Desperado (1995)

Director:

Robert Rodriguez

Writer (WGA):

Robert Rodriguez (written by)

Release Date:

25 August 1995 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Crime | Drama | Thriller

Tagline:

He came back to settle the score with someone. Anyone. EVERYONE.

Plot:

A gunslinger is embroiled in a war with a local drug runner.

Plot Keywords:

Mariachi | Beautiful Woman | Drugs | Drug Lord | Sequel

Awards:

3 nominations

Cast

Antonio Banderas	...	El Mariachi
Salma Hayek	...	Carolina
Joaquim de Almeida	...	Bucho
Cheech Marin	...	Short Bartender
Steve Buscemi	...	Buscemi
Carlos Gómez	...	Right Hand (as Carlos Gomez)
Quentin Tarantino	...	Pick-up Guy
Tito Larriva	...	Tavo
Angel Aviles	...	Zamira
Danny Trejo	...	Navajas
Abraham Verduzco	...	Niño
Carlos Gallardo	...	Campa
Albert Michel Jr.	...	Quino
David Alvarado	...	Buddy
Angela Lanza	...	Tourist Girl

Also Known As:

El Mariachi 2 (USA) (working title)
Pistolero (USA) (working title)

MPAA:

Rated R for strong bloody violence, a strong sex sequence and language.

Runtime:

104 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby SR | SDDS (8 channels)

Certification:

USA:R (No. 33717) | Canada:16+ (Quebec) | Canada:18 (Nova Scotia) | Canada:R (Manitoba/Ontario) (Canadian Home Video rating) | Iceland:16 | Netherlands:16 | New Zealand:R18 | Philippines:R-18 | Brazil:14 | Italy:VM14 | Sweden:(Banned) (original rating) | Australia:R | Finland:K-18 | France:-12 | Germany:16 (cut) | Germany:18 | Hong Kong:IIB | Ireland:18 | Japan:PG-12 | Norway:18 | Portugal:M/16 | Singapore:R21 | South Korea:18 | Spain:18 | Sweden:15 (re-rating) | UK:18

Filming Locations:

Ciudad Acuña, Coahuíla, Mexico

Company:

Columbia Pictures Corporation

Trivia:

The huge black handgun that is seen throughout the movie (used by the bad guys) is a Desert Eagle .50AE pistol.

Goofs:

Continuity: The candles in the bar are unlit at the beginning of the gunfight, but lit at the end.

Quotes:

El Mariachi: [praying] Give me the strength to be what I was, and forgive me for what I am.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Once Upon a Time in Mexico (2003)

Soundtrack:

Pass The Hatchet

Can You Say 'Preposterous?" (But Lots Of Fun)

There are so many adjectives one could use describing this film, I wouldn't know where to begin to start. I'll just try to limit them to a few. The headline here states one of them. Others could be "ludicrous," "fun," "amusing," "stupid," etc. You get the idea.

Robert Rodriguez took the profits from his first film, "El Mariachi," and continued on with the story now with more funds, so he made it glossier, more explosive, added some name actors and, of course, way overdid it, making it almost a cartoon it is so outrageous. He continued this with the third film, "Once Upon A Time In Mexico" which is even more of the same.

If something worked subtly the first time, filmmakers think that to improve on it is by bombarding the audience with it the next time. They don't know when enough is enough and, boy, does that apply to Rodriguez. He does keep you entertained, though, once you check your brains at the door and begin watching the show. However, all this excess makes it lose any credibility "El Mariachi" might have built up with the first show in this trilogy.

Whether the movie is really dumb or its just tongue-in-cheek humor by Rodriguez, it has super-style and fun to watch. Talk about stylish! No wonder Quentin Tarantino and he are good friends and the latter has a guest appearance in the film. They both love having fun with the cameras.

The first eight minutes let you know what you are in for: outrageousness. It's an 8-minute scene at a bar involving a story told by Steve Buscemi. It's one of the highlights of the movie.

Antonio Bandaras and Selyma Hayek are the "good guys" but they aren't exactly Billy Graham and Mother Teresa. If they are the good guys, you can imagine how evil the "bad guys" are? Speaking of them, two of the toughest- looking hombres in the business are chief among the villains: Joaquim de Almeida and Danny Trejo.

Some of the action scenes are so outrageous you laugh out loud. My favorite was a guy shooting rockets out of his guitar case! As that tells you, it's just a wild ride: 103 minutes of south-of-the-border Rodriguez-Tarantino lunacy and despite what may sound like a bunch of insults, I always have fun watching this movie.