Desperado
1995 · Directed by Robert Rodriguez
Original language: English
- thriller
- action
- crime
The story
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.
What it’s like
Saturated, sun-baked Mexican border towns shot with a kinetic, almost cartoonish energy: hard golden daylight bleaching the dusty streets, then sudden deep reds and smoky amber in cantinas and back rooms, with bold primary colour and a grindhouse-style looseness. Camera moves quickly and inventively, with whip pans, wide slow-motion gun-blasts and playful flourishes, while the score leans on bursts of mariachi guitar, Latin rhythm and percussive gunfire cues. Vibe: stylised, swaggering, pulpy, a little tongue-in-cheek. It suits a Friday night with friends, a loud solo action binge, or a fan revisiting a 90s genre romp. The pace is brisk and the tone romantic-tragic: a lonely musician-turned-avenger, a warm bookshop friendship, a gentle love story threaded through relentless set pieces. Violence is frequent and bloody, with shootouts, explosions, stabbings and body counts, plus some profanity and a couple of sensual scenes; it is not gentle. Made for people who want big stylised action, bold color and a wry, romantic streak.
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