Desperado

Let's take a charming action film from Mexico, add a bazillion dollars and Hollywood-ize it up! Let's change interesting roles into boring stock characters. Let's make lots of things go boom, boom, BOOM from many angles in slow motion! Let's force Antonio Banderas to speak English -- even though in fifteen years when he's fluent he won't sound convincing. Let's make such a dreadful mess of it all that even tolerant moviegoers like me will walk out in disgust from the banality of it all. Desperado is horrid. End of story.

Some movies are just brimming with potential, and it's not hard to see that they are a very short distance from being fantastic. I'm a big fan of stylish violence and over-the-top gun-play, but I can't help but wish that Desperado had more than that to offer. Well...it has that and ample helpings of Salma Hayek looking her absolute best, but thats not quite enough to make up for the fact that this movie doesn't hold up well to subsequent viewings. The first time around it's a blast, but the second time it could barely hold my attention in most scenes. File Desperado into the category of movies that start of really strongly, and then slowly lose steam as they go along. Some more humor, clever dialogue, or a stronger story, would have greatly helped to fill in the slow areas between the action scenes.

This movie was highly recommended by some folks. i saw it in cinema with my brother and his 2 friends. At the end we were in disgust and regretting our decision to pay extra money and losing one weekend over this. From the start we did not understand what s going on , there was only killing with bullets firing in an unrealistic fashion. Quite a few action sequences were unbelievable carrying no weight. In one final battle cars were coming directly straight Antonio and his 2 buddies they spray bullets over bullets , not a single one hits the while his shot just inside from his guitar case is far more accurate. The whole film was lost during the process of mindless gun fights. I think its successor was way better than it. such movies can only be enjoyed very much teenage and some immature minds who only want to see violence with no proper plot.

Rodriguez follows up 'El Mariachi' with 'Desperado'. Many seem to have preferred the raw look that 'El Mariachi' had and while 'Desperado' is more 'sophisticated' in the making and more polished, that doesn't prevent it from being an awesome action entertainer. For me, it was just as much fun as 'El Mariachi'. Rodriguez does what he does best. He already mentioned that his Mariachi films are a tribute to the western cinema that names like Sergio Leone and Clint Eastwood defined and 'Desperado' works perfectly with its comic book story, quirky characters and over-the-top action sequences. Moving at a rapid pace, the direction and editing are top notch. The cinematography is brilliant too. Antonio Banderas does a good job taking over the role from Carlos Gallardo (who sort of plays his sidekick in this one). However, it is Salma Hayek that steals the show even though the story is dominated by El Mariachi. As Carolina, she is sensual, witty, charming and quite clever too. Hayek delivers a very natural performance and owns each and every one of her scenes. In addition, there are some wonderful cameos by Cheech Marin, Quentin Tarantino, Steve Buscemi and Danny Trejo. Overall, 'Desperado' is full throttle entertainment. This is what an action entertainer is supposed to be.

A true 90's cowboy movie, everyone who saw El Mariachi could foresee that this picture would take the concept to the top. Fast-paced, greatly shot, incredibly edited, this movie refuses to take itself seriously and is well-succeeded in so. Antonio Banderas is the perfect Mariachi, adding a new depth to the first movie's main character. He seeks revenge. Revenge for all the things they did to him. And he will get it, the easy way or the hard way. Fellow portuguese Joaquim de Almeida is Bucho, the villain, whose relationship with El Mariachi turns out quite surprising near the end. Until they both meet, there will be much gun-slinging action to fill the screen with anthological scenes, like the bar fight, the "Quedate Aqui" song and the final showdown. The movie is a comedy, even in the action scenes. I guarantee it, it's two hours of fun and a visible influence of the Westerns and B-Movies in someone's talent. Cracking good fun, which becomes addictive. Memorable movie.

I saw "Desperado" on DVD, as part of the movie package that also contains "El Mariachi" on the second side of the disk. Two for one is quite a bargain and something of a collector's item, I would think. I gave "El Mariachi" 9 of 10, partly because it is a fine, original concept movie, expertly done by a first-time filmmaker with almost zero budget! Hard to beat that!! "Desperado" is an actual sequel, with different actors. Antonio Banderas plays the mariachi singer, Salma Hayek beautifully plays his love interest. Steve Buscemi does a great job as the sidekick. Even Queten Tarantino has a part. Also Cheech Marin. Obviously a more-traditional, large-budget film, with crew, with expensive actors, I expected more but didn't get it. Although it is an enjoyable movie, and has lots of really well-done action, I rate it only 7 of 10. Who knows, maybe Robert Rodriguez can only make one type of movie, and maybe he's already done it!