Desperado
Release Year: 1995
Synopsis: El Mariachi plunges headfirst into the dark border underworld when he follows a trail of blood to the last of the infamous Mexican drug lords, Bucho, for an action-packed, bullet-riddled showdown. With the help of his friend and a beautiful bookstore owner, El Mariachi tracks Bucho, takes on his army of desperados, and leaves his own trail of blood.
My notes
This film is still gorgeous, which is not what I think anyone intended it to be. El was recast with Antonio Banderas, a move that replaced the almost clumsy innocence of El with a whole lot of suaveness. And this might be peak Salma Hayek. The action gets even further over the top, the folk lore aspect moves up several more notches, and a new trend emerges - actors playing different characters - with Gallardo playing a different Mariachi this time.
Watched Oct. 18, 2025 via UHD — rated 6.5/10