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:

Mon. July 6

6:30 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:

Raul Julia was cast as Bucho, but pulled out due to declining health.

Goofs:

Continuity: On the rooftop of the bookstore, El Mariachi reloads one gun and then pulls another from the front of his pants but in the next shot he only has one gun, which he is loading, and has had no time to put the other gun away.

Quotes:

[El has just walked out of the confessional booth]
Priest: Did you want confession?
El Mariachi: Heh? Well, maybe later, Father. 'Cause where I am going, I'd just have to come right back.

Movie Connections:

References Taxi Driver (1976)

Soundtrack:

Chinese Surprize

The best all-round film of the three...

After watching El Mariachi, it was easy to see the improvement in production values between the two. Not surprising, considering the difference in the price tag of the two films. But, as I pointed out in my El Mariachi review, money isn't everything.

Although better visually, Desperado benefits from better actors who bring more life to the characters. The overall effect, given another reasonable plot, is to make a much more polished looking film that deservedly did as well as it did at the box office.

The aforementioned plot is, essentially, the same as the first film when you boil it down - the Mariachi ends up killing a lot of no-good drug-dealers and warlords etc. - and there's the obligatory love interest. But although very similar, this movie was more enjoyable due to it's overall finish and style.

I originally watched this movie some years ago, long before I got to see the original El Mariachi, so I suppose I am a little biased in preferring this one to the the first in that Banderas IS the Mariachi as far as I was concerned. But not to knock the first movie, which tells us the early history of the Mariachi, and is a worthy film in its own right.

Desperado is good, if sometimes a little gory, fun. Nothing to analyse too much, just enjoy. If you have the opportunity, watch the original, then this one and things will make a lot more sense. Desperado has enough back history woven into it to make it a standalone film, but the overall experience is better watching the two back to back.