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Brutal and breathtaking, Sin City is Robert Rodriguez's stunningly realized vision of Frank Miller's pulpy comic books. In the first of three separate but loosely related stories, Marv (Mickey Rourke in heavy makeup) tries to track down the killers of a woman who ended up dead in his bed. In the second story, Dwight's (Clive Owen) attempt to defend a woman from a brutal abuser goes horribly wrong, and threatens to destroy the uneasy truce among the police, the mob, and the women of Old Town. Finally, an aging cop on his last day on the job (Bruce Willis) rescues a young girl from a kidnapper, but is himself thrown in jail.Years later, he has a chance to save her again.

Based on three of Miller's immensely popular and immensely gritty books (The Hard Goodbye, The Big Fat Kill, and That Yellow Bastard), Sin City is unquestionably the most faithful comic-book-based movie ever made. Each shot looks like a panel from its source material, and director Rodriguez (who refers to it as a "translation" rather than an adaptation) resigned from the Directors Guild so that Miller could share a directing credit. Like the books, it's almost entirely in stark black and white with some occasional bursts of color (a woman's red lips, a villain's yellow face). The backgrounds are entirely digitally generated, yet not self-consciously so, and perfectly capture Miller's gritty cityscape. And though most of Miller's copious nudity is absent, the violence is unrelentingly present. That may be the biggest obstacle to viewers who aren't already fans of the books and who may have been turned off by Kill Bill (whose director, Quentin Tarantino, helmed one scene of Sin City). In addition, it's a bleak, desperate world in which the heroes are killers, corruption rules, and the women are almost all prostitutes or strippers. But Miller's stories are riveting, and the huge cast--which also includes Jessica Alba, Jaime King, Brittany Murphy, Rosario Dawson, Benicio Del Toro, Elijah Wood, Nick Stahl, Michael Clarke Duncan, Devin Aoki, Carla Gugino, and Josh Hartnett--is just about perfect. (Only Bruce Willis and Michael Madsen, while very well-suited to their roles, seem hard to separate from their established screen personas.) In what Rodriguez hopes is the first of a series, Sin City is a spectacular achievement.--David Horiuchi ... Read more

Reviews (143)

This is like the worst thing I've ever seen
Well, I'm sitting in the theater waiting for this to start and thinking about how great that last movie I saw was. It was The Pacifier btw and it rocked unlike this carp. Well, this thing starts and immediately something is wrong. I yell to the guy and tell him to turn up the color or something but he says that's how the movie is. WTFzzors? I just saw The Pacifier which was awesome in color and now I have to watch this carp trying to be a relic from the 1950s? If I wanted to watch a boring movie with bad dialogue in black and white, I'd rent Citizen Kane or Seven Samurai. I come to the movies to be entertained not to watch boring talk with no color. Pass this carp up. Go see The Pacifier with Vin Diesel instead. He's a much better actor than anyone in this movie.

Amazing Movie...
I could go on and on and tell you the 10 billion reasons why this is one of the best films i have ever watched, but everyone else has already done that. The fact is, this movie ROCKS, i could watch it time and time again and never get tired. So simply go out and see this movie and enjoy the visual masterpiece. The music is also amazing. SEE THIS FILM!

Miller's graphic novels become Rodriguez's film noir epic
"Sin City" is a black and white world, except when the blood is being sprayed around and then be prepared for lots of red or white or even yellow. Based on three of the first four "Sin City" graphic novels by Frank Miller ("The Hard Good-Bye," "The Big Fat Kill," and "That Yellow Bastard") and "The Customer Is Always Right" short-story from "Babe Wore Red" that was the test run for this project, this 2005 film sets the standard for what film noir will be in the 21st century and advances the cause of digital filmmaker even more than "Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow." That film was pure eye candy, but "Sin City" is much too gritty to be that sweet. You are going to wince at some of what happens in this film and you might even turn away once or twice as the over the top violence hits you in the gut as hard as it hits some of the characters in the side of the head. But chances are you are going to love this movie to death.

Frank Miller's "Sin City" is a world where the heroes can take a whole series of punches as well as deliver them, where justice has nothing to do with either mercy or the cops, and the system is crooked from top down to pretty near the bottom of the barrel. The dames are still worth dying for and some of them might even be goddesses, but others can defend themselves quite well, thank you. This is a world where protecting women is hard-wired into the psyches of guys like John Hartigan (Bruce Willis), Marv (Mickey Rourke), and Dwight (Clive Owen). If you fail to protect a dame, then somebody has to pay and in a way that will make the scum bucket think Hell is heaven when you finally let them go there. This movie is rated R for sustained strong stylized violence, nudity and sexual content including dialogue, but that is an R that is a lot closer to NC-17 than it is to PG-13.

Ang Lee tried to have parts of "The Hulk" look like a comic book, but that meant throwing several frames on the screen at the same time. But with "Sin City" director Robert Rodriguez knows that a comic book panel can be like a frame in a motion picture and visa-versa, so his solution was to embrace Miller's visual style and make him the co-director of the film (and give him a small role as a priest hearing his final confession). The "Sin City" were done largely in black and white, although sometimes white and black, and other times when the strategic addition of a single color as in the red of a woman's lips, the yellow of her hair, or the blue of her eyes. Sometimes the red is a cool looking car.

This is the bloodiest film noir of my experience, so it is a good thing that when there is a lot of blood is it just as likely to appear as bright white or neon yellow as globs of the red stuff. But it is also evokes more bursts of laughter at the audacious violence and the perfectly timed one-liners, most of which will never work uttered in Dirty Harry fashion out of the context of the film. This is film noir in the tradition of Mickey Spillane updated for the Quentin Tarantino generation.

The standout performance in "Sin City" is clearly Mickey Rourke as Marv, who is buried under so much makeup you keep assuring yourself that he is really in there somewhere. In keeping with the formula of the film Marv is both the most violent of the protagonists, giving taking somebody for a ride a whole new meaning, and the funniest, in both word and deed. Willis and Owen are both fine as the other two protagonists, but they are more the strong and silent types, neither as reflective nor as sardonic as Marv. Willis definitely has the world weary act honed down to perfection, but Owen seems a bit too mannered in his detachment in his story line and ends up finishing third in the hero sweepstakes. Elijah Wood as Kevin does not get to speak but still creeps you out as Frodo gone over to the Dark Side. Benicio Del Toro shows some nice comic timing as Jack Rafferty and Michael Madsen has not changed a bit as Bob, while Nick Stahl is scum of two different colors. Rutger Hauer, Powers Booth and Michael Clarke Duncan all take turns playing heavies and it becomes pretty clear Rodriguez could get just about anybody he wanted to do this movie.

Of the women of "Sin City" it is Devon Aoki as Miho who stands out although she never says a word (she does not have to). Jessica Alba's best moments as Nancy are silent, although there is a change in why that is the case as we go through the movie. Rosario Dawson has fun going over the top as Gail, Brittany Murphy goes slumming as Shellie, and Jaime King plays two sides of the same coin as Goldie and Wendy. Alexis Bledel is certainly trying to get as far away from Rory Gilmore as possible by playing Becky, but I am afraid she does not get far in that regard. Then again, if you have read Miller's graphic novels you will be impressed by how Rodriguez has brought the stark black and white images of Becky, Hartigan, the Yellow Bastard and the rest of them to life on the screen. This movie is going to make a ton of money, Miller is going to sell a lot of copies of the new editions of his "Sin City" graphic novels, and hopefully it will not be too long before we get the next cinematic installment, which should have Johnny Depp playing Wallace in the "To Hell and Back" segment.

Amazing experience in film
Genre: Action, Drama, Dark Comedy

Genre Grade: A

Final Grade: A

This was a spectacular movie with great achievements on all levels. Robert Rodriguez hasn't made a movie this good since From Dusk Till Dawn in 1996. However I think he has found an entirely new element and I hope he makes a sequel to this awesome flick soon.

