Watch Once Upon a Time in Mexico For Free

Overrated and overhyped

As Good As It Gets

A story that's too fascinating to pass by...

The storyline feels a little thin and moth-eaten in parts but this sequel is plenty of fun.

Once Upon a Time in Mexico is director Robert Rodriguez's third, and final, film in the trilogy which began with El Mariachi (1992) and continued with Desperado (1995). This is a series of films which have progressively gotten more expensive and slick but also less good as they have went on. The extreme lo-fi nature of the first movie combined with Rodriguez raw talent led to a very good film, where the sheer restrictions in production values forced the film-maker to try harder to make things work. By the time we have reached Once Upon a Time in Mexico we now have elaborate action scenes sprinkled throughout and a very good cast at its disposal. I realise that the over the top action scenes that are found in this one and its predecessor Desperado are loved by many, yet I personally preferred the less cartoonish approach of the first film; sometimes bigger is not always better.The film as a whole actually works pretty well for the first half. There are a lot of characters in this one, in fact it could reasonably be called an ensemble film; the El Mariachi character is really not the main focus, I would say, if anything, it's Johnny Depp's rogue CIA agent. Depp is in actual fact the best thing about this one, although in fairness all the actors are really pretty good here. The trouble is that the movie becomes less enjoyable in the second half due to a quite messy plot. It felt like an alarming amount of screen time had characters delivering exposition-based dialogue in order to propel the plot forward. It got a bit tedious really and probably is a result of bad script writing as this is a movie that feels like it has a convoluted narrative, even though you sort of know that its plot is probably basic as hell. For what it's worth, the action set-pieces have been delivered with some technical ability, probably the best has to be the sequence where Banderas and Salma Hayek escape from a high storey of a hotel while chained together; the scene has no real relevance to anything and is certainly thrown in on the basis that it was a cool idea that Rodriguez wanted to do but, whatever the case, it is a well-executed bit of action nonsense for sure.My feeling by the end of this one was that it was only okay, yet was a film with a few good things about it.

Once Upon a Time in Mexico (2003): Dir: Robert Rodriguez / Cast: Antonio Banderas, Johnny Depp, Selma Hayek, Ruben Blades, Eva Mendes: Third film in the El Mariachi trilogy is an action film about time and place with mystic bandit El Mariachi's reputation with a guitar case that shelters a very large gun. Johnny Depp plays a corrupt C.I.A. agent who seeks Mariachi for a proposition that will regard protecting the Mexican President as well as avenging the death of his wife. Directed by Robert Rodriguez who details the film with striking characters. Antonio Banderas returns as Mariachi whose guitar produces beautiful music as well as a parade of bullets. Excellent supporting work by Depp who will realize that his mission has been compromised and suffers consequences. While despairing, Depp deals with these consequences as a strength. Selma Hayek as Mariachi's wife is seen in flashbacks and is given an exhilarating scene where both escape while joined by chain, and both hurl downward using the chain in swinging momentum. Ruben Blades plays a cop avenging the murder of his partner and gets far more than he bargained for. Eva Mendes has a great poisonous presence ready to stick the knife into anyone who stalls her plans. Well crafted bloodshed and brutality yet it portraits the ugly lifestyles that likely won't live happily ever after. Score: 8 / 10

I saw this "flick" and what I took away from it was that Rodriguez overdid the story. It's as though Rodriguez was trying to give the finale an epic scope. Well, that works, but not with something that follows Desperado. There were just too many characters that detracted from the protagonist. It was unnecessary to have that many players to convey the exposition. The plot get's confusing with all the characters working against or for the others. The action is nothing innovative, but done in such a way to add some humor. Banderas probably got a good deal signing on; considering he probably was the first actor signed on for the lead. But consequentially, was no more than a supporting actor rather than the lead. All for the sake of redundant characters to establish their M.O. during the course of the flick. So while this isn't a bad flick, it's just an overly ambitious one. If this weren't the finale in a run-of-the-mill actioneer, it probably would've made a good political thriller/ neo-noir film.

Great Directors all have a stigma of stature that is inherent to all that excel in their craft. That is, the comparisons to one's own work as opposed to the comparison of one's peers.This is not the Director's best film. It is too derivative and the accentuation of his signature style only dilutes and dismisses its ability to arouse the senses and in effect numb the audience with over kill. More is less sometimes, especially when working from an already stimulated synapses. In this film it is the odd things that work the best. Not the familiar. The reputation for excess need not be pushed further to attain an attractive and more enjoyable ride. The roller-coaster can go off the track if pushed passed the event's horizon.As far as edgy action flick's go, this is better then most. But the Director has his own reputation to live up to. P.S. The best film of 2005...Sin City...Congratulations