DVD Movie Rating for: Once Upon a Time in Mexico (Desparados 2)

Rating 3 out of 5 stars

Movie Plot of: Once Upon a Time in Mexico (Desparados 2)

The film is based on the story of a drug lord Barrillo, who pretends to overthrow the Mexican president. Within the drama, another of the principal persons is a corrupt CIA agent Sands who at that time, demands retribution from his worst enemy in order to carry out the drug lord's uprising against the government. Mariachi is recruited by Sands to take out Gen. Marquez (has a huge score to settle with the Mariachi), who has major beef with Mariachi to begin with. He sends Cucuy (the muscle for Sands) to shadow and keep tabs on the Mariachi. Marquez is working with Barrillo, and is about to assassinate El Presidente and assume power. Sands also convinces Jorge Ramirez (retired-FBI, has old scores to settle with Barrillo) to come out of retirement and take out Barrillo and Dr. Guevera (personal Dr. to Barrillo, killed Jorge's partner a long time ago), who brutally tortured and killed Ramirez' FBI partner.

DVD Production Details of: Once Upon a Time in Mexico (Desparados 2)

Starring: Antonio Banderas, Salma Hayek, Johnny Depp, Eva Mendes

Format: Color, Widescreen
Studio: Columbia Tristar Hom
DVD Release Date: June 1, 2004
DVD Features:
Commentary by director Robert Rodriguez

Music and sound design track with commentary

Ten Minute Flick School

Ten Minute Cooking School

Eight deleted scenes with optional director's commentary

Inside Troublemaker Studios

The Anti-Hero's Journey

Film Is Dead: An Evening with Robert Rodriguez

The Good, the Bad, and the Bloody: Inside KNB FX

DVD-ROM: Test your wits in the shooting gallery

Widescreen anamorphic format

DVD Easter Eggs

None

Cast of the movie: Once Upon a Time in Mexico (Desparados 2)

• Antonio Banderas .... El Mariachi
• Salma Hayek .... Carolina
• Johnny Depp .... Sands
• Mickey Rourke .... Billy
• Eva Mendes .... Ajedrez
• Danny Trejo .... Cucuy
• Enrique Iglesias .... Lorenzo
• Marco Leonardi .... Fideo
• Cheech Marin .... Belini
• Rubén Blades .... Jorge FBI
• Willem Dafoe .... Barillo
• Gerardo Vigil .... Marquez
• Pedro Armendáriz Jr. .... El Presidente (as Pedro Armendariz)
• Julio Oscar Mechoso .... Advisor
• Tito Larriva .... Cab Driver
• Miguel Couturier .... Dr. Guevera
• Tony Valdes .... Chicle Boy
• José Luis Avendaño .... Alvaro
• Rodolfo De Alexandre .... Omar (as Rodolfo d'Alejandre)
• Natalia Torres .... Mariachi's Girl
• Steve Constancio .... Right Hand (as Steven Constancio)
• Troy Robinson .... Romero
• Ermahn Ospina .... Qui-Que
• Luz María Rojas .... Pistolera
• Mario Simon .... Cook
• Bernard Hacker .... Blascoe
• Cecilia Tijerina .... Waitress
• Carola Vázquez .... Hospital Administrator
• René Gatica .... Chief Federale
• Silvia Santoyo .... Bachelorette
• Juan Pablo Llaguno .... Bull Fighter
• Ignacio Torres .... Teacher
• Rogelio Gonzalez Grau .... Manny
• Jorge Becerril .... Taco
• Víctor Carpinteiro .... Left Nut
• Dagoberto Gama .... Que Pasa

Photo Gallery of the movie: Once Upon a Time in Mexico (Desparados 2)

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Once Upon a Time in Mexico (Desparados 2)

Reviews of the movie: Once Upon a Time in Mexico (Desparados 2)

Antonio Banderas, Johnny Depp, Salma Hayek, Mickey Rourke, Ruben Blades, Eva Mendes, Willem Dafoe, Cheech Marin, Danny Trejo, Enrique Iglesias, Marco Leonardi, Gerardo Vigil, Pedro Armendariz Jr., Julio Oscar Mechoso, Tito Larriva. Wunderkind Robert Rodriguez' grand finale - Sergio Leone-style - of his South of the Border trilogy of El Mariachi, the lone assassin for hire cum renegade (Banderas once again) who is out for revenge (natch) for the murder of his beloved (the achingly gorgeous Hayek in flashbacks) while being ‘hired' by gonzo-crazed CIA man Depp (in Walken mode) involving a corrupt federale (the heavenly femme fatale Eva Mendes), a retired FBI agent (Blades) and a nasty presidente-wanna-be madman (Dafoe in heavy bronzer) resulting in a digital bloodbath with flying corpses, gravity defying stunts (and women to boot!) and much tongue-thru-cheek take-no-prisoners guerilla filmmaking Rodriguez has made a trademark for (writing, ‘chopping' and directing) with more of the same to the nth degree. Bloody good carnage and suspension of disbelief should be checked at the door. And for the record: that is Rourke's own Chihuahua.

The third installment in Rodrigues' trilogy promises much but doesn't quite deliver everything...Johnny Depp is the outstanding character in the film as the CIA Agent Sands and dominates every scene he is in, which is good for Johnny Depp fans but does leave the film rather 2 dimensional and flat when he isn't in it as Antonio Banderas doesn't really have the charisma or presence to hold the film on his own.
I can appreciate Rodrigues' vision and ideas to create a modern up to date Leone style western but unfortunately it doesn't quite match up to his previous installment 'Desperado' let alone the Leone masterpieces. All said, however it is quite an enjoyable romp in places and there are a lot of cool touches throughout the film along with probably one of the most disturbing(for me anyway) scenes on film when the bad guy( Willem Dafoe playing a drug cartel lord, Barillos) tortures Johnny Depp's character and what the result is can leave you a bit disturbed as you do find yourself rooting for Depp throughout the film even though he's not the hero but he is that good!!!