Rating: R
Genre:
Adventure
Theatrical Release: 09/12/2003(USA)
Release Date: 01/20/2004
SubTitles: English/French
Dubbed: English/French
Sound: DD5.1/DS
Run Time: 101 Minutes
Flags: Graphic Violence, Adult Language
Distributor/Studio: Columbia TriStar
Director
Robert Rodriguez returns to the characters of his breakthrough hits
El Mariachi and
Desperado in this grand scale south-of-the-border
action-
adventure saga.
Sands (
Johnny Depp) is a rogue CIA agent who is working in cahoots with Mexican officials who've caught wind of a plan by corrupt military leader
General Marquez (
Gerardo Vigil) and ruthless drug kingpin
Barillo (
Willem Dafoe) to assassinate Mexico's president (
Pedro Armendáriz Jr.).
Sands needs to recruit a gunman to take out
Barillo's assassins before they can complete their mission, and through barman
Belini (
Cheech Marin),
Sands learns of
El Mariachi (
Antonio Banderas), a fabled musician turned vigilante with a remarkable talent for violence, and a score to settle with
Marquez.
El Mariachi is living quietly in hiding after the death of the woman he loved,
Carolina (
Salma Hayek), but
Sands lures him back into action through the promise of a final showdown with his nemesis
Marquez, forcing
El Mariachi to retrieve his guitar case (containing a mighty arsenal) and once again do battle against the lawless.
Robert Rodriguez not only directed
Once Upon a Time in Mexico, but he wrote the screenplay, handled the camera work, edited the film, and composed the musical score.
~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
;)
