Robert Rodriguez Month - Once Upon a Time in Mexico (2003)

        Hey guys, Chuck here, and welcome back to Robert Rodriguez Month. Today, we're taking a look at 2003's Once Upon a Time in Mexico, the sequel to Desperado, and the final chapter in the El Mariachi trilogy. This movie sees the returns of Antonio Banderas as El Mariachi and Salma Hayek as Carolina, along with both Danny Trejo and Cheech Marin taking on new roles. Newcomers in this movie include Johnny Depp, Mickey Rourke, Eva Mendes, Enrique Iglesias, Julio Oscar Mechoso, and Willem Dafoe. 

         So, this movie sees El Mariachi recruited by CIA Agent Sheldon Sands to stop a plan by drug Lord Armando Barillo to assassinate the President of Mexico, using a corrupt General named Emiliano Marquez to do so. El Mariachi, it turns out, has a past run in with Marquez, who killed El Mariachi's wife, Carolina, and daughter in retaliation for El Mariachi and Carolina killing Marquez's men. In addition to El Mariachi, Agent Sands also recruits former FBI Agent Jorge Ramirez, whose partner was killed by Barillo, to kill Barillo, while and AFN operative named Ajedrez is assigned by Sands to tail Barillo. And, of course, El Mariachi recruits his friends and fellow mariachis Lorenzo and Fideo to help in his mission. 

          Now, one thing that I find interesting about this movie is, much like El Mariachi's quest for vengeance against Bucho in Desperado, El Mariachi has a personal stake in killing Marquez in this movie, as Marquez is the one who killed Carolina, as well as El Mariachi and Carolina's daughter. And, I do like how we see the life El Mariachi and Carolina attempted to build together in flashbacks peppered throughout the movie, as it gives us more scenes with Salma Hayek as Carolina, and shows how El Mariachi tried to life a more peaceful life, only for it to be taken away. 

        I also like the choice of villain in this movie with Barillo. Willem Dafoe, as I have said on multiple occasions, is a phenomenal actor, and can play phenomenal villains. So, his turn as Barillo is no exception. I also enjoy seeing him so easily able to turn characters we think are going to be good guys throughout the movie, only for them to turn around and reveal that they are bad guys. For instance, Danny Trejo is in the movie as Cucuy, who is initially working with Agent Sands, but later reveals to be working to cash in on the bounty Barillo has on El Mariachi. And, in a later reveal, Ajedrez, played by the lovely Eva Mendes, turns out to be the daughter of Barillo. Also, briefly, working with Barillo is an American fugitive named Billy Chambers, played by Mickey Rourke. I kinda like this performance, as it's just unique enough to not feel out of place. 

       Now, of course Antonio Banderas nails it, once again as El Mariachi, but the big stand out for me was Johnny Depp as Agent Sands. Honestly, as much as most people enjoy his work with Tim Burton or his performance as Captain Jack Sparrow in Pirates of the Caribbean, I prefer seeing Johnny Depp in roles like this one, as he really gets to flex his acting chops in ways that his most notable stuff hasn't. And, as Agent Sands, Depp is a straight up badass, and is still a badass when he has his eyes drilled out of his head. 

       Honestly, as much as I genuinely enjoyed Desperado, I love this movie even more. Robert Rodriguez went deeper, and made a genuinely badass movie. I'm giving Once Upon a Time in Mexico a rating of 5/5. Alright guys, this is Chuck signing off, and we will next be looking at the vampire action flick From Dusk till Dawn as we continue Robert Rodriguez Month.

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