I am not even going to comment on the amazing cinematography and style of this film because it's so obvious that it is top-notch. I will comment on the story though - a strong one that molds together to fit into a story that comes together in the end without ever confusing the audience as to what is going on and who is who. The dialogue seemed like it had been written by Tarantino himself, sticking to the classic, bold lines that make you grin and really root for the characters. Even Jessica Alba did a great job in her acting! I do wish Britney Murphy would have been in more of it, she is a great actress and so underrated, in my opinion. Bruce Willis, Clive Owen, Benicio del Toro, and Mickey Rourke all did a great job with their characters as well.

Great movie, but definitely one to keep kids away from. It is extremely gruesome (not so bad since it's in black and white) and it steps across new boundaries in mainstream film. Think Silence of the Lambs meets Se7en meets classic crime drama, and you got Sin City. Great movie!!

Oh, and I found out which part of the film Tarantino directed. It's about a 3-4 minute sequence and once I found out it was quite obvious that it was Tarantino who had directed it. If ye want to know, ask and it shall be known to ye.

Oscar worthy
Sin city may have to be the best movie I have seen this year. In short the movie levels onto standars such as Spiderman2 and superman. Though Sin city does tend to exeel these movies by one point. The acting. Mikey Rouke steals the show as Marv, the hulkishthug whose main purpose is to find the killers of the love of his life, and give them some street justice. His story is compelling and very, very, violent. Well I take that back the most violent story would have to be Bruce Willis who plays Hartigan , a violent ex cop who wants to protect a stripper from his past misadventure that has her also involved, in this story line you actually see a mans testicles ripped off............actually that was...........god .........burr. Anyway overall all the stories are downright violent. There is one more but I would not want to intrude like I did before..
Now as for dvd news Rodrigues is giving out a threatical release and an extended release.
Also he will bring in more Sin city movies from now on, and will be planning to release a new one 2008 or 9, so get ready.
Yours trully
film critique of the week. ... Read more

Reviews (127)

Very Disappointing
This was very disappointing. For many kids that have not experienced 3-D, it will be good to see for its novelty. However, the effects are typical 3-D for almost all cases, which is disappointing. The only good part was the 3-D chase scene much like the speeder race in "Star Wars Episode 1". In fact, almost all of the effects are copies of the recent "Star Wars" episodes or of "The Matrix". The plot really suffers, but is similar to a modern rendition of "Tron", "Lawnmower Man" or "Max Headroom". We own SK1 and SK2, but almost certainly will not keep SK3.

Ugh...could not wait til it ended.
Although my five year old thought it was "kind of" cool, as a woman and movie lover, I suffered through every minute. The 3-D was ok for the first 15 minutes my eyes could take wearing the glasses, Sylvester Stallone's acting was atrocious and so were all the rest of the actors, the plot was...well...what was the plot? Ugh....I just could not wait for this movie to end. Parents beware...send the kids by themselves if they must go see this one.

The gang's all here
If you liked all the Spy Kids movies, then you will kind of like Spy Kids 3-D: Game Over. Well, here's one thing, the 3-D glasses will give you a headache.

Doesn't deserve even one star !
I have brought my daughter to so many movies and enjoyed many more than I thought, but this one is nearly unwatchable and I would have walked out if she would have come too. While my daugher saw some enjoyment in it - primarily seeing "big stars" in it, we all had eye strain from the long 3D portions and yet were mightily disappointed in the quality of the 3D. It seemed to be no plot, no character development - I didn't care about any of the characters. There are many plot defects as mentioned in other reviews. My husband pushed up the arms on several seats in the theater and actually laid down to sleep.

The movie was made just to show off effects - and they were poorly done - don't bother with this movie! - Exit - before it's too late!

Waste of time
First of all, my 6 year old son loved it and can't wait for it to come to video. I personally hope that he doesn't notice it sitting on shelves when it goes to DVD.

Also, I quite enjoyed the first Spy Kids. It was original, pure story telling, imaginative, different, and had a message that I really appreciated (family is the most important thing in the world). The second one followed this theme a bit, but seemed more interested in special effects, advanced gadgetry, and bitter rivalry. But in the end, it was family that mattered.

Then there is the third movie.

Okay, let's bring up the fact that this was done in 3D. First of all, this gave me a headache and I had to keep taking off my glasses to rest my eyes. One time, this unfortunately woke up my wife who was using my arm as a pillow. In the end, this was a major eye strain. I've seen better 3D, primarily at Disneyland. The technology exists, why not use it?

Another problem with 3D is that the director focused too much on it. It seems to me that the director focused more on what he thought would look good in 3D and not what would make a good story.

As far as character development goes, the story starts off with Juni feeling betrayed by the OSS and not wanting to be part of the organization. The only thing that brings him "back" (temporarily) is his kidnapped sister. I thought that this was a good sub-plot, but unfortunately it fizzled away as soon as Juni entered the video game. But in the end, I found myself having problems identifying with the characters or finding them believable.

Then there is plot. Oh my!! I'm only limited to 1,000 words so I won't get started because there wouldn't be any end to it. But I'll say this again, Rodriquez seemed more interested in what would make a good effect, not a good story.

And then the story. There are so many questions. For instance, who is the programmer of this game because it seemed that the OSS had the ability to reprogram the game at will, especially when they feel they needed to sabotage Juni and Carmen's mission. Why couldn't have they used this more often, or why couldn't they have used this ability to save Carmen or to destroy the game in the first place.

The first two movies focused on the importance of family. But while Carmen is having her brain fried by a computer, family is nowhere to be found. The father is working on past experiments (he apparently didn't learn much from the first movie regarding the type of experiment) and the mother is... who knows where. Where was everybody??!!? They didn't show up until the end of the movie.

Which brings me to the end of the movie. I just sat there with my jaw opened wondering, "What the heck is the point of this scene?" as every past character from the other movies appeared as superheros coming in on flying shoes, flying pigs, flying wheelchairs. Come on, these are spies and old criminals not punished for their crimes, not the Justice League of America. The last scene was horrific and made absolutely no sense. Even less sense than the two minutes Elijah Wood appeared as the Deceiver. For a deceiver, he was't too convincing since he got kicked out of the game before he could do any harm.

The only reason I gave one extra star was that there appeared, at the end of the movie, a scene where my son might learn something. The power of forgiving others. However, it was really brief and probably went over most kids' heads.

I would not suggest taking your children to this movie, or seeing it yourself (though my wife did have a nice nap). The original is the only one worth watching, in my opinion. This one is just mind-numbing stupidity. ... Read more

Reviews (167)

Pulp Fiction Meets Fright Night
I'm a big fan of Tarrentino's work, though he gets alot of bad rap I believe him to be one of the most talented writers alive, starting with Resevoir Dogs, he wrote Natural Born Killers, and Four Rooms, Desperado, and finally coming to From Dusk Till Dawn. This movie was a rocker, holding any clues or hints that there would be deradful horror in the last hour. Teaming up with horror man Robert Rodriguez, they put together this very well made horror movie about two criminal crazy boys [George Clooney, Quentin Tarrentino] who are on the run for Mexico, They kidnap a family on road [Harvey Keitel, Juliette Lewis, and the son]and they come to a bar called the T**ty Twisters, they find that the bar is infact an eledged trap for feeding time for the vampires that inhabit it, they have to become a team with their hostages to survive, not to mention a couple other cast members; Fred Williamson, and the Sex Machine. You actually grow to admire the Gecko brothers [Clooney, Tarrentino]and Tarrentino's fine writing, alot of sick and twisted but also real features you'll see, along with bloody vampires nawing on humans, and a sided 4 man battle over a bloody severed body part battle ground, that turns to chaos. The movie was very well put together, starting out with 2 Pulp Fiction guys that run into a bunch of Fright Night vampires, the idea was to act upon the impressionable idea that Stephen King does himself in his novels, that to draw the audience into the story so that they indeed care about the characters and them BAM! vampires come along, you put the characters in this altered world of life and death. This movie is especially good on DVD, the sound is ausome along with the bonus materials, and the wide screen.

