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Dennis Murphy

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“Once Upon a Time in Mexico” Wows Audiences
Christian Prosser- Corner Post Staff

“ This has no basis in reality,” remarks director Robert Rodriguez of his newest film “Once Upon a Time in Mexico.” With the return of Antonio Banderas as the gun-slinging El Mariachi, Johnny Depp as a sociopathic CIA agent, Willem Dafoe as a psychotic drug dealer, and a bit of Rodriguez’s erratically cool dialogue, the table is set for mayhem and chaos in a tribute to the spaghetti westerns of old.

Depp plays Sands, a CIA agent with a penchant for wearing a variety of hats, sunglasses, and decidedly crude t-shirts (case in point: CIA, Cleavage Inspection Agent). Sands is looking to take advantage of a coup d’etat supported by Willem Dafoe (“The English Patient”). In doing so he seeks out the talents of Banderas (“Ballistic”) to prevent a crazed general from taking power. Banderas, motivated by revenge, assembles a new Mariachi gang including a well-placed Enrique Iglesias. For an interesting sub-plot, Ruben Blades is brought in as a retired FBI agent sought out by Depp to help contain Dafoe.

Depp is perfect to head up the cast. With his irrepressible coolness, Depp lights up the screen with inventive, colorful, and gratuitous cursing. Banderas plays off him well as the brooding mariachi with a dry sense of humor, fairly similar to Eastwood’s nameless gunfighter. Blades plays the slightly timid, sarcastic former FBI man perfectly. Enrique Iglesias comes in part-way through the movie as a good rogue character with his attention divided between women and money. Salma Hayek is not exclusively placed in the plot, but has more than a cameo, and does a good job of it. On the evil side of the tracks, Dafoe plays an incredibly cold, heartless villain, and it’s a nice fit. Mickey Rourke plays Dafoe’s second in command with a bit of conscience here and there, and a Chihuahua. The female element should be pleased with Eva Mendes as a tough, yet attractive Mexican drug agent trying to make it in a male-dominated profession. Rounding out the cast is Cheech Marin as a one-eyed informant with an attitude.

Otherwise, the direction and storyline are interesting to say the least. The storyline involves a few anti-heroes, a few twists, and some serious sub-plotting. Despite the overall likeable nature of the story, it has some problems. Depp unexpectedly is the closest thing to a main character, however this movie follows a different format. It’s more like a cluster of human activity than any specific hero versus villain story. Banderas’ semi-absence would be a bit more palatable if he spent his screen time doing less brooding and more… anything.

To his credit he still demonstrates a little humor. Adding to the annoyances, the movie is a bit long and has some cartoon-like special effects. But the inventive stunts and almost constant sense of humor justify it.

In the end the finished product is a comic-book with stunts almost as spectacular as the cursing and some things that just make you sit back and think, “huh, sweet.”

story posted 9/16/03

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