By Leah Bluntschli
Once upon a time Robert Rodriguez made a great movie — a lavish and fascinating flick with an incredible blend of sarcasm, heroism, morbidity and comedy. An action genre that will keep making you glance over to the person next to you to say, "Wow."
With a flair for revenge Antonio Banderas returns in undefeatable style as the legendary hero, El Mariachi in the final installment of the El Mariachi/Desperado trilogy. El is approached by a CIA agent (Johnny Depp) who wants him to assassinate a powerful drug cartel leader (Willem Dafoe). Though Depp is a slimeball, the interesting thing is that his quiet, cynical ways and sharp tongue lend him a great deal of humanity.
Rodriguez directs the action well, so that nobody gets hurt. Although there were quite a few violent scenes in the movie, they were tastefully accomplished, not gratuitously exploited. Besides, the smell of revolution and justice make the violence feel like a necessary evil. The cinematography was excellent, with sensitive positioning and angles that always brought the best out of each shot, like the close-ups of Banderas’ pretty face. And the colors in this movie are so saturated and beautiful they could just pop off the screen.
There are a few dark and disturbing parts, but these are so skillfully balanced with a fair share of poignant, lighthearted moments that they become an acceptable component of telling the story. The story, by the way, is one of the most entertaining to come along time.