Vampires Might Be Hear To Stay With Cult Classic
In the early months of 1995, talented Mexican director Robert Rodriguez (El Mariachi, Desperado, The Faculty) and cunning cinematic guru Quentin Tarantino (Reservoir Dogs, Pulp Fiction, Jackie Brown) merged artistic passions to compose an intricate genre hybrid that evokes both the artists unique sensibilities, emanates mind-bogglingly unthinkable comical insights, and reveals an abrasively hip yet sophisticated screen persona that supplies unforeseen drama within the forum of an exploitation film. Surging with distinctive Tarantino culture dialogue and references, Rodriguez's go-for-broke action sequences, marvelous performances from Harvey Keitel, George Clooney, Quentin Tarantino, Juliette Lewis, Salma Hayek, John Saxon, Tom Savini, and Cheech Marin (in three supporting roles!!!), an unyieldingly concentrated pace, spectacular comedic splicing with its horror elements, splendid gore and make-up effects, and a predominantly mischievous ambiance of unpredictability that leaves any first-time viewer totally in hands of Rodriguez and Tarantino, From Dusk Til Dawn persists in being a heavily entertaining dual genre piece that attains dramatic grandeur, profound performances, and even moving pathos within the framework of exploitation piece.

The film depicts the story of the infamous Gecko Brothers', Seth (George Clooney) and Ritchie (Quentin Tarantino), odyssey from their violent southern Texas exploits to their arrival at the unforgettable Titty Twister bar. Along the way, the Gecko brothers inadvertently blow up a liquor store, hallucinate flirtations and verbal taunts, "accidentally" rape and murder a seemingly docile hostage, and kidnap a disillusioned pastor's family and their motor home on their way to their bar rendezvous across the Mexican border. Though these characters may seem to be the most unsympathetic characters to be rooting for. Tarantino's knack for instilling humanity into his criminals is second to none, and along the way towards the bar and the film's personality switch, through absorbing dialogue, gritty performances, and realistic plot developments (in the Tarantino half), we are given unusually affable characters that allow the audience just enough audience identification with the characters before they are literally placed into hell incarnate. While watching From Dusk Til Dawn, it crucial to note the film's story arc is essentially one-half Tarantino crime tale/ one-half gory horror gore opus. This was done I believe to introduce the characters, personality dynamics, and innate personal tendencies of the people in their real environments before establishing the horror. What happens quite often in horror films of the last two decades is we, the audience, are immediately transported to the improbable before we even really know our characters. The characters of a movie are our conduits into the realm and the story of a movie. Doesn't it seem probable that if we have an enhanced understanding of the characters we might enjoy the film's narrative a lot more? From Dusk Til Dawn follows this mentality to its most logic summation as character and style overcome commercial convention.

Since it release, From Dusk Til Dawn consistently besieges it audiences with an intoxicatingly visceral affront of violence, mayhem, elaborate chaos, and inventive havoc that entertains and delights beyond anyone's expectations. Though definitely not Academy Award material so to speak, From Til Dawn remains a superlative horror extravaganza.

As for the film's new DVD Collector's Series edition, FDTD contains an informative Rodriguez/Tarantino commentary track, a feature length documentary entitled "Full Tilt Boogie", extensive outtakes, deleted scenes, two music videos, the theatrical trailer, and much much more. A Definite Must for any Horror Fan.

Tarantino and Rodriguez? Excellent!
I've watched a couple Quentin Tarantino movies, and I absolutely loved them. I also liked 'Once Upon A Time In Mexico' from Robert Rodriguez. So as you can imagine, when I heard about this movie, I was very excited. Tarantino is a masterful screenwriter, and Rodriguez definitely has decent skills behind the camera.
After watching the movie, I have to criticize one thing. The first half (about) of the movie was flawless, with QT and George Clooney as two Convicts, the Richie and Seth Gecko. When they embark from the first scene on, it seems as though the movie could go any direction and still be entertaining. However, when you throw in a night club that is flocking with vampires (fitfully so, the club is open dusk till dawn), you can't keep the same movie that you had. I give the story a lower score due to the fact that it doesn't fit well. If you couldn't guess from the title, and you hadn't seen the trailer, you would be oblivious to the fact that the second half of this movie is all vampires. I believe it would've worked better as a full movie of either type. Crime or Horror. But nevertheless, I couldn't resist the acting from QT and Clooney, along with Harvey Keitel and Juliette Lewis. Other than my single complaint, I really enjoyed this movie. As bloody and violent as it is, it's just so fun.

queten tarentino-another excellent director
3 people get abducted by an escaped con and his brother and go to mexico.they hang out in a bar full of vampires all night.george clooney is in it.he does an outstanding job as a escaped prisoner.then theres some freaky sex offender type-not necessary!and the 3 hostages.they are some old preacher dude,juliette lewis and some mexican kid.this is not for children.it is by far and away the best of the from dusk till dawn set.there is a post rape scene at the front that could turn a few heads.thier is a mexican stripper who.........well.....strips and of course the always awesome julieete lewis to look at.every role ive ever seen her play she did an excellent job.she is my favorite actress.the hype says this movie rocks and it does.there is a special apperance by cheech also.filthy and brief.juliette lewis and george clooney both do an excellent job but have better films out there.

sucked
this movie was good for the first 40 minutes....after that it just blew REALLY hard. vampires? come on! i felt like i was watching "Buffy the Vampire Slayer." it had the potential to be a very good movie, but instead pussied out. don't even bother renting this. or option number 2: rent it for the first forty minutes of it, and laugh at the rest. ... Read more

Reviews (92)

All in all, pretty lousy
Only the most die-hard Tim Roth fans will want to sit through this whole movie. Too bad the last two segments (I think they're the last two, anyway) are the only ones even remotely worth watching; that means you have to sit through the first two to get to them. Thank God for fast-forward!
The one with Madonna in it is about witches, and the only thing you can say about it is that it makes witches look like the most boring possible subject matter in the universe. Plus it stars Madonna. 'Nuff said.
Then there's one about a wife and her husband, with one of them tied to a chair or something. This one was so bad, I can't even remember anything else about it. And I only watched it three days ago! What does that tell you?
Thankfully, just when you're begging for someone to shut it off, along comes the third segment, a hilarious little film about two naughty children and the bellhop (Roth, who appears in each segment) who is bribed to keep an eye on them. When the source of the mysterious odor in the room is discovered, Roth's reaction almost justifies the whole movie's existence. I was still laughing hours later.
The last segment, by spoiled Hollywood wonderchild Quentin Tarantino, is okay. It has his trademark crackling dialogue (of course), and Q.T. has some fun with his own image. But too bad the entire segment itself is just one long, sick, unfunny joke.
Making this movie was not a very good idea, and the results were predictably foul. Even the always-enjoyable Roth seems out of place and you kind of feel sorry for him. But at least the "Misbehavers" segment, all by itself, redeems the experience. Almost.

Definitely not for everyone
If you are a hardcore Tarrantino fan, you'll probably like this. If you are a reserved, serious person, you probably won't. Pretty simple huh? Maybe not...

I'll break it down room by room. The first room is sort of just to give us the happy "Ted scored" feeling. Sometimes I'd really rather fast forward through this, as the script is sort of silly in this room. But overall, I've seen a lot worse, and remember, we're not taking this film seriously right?

The second room is the mistaken identity room that really shows off Tim Roth's ability to act. I have read other reviews that say he is horrible in this. I disagree completely. You can see every emotion the character feels pass across his face, which makes it very humorous. Jennifer Beals does a good job in this section, but like a lot of dialogue in Tarrantino films, you get the strict, rigid scripted feeling. In other words, the actors spit out this long line of gibberish that noone would really say in real life. People have to take the time to come up with these types of speeches.

The third room is probably the best, if not a little bit disturbing. I think everyone did a good job in this section, especially Tim Roth when he was aggravated by the children.

The fourth room seems to be plagued by bad acting. In my opinion, only Willis and Roth do a good job. Tarrantino is frightfully bad in his dialogue, and that scripted feeling comes back stronger than ever. Meanwhile, you'd be hard pressed to believe that anyone besides Willis is drunk. I think it was a bad case of overacting on the part of the others. Overall, its still worth watching, and the movie is great if for no other reason than Tim Roth (who is terrific in everything he is in -- See The Muskateer, as his acting is the only thing making the movie worthwhile).

