Desperado (1995)

User Rating:

7.0/10   

Director:

Robert Rodriguez

Writer (WGA):

Robert Rodriguez (written by)

Release Date:

25 August 1995 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Crime | 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 | Drugs | Sequel | Hitman | Drug Lord

Awards:

3 nominations

US TV Schedule:

Sun. July 19

1:40 PM

MAX

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:

106 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 | 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 | UK:18

Filming Locations:

Ciudad Acuña, Coahuíla, Mexico

Company:

Columbia Pictures Corporation

Trivia:

The bar in the beginning of the film where Steve Buscemi and Cheech Marin talk is an actual bar in Acuna, Mexico called the Corona Club. The bar is a lot cleaner and bigger in reality, but it's like walking right into the movie. They also have quite a few pictures of the stars and crew of the movie on the walls.

Goofs:

Continuity: During the battle on the roof of the bookstore to the scene immediately after, El Mariachi's shirt becomes significantly less stained with blood.

Quotes:

Buscemi: Now, I wasn't interested in his drink. No, I was more interested in what he was carrying when he walked in. Some sort of a suitcase, kind of heavy. And he sat that thing on a stool beside him as if it were his girl.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Soul Music" (1997)

Soundtrack:

Bella

Stylish

It is well known that Robert Rodriguez is a fan of John Woo, the Hong Kong film director who made the best action flick ever, The Killer (if you haven't experienced it yet, hotfoot it down the video store right now and check it out. You won't be disappointed.) Desperado doesn't quite scale such lofty heights, but it comes closer than most.

Allow me to summarise the plot. A drifter (played by the impeccably sculptured Antonio Banderas) arrives in town in search of his girlfriend's murderer and kills everyone he meets. Roll credits.

Which is kind of like saying Moby Dick is a book about a big whale. It's style which is important here, and it's something this film has in spades. The blistering action scenes are artfully choreographed, but the same could be said of Commando. What gives this film the edge is the Mexican setting - the whole film is choked in dust, and comes complete with greasy villains, decaying cantinas, rough-hewn stone buildings and an irresistible Latin-American soundtrack. There's explosions, gunfights, knife throwing, fisticuffs, and a scene involving two deadly guitar cases which is just so ridiculous that it fits in perfectly. There's precious little acting talent on display and no plot to speak of (though the film does have a *great* sense of humour), but in the end you leave the theatre feeling satisfied without really knowing why. And, in the final reckoning, that's good enough for me.