Old gunslingers in new ‘Mexico’
*** out of five stars
As a buccaneer or a gun-slinger, Johnny Depp continues to excel in offbeat roles.
The critically acclaimed actor, fresh from the surprise success of ‘Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl,’ gives another wonderfully quirky, scene-stealing performance in ‘Once Upon A Time In Mexico,’ an amusing action/adventure opening today.
The third leg of the ‘El Mariachi’ trilogy, which includes 1992’s ‘El Mariachi’ and 1995’s ‘Desperado,’ ‘Once Upon A Time In Mexico’ is, at heart, a cheesy western. But what makes this cheesy western different from the ones collecting dust on video store shelves is its collection of unusual characters, several strong performances and swift direction by Robert Rodriguez.
Antonio Banderas reprises the role of El Mariachi, a Mexican legend known equally for his musical talents and his gun-slinging skills. His relationship with the hot Carolina (Salma Hayek, ‘Frida’) seemingly over, El Mariachi has given up his violent lifestyle and now favors a life of seclusion. That is, until undercover CIA agent Sands (Depp) crosses the border. Sands recruits El Mariachi to murder General Marquez (Spanish actor Geraldo Virgil), who in turn has been drafted by drug lord Barillo (Willem Dafoe, ‘Spider-Man’) to unseat the Mexican president. It’s not long, however, before other characters become involved in the scheme, leading to many double crosses and violent deaths.
Depp commands every minute he’s in the film as the corrupt yet charismatic Sands. The character, a twisted fellow, proves to be a riot, running around the Mexican setting wearing ridiculous T-shirts and handing out pay-offs in brightly colored lunch boxes. Depp infuses Sands with wonderful comedic timing, delivering even the most serious lines with a wink.
Acting as a counterbalance is Banderas, who brings a sense of subtlety to the tortured El Mariachi. El Mariachi rarely speaks, letting his fists and guns do most of his talking. However, Banderas’s every movement and facial gesture reflects the deep burden of loss and pain the character carries. El Mariachi, as several characters note, is ‘already dead,’ and Banderas does an excellent job expressing that to the audience.
Among the supporting cast, the standout is Hayek, who is unfortunately given little screen time. In her few scenes, Hayek exudes the toughness and sex appeal that make her so appealing to El Mariachi. Also of note are Mickey Rourke, who looks like he’s having a great time camping it up as tacky American Billy Chambers, and Eva Mendes (‘2 Fast 2 Furious’), Sands’ love interest, who could probably melt ice with her sultry stares and pouty lips.
Rodriguez, who also wrote the film, knows what fans of the series want: gun-toting guys, sexy women and lots of fast-paced action sequences. He delivers on all accounts, all within a quick-moving running time. True, the plot does get a bit confusing, but spaced out within it are some inventive set pieces. These include a handcuffed Banderas and Hayek scaling down the side of a building and a motorcycle chase through a field of cacti. And, as long as it looks cool, who cares if shooting someone would not send their body flying across a room?
What ‘Once Upon A Time In Mexico’ lacks in plot, its electric cast, distinctive style and out-of-the-park performance from Depp more than make up for it. If he continues to choose good roles like this, ‘Once Upon a Time in Mexico’ will mark the start of a brilliant new career track.
Christopher Reilly is a senior magazine major. His reviews appear Fridays in the Daily Orange. E-mail him at cgreilly@syr.edu.