Pulp Fiction(downtoned) + Kill Bill(downtoned)=Four Rooms
i love this movie i thought it was quite enjoyable.Tim Roth cracks me up when i watched this(his performance reminded me a lot of charlie chaplin) especially when he just walks and talks its quite strange but it was a great movie that i think any tarintino viewer would enjoy.

Not bad, and stop blaming Madonna!
With 4 directors and a cast of over 20 actors {all talented}, this movie was bound to flop. Antonio Banderez makes a great appearance and Madonna and Quentin Terentino {and} Bruce Willis were good too. The script seems confusing, the directors all have completely different views and styles, so it's confusing. But it is still funny, the bellhopper was excellent, really funny guy. Madonna, who was only in the first fifteen minutes, was blamed for the badness of the movie, stop hating just because she's one of the only people in this movie who don't cuss up a storm and stay fresh and to the point! And as for Quentin, it was a nice cameo, but you're a lot better behind the camera...

rather keep your good money
The more this Tarantino guy attempts to be sophisticated, the worse he fails. This inexplicably overrated, clumsy effort is even worse than Pulp Fiction. Packed with violence and poor taste, it sticks out like a sore thumb for its total lack of talent, humour, ideas. The film equivalent of a crapburger with 200 chili peppers (expired, too), it lets the amazingly childish ego of its director transpire from its every pore. And I don't tolerate such yobbo in my private living room. ... Read more

Reviews (76)

Spy Kids 2, better that the 1st
As a teenager I usually don't have a thing for movies like this but I definetly liked this one. I ended up taking my little sister to see it but I ended up liking it more than her. Yes, some parts are cheesy (like when the little spy boy ballet dances with the presidents daughter), but there aren't that many moments like that. They also have 2 new characters. Gerti (who is played by Haley Joel Osments sister) is a cool gal and her brother Gary (Matt O'Leary) is gorgeous! I think that's why I liked the movie so much. He's a great actor and a major hottie! The movie itself is WAY better that the first too. The islands got some cool animals too, the "catfish" is cute but i found the "spider monkey" a little disturbing looking. If that thing was my pet I'd be a little scared! I don't want to give the movie away but DEFINETLY WATCH IT!

We¿ve Got A Franchise!!
"Spy Kids 2: Island of Lost Dreams" is another in a line of great sequels to great movies. Overall, if you enjoyed the first film you'll be very pleased in the next installment in this "Bond for Kids" comedy/adventure series!!

THE STORY:

Carmen and Juni Cortez (Alexa Vega and Daryl Sabara) are back in a bigger and wilder adventure than before. This time the Cortez siblings are locked in a dead heat to get to the bottom of a mystery concealed by a remote and mysterious island before a rival team of Spy Kids beat them to the punch.

THE COOL THINGS:

The "Island of Lost Dreams" expands upon the Spy Kids world tenfold as we are introduced to the entire Spy Kids organization including its hierarchies and ultra-cool weapons. The "monsters" in this installment are also more formidable looking (mutated/spliced animals) as compared to the comical mutated humans from the first movie. We also get introduced to the extended Cortez family tree as Ingrid's parents gain a supporting role. In all, seeing the competing Spy Kids and the newer and cooler weapons made this movie more enjoyable.

BEST SCENES:

1. The Monster Duel

2. Popstars Carmen and Juni!!! (HILARIOUS!!!)

3. Battle at OSS

THE VERDICT:

Spy Kids was generally regarded as a good, solid movie not only for kids and families, but anyone in general. It was fun, entertaining and all around enjoyable. Summed in a nutshell, Spy Kids 2: Island of Lost Dreams is even better!!!

Highly Recommended

A PRETTY GOOD MOVIE!
IT WAS PRETTY GOOD!I LIKED THE FIRST ONE BETTER,BUT THIS ONE WAS REAL COOL TOO!THE ACTORS ARE REAL GOOD WHEN THE`RE PLAYING AS THESE PEOPLE!

Great Movie
I enjoyed Spy Kids 2 a lot. I have Spy Kids and it was alright. I watched 3-D in theatres and thought it was crappy. Today I watched Spy Kids 2 and I loved it it's a funny movie full of action. I highly recommend it.

Better than the original but much less like 007
Spy Kids was a lot like James Bond, only for kids. Sure, the gadgets were a little wacky, as was the plot, and the lines weren't super (they should have included some double entendres, that would have been a laugh), but it was good. This, however, shows the franchise is veering into fantasy. And from what I hear about Spy Kids 3D: Game Over, the James Bond similarity seems to be over. If you want James Bond, see Agent Cody Banks, XXX, or the real thing, Die Another Day.
Kids, however, will not make a Venn diagram between Bond and Spy Kids, primarily because they've never watched 007 ask for a vodka martini, shaken not stirred. This movie is heavy on stars ( Antonio Banderas, Ricardo Montalban) but it never feels like, say, Hook.
Two spies have no choice but to let their children, Carmen and Juni, become junior agents. The movie starts out, oddly enough, with a not-so-irrelevant action sequence.
At an OSS meeting, something fishy is going on already. The President, whose daughter was rescued by Juni, is carrying some sort of technological wonder called the Transmooker device (nice name, what's it mean?). It is promptly stolen by the champagne waiters, who disappear by being magnetically sucked to a UFO. Juni is claimed responsible by Gary, the snobby son of the president of the OSS. Gary also has a relationship with Carmen.
Gary and his younger sister Gerti are sent on a mission to recover the Transmooker device, but Juni and Carmen beat them to it. When they get to the island, however, their gadgets do not work... Poor Carmen without her cell phone. Soon they find out about the genetic experiments of a scientist that roam the island, which are pretty big. Picture a lizard with a twenty-foot neck. Yep, they're big. The president of the OSS, however, soon wants the Transmooker device for himself, and things get complicated fast.
The casting could use a little change. Alan Cummings, although his role is tiny in this movie, should have been replaced by Jim Carrey, Jim Carrey played a (kinda) normal guy in Batman Forever, and as a scientist and entrepreneur he wasn't completely wacky. It would take some work, but Robin Williams could do the scientist. That might need a bigger budget, though, so scratch Robin Williams.
This movie doesn't feel so much like a Nickolodeon flick, though, which is an accomplishment. Still, if your child likes the show, they'll like this. Heck, your child will like this no matter what. Take 'em to it. ... Read more

Reviews (182)

Fantasy romp is a real pleasrure
I recently said that Hollywood may have forgotten how to make family movies. It seemed like an art lost in a sea of social changes. It is often said that children aren't as innocence as they used to be. If so, this is equally true of adults. Stories that entertained our grandparents are ones that many of us today find tame, trite and tedious. So, Spy Kids is a welcome surprise. It's fast, funny and innovative. By design, it's greatest appeal is to children, but most parents should enjoy it, too. It is like a Tim Burton movie [The Nightmare Before Christmas, Batman, Sleepy Hollow] with all the dark overtones happily banished. It doesn't make any sense, but, like all great tall tales, it exists in its own space and time.

It took an odd pairing to create this movie. Its star, Antonio Banderas, gained fame as a very hot lover in movies in his native Spain. Director Robert Rodriguez started out in Mexico making movies that were stylish and creative but extremely violent. Until Spy Kids, his American movies were the same. I don't know what drew them to this project, but I'm glad they chose to do it.

Carmen and Juni [Alexa Varga and Daryl Sabara] are kids who live in a cool house overlooking the ocean. Their parents, Gregorio and Ingrid [Banderas and Carla Gugino] are loving but decidedly uncool as far as Carmen and Juni are concerned. Mom is overly protective, and Dad seems to be a wimp. They run a consulting business out of the house. What the kids don't know is that Mom and Dad used to be international spies. Currently, Gregorio and Ingrid are looking into the disappearance of some former coworkers. Juni is obsessed with a wacky children's show starring the bizarre Fegan Floop [Alan Cummin]. The boy, as well as the rest of the family, is about to learn that Floop and the disappearing spies are very much connected. When Gregorio and Ingrid also vanish, the kids set out to find them. It will prove to be the adventure of a lifetime.

