DESPERADO

SYNOPSIS:
Antonio Banderas becomes an action hero in this super-cool film from Spanish director Robert Rodriguez. When the smoke clears, that just means he’s reloading…..

"I saw Rodriguez’ original Spanish film titled "El Mariachi" a few years ago, when it was released as an extremely low-budget film ($US70,000). It really struck a chord with me, and I still remember laughing at the scene where real passers-by and motorists were used for one of the chases. (This was apparently done due to the low budget, as they could not afford to use extras, and I recall that much of the film was shot without rehearsal for the same reason.) I just liked the idea of the travelling musician carrying his guitar case, and being mistaken for the heavies who were carrying their armour in a similar case. So I was particularly interested to see the bigger budget remake, also by Rodriguez, and starring the delicious Antonio Banderas, who looks as though the role was written for him. Yes, it’s violent and deserving of the R 18+ rating. There’s plenty of action and will keep Banderas fans happy, but somehow lacks the charm of the original."
Louise Keller