Once Upon a Time in Mexico

Columbia Pictures and Dimension films present a Troublemaker Studios production

Starring: Antonio Banderas Salma Hayek Johnny Depp and William Dafoe

Directed by: Robert Rodriguez

Rating:****

Plot: After Desperado Banderas or "El" is not being hired by a CIA agent (Depp) who wants him to help kill the man who is going to kill the President of Mexico. Its not all that simple since Depp's character is playing a game in which he plans to rig but everything starts going down hill once a drug lord gets involved (Dafoe), so let the shooting begin... Let the Mexican stand off begin.

Acting: I don't think I have ever seen such a great cast in one movie all at once, ever. Banderas, Hayek, Depp, Dafoe, Eva Mendes. I mean god damn that is a lot of good actors in one place. Lets go through them all shall we? I think we shall.

Antonio Banderas: Or EL is such a bad ass character I loved Desperado I watch it all the time and to see that character kicking ass again was great. I saw AND STARRING PANCHO VILLA AS HIMSELF over the week on HBO and I loved it!!! Banderas is one of the better actors around and not many people understand that. Maybe because he did all those Spy Kids movies which Rodriguez directed.

Salma Hayek: Sorry to say but she is not in the movie all that much but she kicks ass too everyone knows it. Just see the movie and you'll see, just hope your girl friends never get ideas from this movie, a chick tossing around throwing knives is never a good thing for any man.

Johnny Depp: Sure he is an ass when it comes to making comments about the US. But he is one hell of a great actor. I loved him in this movie, he was the ultimate cool and his vibe is literally felt through the movie theatre. I hope this man is in many more movies than this later on in life. His character is amazing as well. You hate the character so much you begin to like him. I mean he shoots a chef because he enjoys the meal so much, that he doesn't want anyone else to taste it to "balance things out". Depp in one word is brilliant.

William Dafoe: Great bad guy, that is it just one great actor who is bad to the bone. I mean the best performance ever was his portrail of the Green Goblin.

Okay, that was enough about all that, but you get my point. One great cast that amazed me across the board, except for one guy. Enrique Iglesias is in this movie. Don't ask me why but he is. He also should never be in a movie ever again. His hair literally looked like a dead animal and I had to hold back laughter during the movie every time he was on screen. How with all that brilliant casting could you slip this guy in this movie? Jesus, he can't sing or act. Just toss this guy off a boat or something and just end this before it begins.

Directing/Writing: I love Robert Rodriguez, he has such an eye for the camera. This movie is a digital movie like the Star Wars Movies and everything looks so clear and great. The landscape shots of Mexico were beautiful. His style is just brilliant across the board, I mean his talents made the Spy Kids movies really enjoyable for me. So go into this movie with an open mind because you'll come out stunned, this movie is visually amazing and is enormously entertaining with so many bangs and booms you'll just be drooling for more. The way he films an action sequence has never been done before. Its not over the top or too graphic, well for some people it might be too graphic. Just simplify things this movie is just a popcorn movie with butter and you get free candy and a free large drink. Think of it that way and go see it. I just wish this movie was split into two movies. The film moves in a fast pace in which characters fly by and so much happens and you almost get lost, then boom an action sequence and everything is back together. Also my only complaint against the Digital filming is some of the fire in the explosions it just looks so fake and bad. The trailer for the movie has a good example of that. Besides those two little things this movie in one great ride.

Overall: One of the better action movies of all time. If you look hard enough look at the symbolism in this movie. It says a lot. That Mexico is a beautiful place and corruption and drugs and violence has made that place a little dreadful but things can change. Its beautiful and has great meaning if you look past the gun fights. This is a movie you can't miss.