The sets are colorful and imaginative. There are lots of cool gadgets - crayons that are actually lasers, neat cars that are also boats and submarines and so forth. Floop has a treasure trove of creatures he has created, including the robot children he plans to use to take over the world. My favorite characters are his bodyguards - pudgy, waddling things that are literally all thumbs.

Banderas is fun as Gregorio, playing a kind of a parody of himself. Varga and Sabara make the children likable. These aren't the cloyingly cute kids you see in most family films. They have personalities with flair and great senses of humor. Cummin plays Floop as a Pee Wee Herman gone completely mad. He's a great villain.

Spy Kids may be about kidnapping and espionage on one level, but it's also about the importance of family, not in the sense of so-called family values, but in the sense of love and loyalty. There will be a sequel in 2002, and, for once, I'm glad to hear it.

In my top 5 of 2001!
GENERAL: Spy Kids is truly a delight, not offensive at all and can be watched over and over again. This movie exceeded my expectations by so much that I bought it. One of the best films in a long time.
ACTING: Wow, Alex Vega and Daryl Sabara knocked me over with their pro performences. The bounce off each other perfectly, and really seem like siblings. The rest of the supporting(adult) cast is great too- 100% flawless.
PLOT: Original and gripping, this is the entertaining story of two children whos parents are captured- while on a spy mission, which the kids have no idea about. Now the kids(Carmen and Juni) have to save their parents and the world from a creative madman.
HUMOR: Wonderful, I laughed hundreds of times during this film and have done so all 10+ times I have seen the movie since.
SPECIAL EFFECTS: This movie has a brand of special effects all it's own, completely original and convincing. A breath of fresh after the doses of metallic Star Wars CGI.
MUSIC: The score, by the director, is beautiful and original. Completely perfect, something that I will never forget. Worth buying the soundtrack.
SPECIAL FEATURES: This is one of the most bare-bones DVDs I've ever seen, terrible for such a great movie! Unless of course all you want is (dun dun dun dun) a trailer!
CONCLUSION: A wonderul family/comedy/thriller, great for anyone and memorable. Spy Kids is definitely worth buying on DVD, if only for the lasting sound quality and picture clarity.
MY GRADE: A+

a great first!
this movie was real good!when i first saw the trailer i didint think it would be that good!but we were going to see a movie but the tickets were sold out,so we just decided to go see this!i was surprised of how good it was!this movie is awsome!

OK but Could Have Been Better
We rented Spy Kids and it was ok and had a couple of scenes that were amusing but I think it could have been better. It was okay to watch once but not a movie I could watch again and again. It just didn't live up to all of the hype it received when it was released to the theaters though it did have a great cast, Antonio Banderas, Alan Cumming, etc but the movie seemed like it was rushed and over edited and some scenes are a little choppy and also this seems like a movie that a child would find more appealing then a adult but that is just my opinion.

Don't Watch This Movie
I saw this movie when it first came out in theatres and was incredibly disappointed. I found this strange considering that, at that time, I was the film's target audience. There was so much room for a clever spoof of spies like James Bond, but the whole movie seemed like an insult to spy movies. The film struggles and fails to be funny. At the theatre where I saw it, no one laughed. I suppose the cheap special effects and awful plot are something to laugh at. But it just felt sad. ... Read more

Description

In this continuation of "El Mariachi," a traveling musician looking for work gets mistaken for a hitman and is thereby entangled in a web of love, corruption, and death. This leads to a very high body count, involvement with a beautiful woman who works for the local drug lord, and finally, the inevitable face-to-face confrontation and bloody showdown. Stars Antonio Banderas and Salma Hayek. Deluxe Edition packed with special features! Featurette: "Sneak Peak: Once Upon A Time in Mexico. Featurette: "10 More Minutes: Anatomy of a Shootout." Audio Commentary with Director Robert Rodriguez. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Guns, guns, guns! And a few explosions as bodies fly through the air and crash into tables and fruit stands. Once Upon a Time in Mexico, like all Robert Rodriguez movies, is all about the kinetic kick of high-velocity action. Johnny Depp, blase and whimsical, plays a CIA agent who's drawn guitar-playing gun-slinger Antonio Banderas (long black hair flopping over his face like the ears of a Labrador puppy) into a ridiculously convoluted plot to overthrow the Mexican government. Along for the ride are a craggy-faced rogue's gallery including Willem Dafoe, Mickey Rourke, Danny Trejo, Ruben Blades, and (to balance things out) the smooth, tantalizing complexions of Eva Mendes and Salma Hayek. For sheer trashy fun, Once Upon a Time in Mexico is a step down from its predecessor, Desperado--but Desperado set the bar pretty high. For coherent storytelling, look elsewhere, but for action razzle-dazzle, this is your movie. --Bret Fetzer ... Read more

Reviews (245)

A bit of a letdown...
I've been meaning to write this review for weeks, but for one reason or another have not gotten around to it until now. What was lost in immediacy is now gained in perspective. As a result, I can judge the film more fairly.

Perhaps "film" is a misnomer, for within the opening credits, writer/director Robert Rodriguez makes it quite clear that none of what is about to transpire is to be taken seriously. Rather than use the standard tag, "A Robert Rodriguez Film," or perhaps, "A Film By Robert Rodriguez," the filmmaker chooses the much cheekier "A Robert Rodriguez Flick." The credits go one step further in setting the tone, when we find out that the movie was "chopped" instead of edited by Mr. Rodriguez.

"Once Upon A Time..." is billed as the final chapter in Rodriguez's now-legendary "El Mariachi" saga. It's strange then, that the star of the movie is not Antonio Banderas' El Mariachi, but instead is Johnny Depp in his second scene stealing turn in as many films (his last being Capt. Jack Sparrow in this summer's Pirates Of The Caribbean.)

Depp is masterful as the corrupt Agent Sands, a CIA operative who uses Mexico as if it were his personal playground, and delights in wearing the cheesiest of tacky t-shirts (Cleavage Inspection Agent anyone?)

The "flick" seems to have been written with the Sands character in mind, with the El Mariachi stuff added in afterwards to fill the gaps. The beautiful Salma Hayak is unforgivably underused, getting what amounts to a glorified cameo's worth of screen-time. Admittedly, the screen time is put to good use, as in one particularly thrilling scene in which Banderas and Hayak escape from would-be assassins while bound together by chains.

Overall, this was a fun picture, but I don't quite understand the four star ratings it's been getting in the press.

Run quick, save yourself.
This movie was such a waste of time. It gets a half star for having semi-decent shootouts and another for a great perfomance by Johnny Depp. Personally though, if you want gunfights you'd do better by renting a John Woo film. By the way whose idea was it to give Enrique a gun. With that said rent at your own risk.

TERRIBLE!!!!
The only reason I gave this movie 2 stars is because of Johnny Depp. As always he overshadows everyone else in the movie with his dark humor and personality, despite the All Star Cast (Banderas, Hayek, Ruben Blades,Enrique Iglesias,etc.).But this movie turned out to be just a confusing and senseless bloodbath.

Buy it only if you are a J.Depp fan. If you are looking for a fast paced fun action movie get Kill Bill Vol.1 or check out 2004's remake of "Dawn of the Dead", both are much better.

new your minute
this movie is was way better than new york minute. since this movie has bad acting.

better than freaky friday
yep this movie was way better than freaky friday. since the movie started to be corny after jamie and lindsay switched personalities. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Okay, you knew everyone in high school was just a little different: everyone looked at you strangely, the teachers were freaky, and you never could find the right groove to fit into. What if it turned out that it was all because your school was inhabited by creepy aliens from outer space? That's the enjoyably cheesy B-premise for this fun and scary flick from the pen of Scream's Kevin Williamson, the master of the post-modern teen horror film. Directed by Robert Rodriguez (El Mariachi), it's The Breakfast Club meets Invasion of the Body Snatchers, as six disparate students from Herrington High School band together when they discover that an alien life form is invading both the student and faculty bodies, with plans to take over the world.

