourke are all but wasted, by the confines of their characters. The script has very little for each of them to do. For instance Hayek' s role is barely a cameo, Rourke's is underdeveloped, and Bandaras just seems to be there to wrap up lose ends.
I liked the movie. The good definitely outweighs the bad. I just wonder how many people will have the patience to give the movie its due. Judging from the large group who walked out even before the movie was over, I just don't know.
Give ONCE UPON A TIME IN MEXICO a chance. It's a meandering route, but at the end of the road it's well worth your time.
***1/2 out of 5
Featuring one of those Jack Sparrow like performances by Johnny Depp that elevates a mediocre film into something worth recommending, Once Upon a Time... Read more
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