- Sep 22, 2013
- 4,956
- 250
- 85
Once Upon a Time in Mexico (also known as Desperado 2) is a 2003 American contemporary western action film written, co-produced, edited, scored, and directed by Robert Rodriguez. It is the third and final film in Rodriguez's Mexico Trilogy, and is a sequel to El Mariachi and Desperado. The film features Antonio Banderas in his second and final performance as El Mariachi. In the film, El Mariachi is recruited by CIA agent Sheldon Sands (Johnny Depp) to kill Armando Barillo (Willem Dafoe), a Mexican drug lord who is planning a coup d'état against the President of Mexico. At the same time, El Mariachi seeks revenge against a corrupt general responsible for the death of his wife, Carolina (Salma Hayek) (source of information: Wikipedia).
This is a great presentation for global audiences about the general fanfare surrounding tourists' love of the colorful culture and revelry of Mexico and of course the dark-side reality of the nefarious and complex 'underworld' of narcotics and corrupted politics. Not unlike Bollywood's special India-psyche vignette Janbaaz, Once Upon a Time in Mexico leaves audiences enticed about the way modern media exposes audiences to 'culture fireworks.'
Of course it's not about Mexican 'culture' (since it's an adult-audience film about narcotics empires) and therefore not too different (in 'philosophy') from Steven Soderbergh's Tijuana-expository Traffic, yet it's fancy pageantry of various Mexican 'colors' makes it a 'secret window' into 'anthropological music.'
Depp is perfect as the unscrupulous CIA agent Sands, and Defoe hits the right notes as the unruly Mexican druglord Barillo. Banderas and Hayek reprise their roles from Desperado, and Eva Mendes is added as a nice 'beauty feather' to this overwhelming attractive cast! Its vivid visuals and scenes make it a terrific HD-viewing experience (e.g., Blu-ray). The sound editing is not bad at all either.
Where it lacks in story artistry it more than makes up for in cinematic candy!
This is one of those lustrous films that makes you ponder the 'branching' of Hollywood celebrity-networks, culture-education by avant-garde directors, and multiculturalism symbolism attached to movie/entertainment industry events/premieres.
In fact, reviewing a film like this can remind you of a drive-in memory from childhood...
I can't wait to see more work like this from Rodriguez.
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"The cast was incredible and the sweeping scenes combined with Mexican culture-pride make this Rodriguez film a terrific alternative to your 'usual' drive-thru of Mexicana (i.e., Taco Bell). This is a multiculturalism achievement for the movie industry.
Banderas and Hayek are sexy as usual and they offer nice performances to complement the intriguing work by the rest of the rather interesting cast which even includes an iconic Latino rock-pop musician (the son of another famous one!). This is celebrity-marketing with cultural creativity --- something we expect from Rodriguez.
The premiere party saw (no surprise) a representative multicultural group including star Johnny Depp. A Stanford race-relations professor was there doing a special 'spotlight' on access-routes to multiculturalism storytelling in modern media, and Depp was thrilled to offer some of his insights gained from working on this unusual and ambitious film (grossing almost $100 million after being completed with a budget of only $30).
Could this movie signal a decision for star Johnny Depp to consider a life in politics --- perhaps working alongside like-minded Democrats (e.g., Hillary Clinton) on modern relevant platforms such as multiculturalism in the media?
There were three parties attached to this Rodriguez film in all, and the guests and patrons remembered (more than anything) all the press and hoopla generated (positively) for Mexican culture and multiculturalism-entertainment in new age avant garde movies. It was ambitious as well as tasty.
Check out the official movie website (Sony Pictures) for more information and downloads and find your Blu-ray copy for a home-entertainment experience. This is a terrific Christmas 2017 gift for your boyfriend/girlfriend/fiancee if you're looking for something both 'sinister' and 'worldly.' I give this film 3/5 stars at least, if I afford a more 'sober' culture-film such as Spielberg's The Color Purple 4/5 stars!"
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SONY PICTURES WEBSITE
This is a great presentation for global audiences about the general fanfare surrounding tourists' love of the colorful culture and revelry of Mexico and of course the dark-side reality of the nefarious and complex 'underworld' of narcotics and corrupted politics. Not unlike Bollywood's special India-psyche vignette Janbaaz, Once Upon a Time in Mexico leaves audiences enticed about the way modern media exposes audiences to 'culture fireworks.'
Of course it's not about Mexican 'culture' (since it's an adult-audience film about narcotics empires) and therefore not too different (in 'philosophy') from Steven Soderbergh's Tijuana-expository Traffic, yet it's fancy pageantry of various Mexican 'colors' makes it a 'secret window' into 'anthropological music.'
Depp is perfect as the unscrupulous CIA agent Sands, and Defoe hits the right notes as the unruly Mexican druglord Barillo. Banderas and Hayek reprise their roles from Desperado, and Eva Mendes is added as a nice 'beauty feather' to this overwhelming attractive cast! Its vivid visuals and scenes make it a terrific HD-viewing experience (e.g., Blu-ray). The sound editing is not bad at all either.
Where it lacks in story artistry it more than makes up for in cinematic candy!
This is one of those lustrous films that makes you ponder the 'branching' of Hollywood celebrity-networks, culture-education by avant-garde directors, and multiculturalism symbolism attached to movie/entertainment industry events/premieres.
In fact, reviewing a film like this can remind you of a drive-in memory from childhood...
I can't wait to see more work like this from Rodriguez.
====
"The cast was incredible and the sweeping scenes combined with Mexican culture-pride make this Rodriguez film a terrific alternative to your 'usual' drive-thru of Mexicana (i.e., Taco Bell). This is a multiculturalism achievement for the movie industry.
Banderas and Hayek are sexy as usual and they offer nice performances to complement the intriguing work by the rest of the rather interesting cast which even includes an iconic Latino rock-pop musician (the son of another famous one!). This is celebrity-marketing with cultural creativity --- something we expect from Rodriguez.
The premiere party saw (no surprise) a representative multicultural group including star Johnny Depp. A Stanford race-relations professor was there doing a special 'spotlight' on access-routes to multiculturalism storytelling in modern media, and Depp was thrilled to offer some of his insights gained from working on this unusual and ambitious film (grossing almost $100 million after being completed with a budget of only $30).
Could this movie signal a decision for star Johnny Depp to consider a life in politics --- perhaps working alongside like-minded Democrats (e.g., Hillary Clinton) on modern relevant platforms such as multiculturalism in the media?
There were three parties attached to this Rodriguez film in all, and the guests and patrons remembered (more than anything) all the press and hoopla generated (positively) for Mexican culture and multiculturalism-entertainment in new age avant garde movies. It was ambitious as well as tasty.
Check out the official movie website (Sony Pictures) for more information and downloads and find your Blu-ray copy for a home-entertainment experience. This is a terrific Christmas 2017 gift for your boyfriend/girlfriend/fiancee if you're looking for something both 'sinister' and 'worldly.' I give this film 3/5 stars at least, if I afford a more 'sober' culture-film such as Spielberg's The Color Purple 4/5 stars!"
=====
SONY PICTURES WEBSITE