Each of the heroes represents a different high school type: popular babe (Jordana Brewster), picked-on geek (Elijah Wood), goth girl (Clea DuVall), sensitive jock (Shawn Hatosy), new kid in town (Laura Harris), and bad-boy rebel (Josh Hartnett). The plot isn't much--a basic kill-or-be-killed premise spiked with a healthy shot of paranoia--but Willliamson and Rodriguez do a great job of building the tension slowly but surely. The suspense set pieces are genuinely frightening, and the film pokes fun at itself without deflating its scares; Williamson is a master at shifting gears from comedy to horror quickly and adroitly. The young cast doesn't have a weak link among them (with special kudos to Wood, DuVall and heartthrob-in-the-making Hartnett), and Rodriguez gets maximum mileage from the titular faculty, which includes Jon Stewart, Piper Laurie, Salma Hayek, Bebe Neuwirth, and Robert Patrick of Terminator 2. Go to the head of the class, Mr. Williamson. --Mark Englehart ... Read more

Reviews (246)

"The Faculty" Review
Similiar in premise to Mark L. Lester's CLASS OF 1999 with an obvious ode to INVASION OF THE BODY SNATCHERS, screenwriter Kevin Williamson joins forces with director Robert Rodriguez for a fast-moving "aliens take over our school" popcorn flick. With a director known best for Mexican gun battle movies and a writer known for wise-cracking parodies of slasher flicks, a movie about aliens taking over high school classrooms would not seem like an obvious choice.

A group of high school students led by super-senior Hartnett (in his debut role) are shocked to discover that their teachers are actually alien invaders. It's up to dweeby Elijah Wood, snobby Jordana Brewster, and a handful of jocks and outcasts to stop them. As it turns out, the beings that live inside their hosts have a fatal reaction to the ingredients in the class drug dealer's stash. Using the contraband as their weapon, the group heads to the high school where the teachers are ready and waiting.

While it does provide some tense moments, this movie seems to play it safe a little too often. Rather than sacrifice its more popular characters, it always seems to stick them in escapable situations and pander to what the audience would like to see happen with them. The kids, who are on a "Breakfast Club" tip very rarely seem to be in any authentic danger. This seems more like a kiddie-version of Heinlan's "Puppet Masters" than a real serious sci-fi thriller. For all its faults, at the very least, this film has fun with its cast which includes Robert Patrick, Jon Stewart, Famke Jannsen, Usher Raymond, Duane Martin, and a dressed-down Salma Hayek. Hartnett, in particular, has very rarely been as good. Williamson's always-overwritten characters aren't quite as obnoxious as they were in his "Scream" scripts though subsquently, Rodriguez's style feels just a little toned down. What many had assumed to be his trademark Mexican stand-off style mentality of directing is not quite the case here. He's moving in a different direction and while I am a fan of his other style, it is good to see him try something different. The collaborative efforts of both seem to combine for an entertaining if somewhat predictable and harmless new take on an old story.

Fun enough
I don't watch teen flicks in particular (don't like them) or many movies in general (can't afford it). But I found myself sort-of-enjoying this particular movie (borrowed it from the library) despite the gaping plot holes, weird special effects, and occasional unintentionally deadpan actor. It's nice if you wish to flip off your brain function before you hit "play."

Herrington High is the ordinary high school, in all its grubby, cruel, clique-ridden glory. We are introduced (via little name scribbles during freeze-frame, just in case we forget who they are) to several characters: We have Casey (Elijah Wood), a picked-on geek with a heart of gold, who has a unspoken crush on Delilah (Jordana Brewster), an acid-tongued cheerleader who is dating Stan (Shawn Hatosy) who plans to quit the football team and focus on his grades, and who is secretly longed-after by the black-clad antisocial loner Stokely (Clea DuVall), whom perky blonde new girl Marybeth (Laura Harris) is trying to befriend. Then, rounding out the cast is Zeke (Josh Harnett) as a drug-and-porn-dealing bad boy with a brilliant streak. (Confused? Don't worry, not so befuddling when you actually watch it)

The actual plot kicks into gear when Casey finds a strange insectlike creature on the football field -- it becomes a vaguely fishlike creature that reproduces asexually in a tank of water -- and has nasty little teeth. Suddenly strange things begin to happen: one of the teachers becomes bizarrely ill. Students begin behaving angelically. The coach becomes less of a jerk. There are huge amounts of bottled water being brought to the faculty lounge, and the teachers are drinking enormous amounts of it. And then Casey and Delilah catch a glimpse of the coach forcibly infecting the nurse with a strange alien creature. As they scrabble to find out what is happening and how they can stop it, this group of geeks, popular kids, and loners must band together.

I didn't come in expecting much, and I was not disappointed. The best words to describe "Faculty" are "fun enough." Pretty much everything is done in moderation. There are streaks of brilliance and streaks of cheeze, with okay acting and okay writing. The exception to that last is the conclusion about the alien "queen" -- the teens come to this conclusion with nothing but SF movies to back them up. My eyes were rolling so far, I thought they were going to stick.

Much ado is made about Josh Harnett, but he hardly registers here. He doesn't possess the pizazz to play a convincing bad boy, and comes across as a person pretending to be a bad boy. Jordana Brewster does a pretty good job, especially when called upon to be sinister, as did Laura Harris, who seamlessly shifts from one kind of acting to another. Clea DuVall did what she could with what she was given, which wasn't much. Shawn Hatosy is okay, nothing more.

Elijah Wood is the sole really outstanding performance in this film. Fans of his performance in "Lord of the Rings" may want to check this out, as there are some similarities between his performance in that film and the physically unimpressive, smart, pleasant, scared witless, unlikely hero Casey. (Though admittedly, Frodo Baggins never got slammed crotch-first into a flagpole) He manages to pull off some real groaner lines like "Maybe they're simply preparing us for what's to come" and "I don't think a person should run unless he's being chased" that a lesser actor could not have. He projects his emotions more vividly than any of the other actors; when we see Casey huddled on the ground with a look of misery on his face, the heart bleeds. Yet he's also the most driven and enthusiastic. He's the little geek who could.

Special effects depend. Some of it is cheese incarnate, especially when some of the teachers are stabbed or sprinkled with scat. Their physical responses are unabashedly dumb. The morphing thing is well done, as are the alien "goldfish" and the scene in the swimming pool.

Directing is actually pretty good. With the exception of some later scenes, where all subtlety is abandoned, the first eighty percent of the movie is quite suspenseful. Among the good ones: The football players enthusiastically playing their game -- and infecting the opposing team as they go. Casey being approached by an infected character on one side and a horde of ravening football players on the other. The tense, suspicion-laden scene where they have to take Zeke's stash of drugs to determine who is an alien; the part where Casey starts giggling uncontrollably, with a gun pointed at his head, is too funny to miss.

This is not a kids' movie, and some older teens can probably handle it. There's loads of profanity, very little of it necessary to the script; it seems like the f-word was used an average of once per sentence. There is also a lot of violence, but very little of it is realistic. Neither are the beasties, which are very well-done, CGI-wise, especially the shots in the swimming pool, and of the alien creatures in the tank. The deteriorating teacher was the scariest thing I saw. There is no dirty content, though there are many references, and one of the characters goes wandering around in the nude near the end, but you can't see any details.

I don't particularly care that it rips off "Bodysnatchers" or "The Thing." It's a nice piece of fluff entertainment, and a pleasant enough way to pass an afternoon.

Good Alien Fun
This movie may not be the most original thing to come out of teen flicks ( then again, name one teen flick that is original, especially when it concerns horror/thriller movies.) The point is, this movie is a fun way to spend a couple of hours. But, it can only be fun if you don't over analyse it. It does have a few story line flaws, but overal it is a really enjoyable experience. Kudos especially to Clea DuVall. She is probablly the only hot girl who you'd buy as a Trekkie. While some of the characters seemed a little too cliche (Jordana Brewsters character, for example) overall it was a bunch who you could safely get invested in. (ALthough Elijah would seemed to play the nerd with alot of personal experience. ALso, fantasticly fun performance by Jon Stewart. ALl the performances were good, and the movie is definatley a fun ride if you just go with it.

