rating:
(out of
4 stars)United States; 2003
Directed by Robert Rodriguez; produced by Elizabeth Avellan, Carlos Gallardo, Robert Rodriguez; written by Robert Rodriguez
Starring Antonio Banderas, Johnny Depp, Salma Hayek, Mickey Rourke, Eva Mendes, Danny Trejo, Enrique Iglesias, Cheech Marin, Willem Dafoe
Below you will find a temporary review for this film. The real (better, more complete) review will be online very soon.
This sequel to 'Desperado' has one really enjoyable thing and it is called
Johnny Depp. There is some nice action as well and after you have learned
how it is made you appreciate some other things, but that does not make
'Once Upon a Time in Mexico' a good film. It is not really bad either. The
story involves El Mariachi (Antonio Banderas) and his girl named Carolina
(Salma Hayek), who both return from 'Desperado', dealing with Depp as a
corrupt CIA Agent, a Mexican general and a lot of other characters who of
course face certain death once they encounter El Mariachi.
Director Robert Rodriguez uses digital video in a nice way. He knows how to
make a film like this, if you enjoy simple action you should not miss this
one. I did not care very much for it though, I liked both 'El Mariachi' and
'Desperado' better. Banderas and Hayek are a nice action couple, but the
predictable action sequences do not add a lot to the film. Supporting
characters played by Willem Dafoe, Mickey Rourke, Danny Trejo, singer
Enrique Iglesias and Eva Mendes are nice extras. Depp here is what Steve
Buscemi was in 'Desperado', a great supporting character. He is the best
thing in the film, but that is not a strange thing: since 'The Astronaut's
Wife' he has not had a single miss (and before it not many misses either),
if you only consider his acting.
For fans of action films this is pretty good, though not very original. It's
entertainment you do not really have to figure out, just watch and try to
like what you see on screen.