Summary:
Robert Rodriguez returns with the mythic
guitar-slinging hero, El Mariachi (Antonio Banderas), in the final installment
of the Mariachi/Desperado trilogy. The saga continues as El Mariachi makes his
way across a rugged landscape on the blood trail of Barrillo (Willem Dafoe), a
cartel kingpin with one last score to settle who is planning a coup d’etat
against the president of Mexico. Enlisted by Sands (Johnny Depp), a corrupt CIA
agent, El Mariachi demands retribution, and the adventure begins against a
backdrop of revolution, greed, and revenge.
Review:
Johnny Depp fresh off the accolades from Pirates of the Caribbean shows us
why he is one of Hollywood's leading men. Depp's portrayal of Agent Sands is
dead on and creates an interesting subplot involving greed and lust. Very
similar to the previous films in the trilogy the movie utilizes simple, but
innovative weapons. For instance, Johnny Depp has a third hand which allows
him to carry a gun without being noticed. El Mariachi still has his
signature guitar, but also uses any other weapon which presents itself along
the way.
Usually when sequels assemble an all-star cast, it usually means the
storyline for the movie is not up to par, but this is far from the truth for
this Robert Rodriguez flick. The depth of the characters in this movie
present a unique challenge for Rodriguez in that they detract from the
storyline. For most of the movie you forget if the main plot is the
overthrowing of the Mexican government, Depp's plan to install a new
government and walking away with millions, or El Mariachi's thirst for
revenge.
Newcomers, who have not seen (El Mariachi and Desperado)
will find themselves a little lost in all the chaos and unable to grasp the
nostalgic elements in this last installment of the trilogy.
Fortunately, for Rodriguez this film franchise has a cult following who
have fallen in love with El Mariachi and Carolina. For movie-goers who have
seen Desperado and maybe even El Mariachi, they will be absolutely nostalgic
by Antonio Banderas' performance and entertained by the subplots with an
all-star cast.
In the summer of sequels where movies have been dumbed-down to
potentially earn larger revenues at the box office, Once Upon a Time in
Mexico rewards true fans of the film franchise by giving them an
electrifying shootout, El Mariachi-style.
See this movie if you're a fan of:
Desparado (1995)
El Mariachi (1992)
Robert Rodriguez (Director, Spy Kids, El Mariachi, Desparado)
Johnny Depp (Actor, Pirates of the Caribbean, Edward Scissorhands)
Antonio Banderas (Actor, Mask of Zorro, Pancho Villa, Spy Kids, Desparado)
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