TEACHERS PETS?
If you're gonna rip off a classic like INVASION OF BODY SNATCHERS or PUPPET MASTERS, at least do it right...Robert Rodriguez did it right with this stylish and visceral thriller. Blessed with a very talented young cast and some venerable artists, THE FACULTY is fun, furious and frightening. There are some unexpected plot twists, and the terror of being "changed" ever prominent.
The best performances: Piper Laurie, fiercely understated; Shawn Hotosy (an intelligent and sensitive jock); Clea DuVall (Gothicly gorgeous); Robert Patrick (what a manly coach!); and Elijah Wood (destined to become the lord of the rings).
The good performances: Bebe Neuwirth as the red-taped principal; Josh Hartnett as the dropout back to save the day; and Famke Janssen as the sex-deprived teacher who does a remarkable makeover once possessed. Laura Harris (The Calling) is okay, but not great, in her role as newcomer Mary Beth.
The movie moves well and has some high moments of comedy, to boot. Credit to screenwriter Kevin Williamson for this delightfully different, if derivative, horror.

oh my god!!! aliens are in the school!!!
Robert Rodriquez(Director of The 3 Spy Kids movies, Desperado, El Mariachi, Once Upon A Time In Mexico and From Dusk Till Dawn) brings us into the lives of some high school students who find out that their teachers are from another planet, I mean literally. there's geeky Eljah Wood(Ash Wednesday, North), the bad boy Josh Hartnett(Hollywood Homicide, Blow Dry and The Faculty is his second motion ficture he stars in folks, for all you ladyfans out there), rebel girl Clea DuVall(Identity, 13 Conversations About The Same Thing), swimboy Shawn Hatosy(Outside Providence and Down To You), popular girl Jordana Brewster(the 60's), football player Usher Raymond(She's All That and Light IT Up) and the new girl(forgot her name but didnt forget that nude scene though). the teachers include Jon Stewart(Jay and Silent bob Strike Back), Bebe Neuwirth(Tv's Cheers and Fraiser), DAniel Von Bergen(Tv's Malcolm In The Middle), Robert Patrick(Tv's The X-Files, Eye See You), Famke Janssen(MAde and X-Men) and Salma Hayek(Desperado, Once Upon A Time In Mexico and From Dusk Till Dawn, I mean you name a Rodriquez movie she hasnt been in). some good performances, especially by Hartnett, Hatosy and Wood. good writing, but did we have to do that big alien thing at the end. I mean, jeez, but anyway it was a good ride and let me tell you Rodriquez knows how to give you a wild ride with his movies ... Read more

Reviews (40)

DVD does not get any better
Robert Rodriguez's "El Mariachi" is one of the great independent movies. It follows a very original plot about a man with no name (called El Mariachi)(Carlos Gallardo) who comes into a crime run Mexican town looking for work. Instead he is being mistaken for a man carrying a guitar case full of guns seeking revenge on the town boss. Plenty of great action sequences light up this amazing film.

El mariachi returns in the big budget/big cast sequel, "Desperado" starring Antonio Banderas. This time he is the one seeking revenge with the guitar case full of guns. The character has become more of a legend. The cast is great featuring Joaquim De Almeida, Salma Hayek, Steve Buscemi, Cheech Marin, and even Quentin Tarentino. Carlos Gallardo also makes a brief appearance in a different role. The script is gret and the action sequences are even better.

The DVD has commentary from Rodriguez and features additional short programs about how he went about filming the two movies. It is really interesting to hear how these films were made, making it an essential DVD for any movie buff. There are the original trailers as well as scene selection. Both movies are really good and this DVD certainly deserves a look.

El Mariachi/Desperado - A Twin Bonanza!
These are 2 great action flicks I've watched in recent times. I do not really want to compare both, but couldn't help not doing it.

El Mariachi is definitely a masterpiece from a very young, versatile director Robert Rodriguez, who I think has a tremendous potential. Good, solid performances from little known Carlos Gallardo and Conseula Gomez. Do not forget the fact that the movie was made for a measly budget of $7,000 with help from the Director's friends and acquaintances. Very gripping, amazing picturization and very good use of even trivial, simple looking things. A must-see movie for any Action Director Wannabe. On the flip side, it's meant for those who could follow Spanish or comfortable "reading" movies.

Then there is Desperado, flashy and star studded. Rodriguez spices it up with some stylized action, steamy romance and an impressive music score and in the process losing some of his artistic touch. Banderas and Hayek have good chemistry between them and all other actors blend into their roles perfectly. It's not clear if Desperado is a remake or a sequel of El Mariachi. The storylines are similar except for the beginning and end. El Mariachi is not really a 'bad guy', just a victim of circumstances and slave to passion, does things he doesn't intend to, at the spur of the moment, falls in love with a girl in the town and pitched against the local Drug Baron in both. This would make one feel Desperado is a high-budget remake of El Mariachi. But, the Mariachi's motives are very different in both. In the former, an ambitious young Mariachi comes into the town to make a living for himself and is mistaken for a Guitarist gunslinger. However in the latter, he comes in to avenge his lover's brutal killing and also there's an interesting twist towards the end.

If Moco who killed Mariachi's lover, met his death in Mariachi's hands in the first movie, why did he show up again in the second? If it was Moco who killed Mariachi's lover, why did he seek revenge on Bucho in the second? These could be flaws or things I didn't understand. Anyway, don't break your head on these, just sit back, relax and enjoy the movies.. I'm sure you'll love them!

A note on DVD: Desperado DVD can't get any better, it's very good; However, Mariachi DVD leaves much to be desired. I believe there's a better 2-disc DVD available in the market that has a remastered version of Mariachi from the Director's original negatives. Go for that version if you're very particular about the DVD quality..

Mindless but Entertaining
As I watched this film for the first time, my two reactions were (a) I'll bet they all had fun making it and (b) is this a parody of the so-called "Spaghetti Westerns"? Essentially, there is no plot. El Mariachi (Antonio Banderas) seeks revenge from Bucho (Joaquim de Almeida) in a town which the drug dealer controls. EM enlists the support and assistance of Carolina (Selma Hayek) who owns and manages the local book store. (I'm not making this up.) No one eats or sleeps in this film. All of the action occurs during the day. There are a few crowd scenes but no one in the crowd seems to have any interest whatsoever in the fact that the street scenes are being filmed. There is one bar of special note. Cheech Marin is its host and bartender. (If you think the bar in Star Wars is unfriendly, this one makes it seem like the Palm Court at The Plaza in New York.) At one point, Quentin Tarantino briefly appears. Apparently he is involved in a drug deal which goes bad. Steve Buscemi also makes a brief appearance. Prudently, he decides not to become involved in the plot. (Where is Harvey Keitel?) EM is a one-man-army. Credit Rodriguez with brilliantly choreographing his creative and relentless carnage which leads up to the inevitable showdown with Bucho. Although most of this film makes no sense whatsoever, I found it thoroughly entertaining. It is on my Top Ten list of films to watch while consuming buttered popcorn, a box of Dots, and a cold beverage...or two.

