Desperado

1995’s “Desparado” directed by Robert Rodriguez.
Starring Antonio Banderas, Steve Buscemi, Salma Hayek, Joaquim de Aleida, Danny Trejo, and Cheech Marin.

Director Robert Rodriguez became something of a sensation with his first film, 1992’s “El Mariachi”. The Mariachi turned hitman revenge tale was a hit at film festivals, and Rodriguez joined Tarantino as young turks who were threatening to transform the film industry into something much more kinetic, jaded, and hip. Made for just over $7000, and partly paid for by Rodriguez’s willingness to take money in exchange for being a guinea pig in medical studies, the studios ate his film up, signing him up to make more films. The first one he made was “Desperado”, which is essentially a more expensive retelling of “El Mariachi”, and what became the middle of Rodriguez’s “Mexico trilogy” (the third installment being 2003’s “Once Upon a Time in Mexico”).

Set in modern day Mexico, Banderas plays an ex-Mariachi bent on revenge. We meet his target, the town’s head gangster (Joaquim de Aleida), and his army of henchmen. As told in kinetic flashback by the always handsome (like a fish) Steve Buscemi, Banderas has been on the hunt for Aleida, who’s gangster dealings have left Banderas a widower and bereft of the use of his primary guitar playing hand. Going from place to place, he carries a guitar case full of guns to play balletic music with. He meets up with the town’s bookstore/café operator, Salma Hayek, and sparks fly while the heat turns up from Aleida trying to retaliate for the Mariachi’s vengeance. Further mucking up the carnage is the cartel’s insurance man (Danny Trejo), who dispenses knives like business cards. Banderas eventually has to call down his fellow musicians, and they show off quite the versatility with their choices of instruments of destruction.

Rodriguez was clearly inspired by Hong Kong’s John Woo, as the action is way over the top, almost cartoonish in it’s gunplay, and the scenes involving religion and candles could easily take the place of white doves. Little known actors (at the time) Banderas and Hayek are both sizzling in their respective roles, but there isn’t much for them to do other than shoot, smooch, and skronk before the credits roll. That would be “Desperado”’s biggest problem: made for 1000 times the budget of “El Mariachi”, it features a fraction of the heart. Containing a nice soundtrack of both surf rock and more acoustic Latino flavoured fare, and the always welcome highlight of Tarantino buying the farm, "Desperado"'s appeal could be summarized the same as the sign outside one of the bars proclaiming, “For members and non members only.”

3/5

Trailer: Click Here.