I saw Robert Rodriguez's "Once Upon a Time in Mexico" today. I'd really been looking forward to it. I first saw "El Mariachi" years ago and became a Rodriguez fan. Then came "Desparado," and "Dusk Til Dawn" and Rodriguez was on the "A" list. So when Rodriguez decided to create an epic "Mariachi" film, he was able to get Johnny Depp, Mickey Rourke, Reuben Blades, and Willem Dafoe, to join the returning Antonio Bandaras, Salema Hayek, and Danny Trejo.
With a cast like that and Rodriguez at the helm, it just had to be good, right? Yeah, but I was really hoping it would be so much better. Bandaras is back as THE Mariachi but this time he's gonna save Mexico.
Ok, cool. An epic film should have a huge story and what could be bigger than saving your country? [Yeah, Bond would save the world but this isn't Bond.] So the story idea works.
Next there are a bunch of characters. Johnny Depp steals every scene as a rogue CIA agent. Mickey Rourke has an interesting role as American criminal who has escaped to Mexico and has joined Willem Dafoe's cartel. Both Rourke and Dafoe are under-used. Dafoe plans to take over Mexico by bankrolling a coup using an evil General. The General killed Bandaras'... hey!
Wake Up!
Yeah, now I see the problem. Although there's a huge storyline and a lot of interesting characters, the story kind of bottoms out. Still, it was fun and ya gotta love the action... and did I mention that Johnny Depp absolutely rules in this movie?
"Once Upon a Time in Mexico" rates a "C."
On a side note - there was a preview for a movie starring Jack Nicholson and Diane Keaton. Jack Nicholson's line, "We're not all doctors, baby" left me laughing out loud. You have to see it, since telling it wouldn't be as funny, but when you do see it, make sure you're not drinking anything!
With a cast like that and Rodriguez at the helm, it just had to be good, right? Yeah, but I was really hoping it would be so much better. Bandaras is back as THE Mariachi but this time he's gonna save Mexico.
Ok, cool. An epic film should have a huge story and what could be bigger than saving your country? [Yeah, Bond would save the world but this isn't Bond.] So the story idea works.
Next there are a bunch of characters. Johnny Depp steals every scene as a rogue CIA agent. Mickey Rourke has an interesting role as American criminal who has escaped to Mexico and has joined Willem Dafoe's cartel. Both Rourke and Dafoe are under-used. Dafoe plans to take over Mexico by bankrolling a coup using an evil General. The General killed Bandaras'... hey!
Wake Up!
Yeah, now I see the problem. Although there's a huge storyline and a lot of interesting characters, the story kind of bottoms out. Still, it was fun and ya gotta love the action... and did I mention that Johnny Depp absolutely rules in this movie?
"Once Upon a Time in Mexico" rates a "C."
On a side note - there was a preview for a movie starring Jack Nicholson and Diane Keaton. Jack Nicholson's line, "We're not all doctors, baby" left me laughing out loud. You have to see it, since telling it wouldn't be as funny, but when you do see it, make sure you're not drinking anything!
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