====ripped off some of john woo's movies====
====most of the scenes are reminicense or like john woo's films but this movie was a good copy=====

Mexican Heat!!! READ ME
Wow, must see, Antonio has done it again, and with his new movie Once upon a Time in Mexico, SWEET!!! He faces of a challeng where Bucho has killed his family and he wants revenge. Making blood banks all over. But really what makes you want to go crazy for, the guitar, or guitar case. He is a mexican mariachi looking for Bucho with a guitar case full of wepons. Now i don't want to spoil it, and you can also find once Upon a Time in Mexico with Antonio. ... Read more

Description

El Mariachi just wants to play his guitar and carry on the family tradition. Unfortunately, the town he tries to find work in has another visitor...a killer who carries his guns in a guitar case. The drug lord and his henchmen mistake El Mariachi for the killer, Azul, and chase him around town trying to kill him and get his guitar case. New film transfer from original negatives supervised by Robert Rodriguez! Featurette: "Sneak Peak: Once Upon A Time in Mexico." Audio Commentary with Director Robert Rodriguez. Featurette: 10 Minute Film School. Featurette: Robert Rodriguez's Student Film "Bed Head." ... Read more

Description

The Superbit titles utilize a special high bit rate digital encoding process which optimizes video quality while offering a choice of both DTS and Dolby Digital 5.1 audio. These titles have been produced by a team of Sony Pictures Digital Studios video, sound and mastering engineers and comes housed in a special package complete with a 4 page booklet that contains technical information on the Superbit process. By reallocating space on the disc normally used for value-added content, Superbit DVDs can be encoded at double their normal bit rate while maintaining full compatibility with the DVD video format. ... Read more

Reviews (94)

The Most Super of Superbit DVDs
This week I had an opportunity to take a look at the new Superbit DVDs from Columbia Tristar. Of all the Superbit DVDs we looked at the one which clearly delivered on the Superbit promise is Desperado Superbit with a version clearly superior to the initial release. From the first scene in the movie on, the picture is remarkably improved over the original version. To give you an example of how big the difference is, when Steve Buscemi's character walks into the bar, it looks like it is lit in a murky brown light, whereas in the Superbit version the bar is clearly and evenly lit by a dark red light. I was like, "Oh, so that's what it's supposed to look like!" I found myself comparing a good number of scenes in Desperado, and clearly across the board the Desperado Superbit looked better. The key scene I selected compare between the two versions in Desperado was the one where Carolina (played by Selma Hayek) sings a song on the bed of El Mariachi (Antonio Banderas). Some of the notable differences I could see:

• Skin tone! Wow! In the Superbit version there's a dramatic difference in skin tone, it looks a lot richer and is a much truer color.
• As the camera pans over to Selma's face you can see much more detail in her face and on her skin.
• The colors of El Mariachi's guns are much different and they glimmer in the Superbit version. In the original version they are a dull metallic color.

The DTS audio track is as dramatic a difference as the picture. Most noticeably is when El Mariachi jumps backward from the top of the building firing his pistols. In the DTS audio track you hear a thud as he lands, something I didn't hear in either the old or new Dolby Digital tracks. Of all the Superbit Titles, Desperado is the easiest to recommend as a 'replacement' DVD for someone who already owns the original version. The improvements in the Superbit version are significant enough to warrant a purchase and you don't give up anything going to Superbit, as the original release didn't have any special features. However, there was also a double feature release (yep, Superbit makes release #3), which had Desperado on one side and El Mariachi on the other, so that's a pretty huge special feature to give up (and the only way to own El Mariachi on DVD).

[Geoffrey Kleinman, DVDTalk.com]

"El Mariachi" with a budget
As far as revenge flicks go, this one plays by all the rules....and still delivers the goods. The main draw of this film is (and ought to be) the promise of some amazing action scenes. With Robert Rodriguez directing, you know you'll get what you paid for. Revenge flicks also need an angry lone hero out to get anybody for a past wrong. And here we have Antonio Banderas in (what I consider to be) his breakout role. His is really the only character that has the amount of depth usually reserved for more weighty films. But then again, we're talking about a Robert Rodriguez movie. And Banderas is a damn fine actor. He is perfectly cast as the nameless "Mariachi." Salma Hayek is lookin' good as the love interest, but aside from being Salma Hayek (something no man can quibble over), she isn't given much to work with. Still, there is a hilarious throwaway role filled past the brim by the inestimable Steve Buscemi; Cheech Marin appears as "the Bartender." Quentin Tarantino even pops up to tell an obscene joke (can you imagine?). The one debit this film has going against it, besides the one-dimensional -- though highly entertaining -- characters, is the fact that the huge climactic gunfight at the ranch never is shown! (If you've seen the film, you know what I'm talking about.)

I suppose I should summarize.... "Desperado" rocks. Plain and simple, if you're looking for an above-average action thriller with lots of goofy humor, this is the way to do it. And if you're really ambitious, I highly recommend seeing "Desperado" and "El Mariachi," Rodriguez's original feature debut, in one sitting and comparing the two films. "El Mariachi" is much better, but since it was filmed on a shoestring budget, it doesn't feature some of the more mind-blowing fight sequences you can find in "Desperado." It's up to you to decide which is better, but for sure, "Desperado" is one of my top picks for a guilty pleasure. 4 of 5 stars.

West Side Story...South of the Border
OK, may be the plot isn't relative and the weaponry a little more state-of-the-art, but the choreography.....better!

This violent, shoot-um-up-to-the-max was definitely 'death dancing to it's own rhythm'.

I viewed the Superbit DVD, but never having watched either of the previous two DVDs nor the video, I can't make any comparison. I can say the DTS was awesome. The picture quality was excellent. It doesn't get any better than this, especially since the tiny shrinking cinemaplex theaters have made my surround-sound and 32" TV the theater of choice.

Sex and guns and music from Los Lobos interwoven with campy humor, Antonio being...well Antonio (ladies, need I say more), with great support from the likes of Steve Buscemi (in one of his best roles I think), Cheech Marin, and the sultry Salma Hayek; what more could you want in an action movie. I found this film far superior to and much more enjoyable than 'Dawn To Dusk'.

Now that 'Desperado II - Once Upon A Time in Mexico'is in the works for a 2003 release with the return of Antonio and Salma and the addition of Johnny Depp and Enrique Iglesias, once again under the direction of Robert Rodriguez, we can look foward to finding out just where the loving couple rode off to into the sunset.

Seems I repeatedly say these two things:

I am not your run-of-the mill young western fan - wrong gender, wrong age, but I enjoyed it anyway;

and also reminding those who picked-at the flaws, degraded and jeered at the plot (?), questioned the reality, and just plain didn't get the campiness, to just let yourself go!

Don't take yourself and the movies so seriously. Enjoy the humor. Enjoy Antonio or Salma, whichever one sets your pulse-to-racing. Heck, just enjoy the movie!

It Was Good, But ...
I was disappointed with the ending. Of course, I loved the twist, but the conclusion to the twist wasn't what I was hoping for. But hey, if you enjoy "out on a vendetta" movies as much as I do, you'll enjoy the ride.

A GREAT ACTION FILM FOR THE AGES!
I am a big fan of the "action" genre and the whole Mariachi Trilogy tops my list.Especially with Desperado my favorite.I showed this film to my friend and they were extreamly impressed.Some people say that this movie's no good because it's too too unreal.This movie wasn't meant to be real it was meant to be fun.Antonio Banderas and Salma Hayek really give this movie a "spice" to the screen.Desperado is filled with bullet-flying action,humor,and a romance.Those who've seen this movie will know what I'm talking about.If you're not into actio movies,or violent movies than Desperado is defenetley not for you.For those who are into action movies and haven't seen this movie yet,SEE IT NOW!I gaurentee you won't be disappointed. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Before Robert Rodriguez's El Mariachi, Mexicans in North American action films were typically maids, drug dealers, or prison inmates. Even if the Cisco Kid was a friend of yours, you handled a dust cloth or a Mac-10 if you lasted in Hollywood longer than a New York minuto. But when El Mariachi crossed the border in 1992, things changed. Granted, it still involved a drug lord in a shoot-em-up, bang-bang, but this time the good guy was a Mexican. Austin-based Rodriguez made El Mariachi for a fistful of pesos and a little help from his friends. He wrote, directed, coproduced, edited, and operated the camera. Plus, he assembled a cast that had never acted before to work por nada. All for a paltry $7,000, a milagro without a beanfield war.

Desperado continues the outrageous action adventure. Working with a much bigger budget, Rodriguez returns the nameless mariachi to nonstop action. Again thrust into a world he never made, the hero takes his guitar-case arsenal deep into the criminal labyrinth of Bucho (Joaquim de Almeida), el gran chingon of the Mexican drug lords. With an amigo (Steve Buscemi) and a beautiful bookstore owner (Salma Hayek), el mariachi confronts an outrageous cast along the way, including a bartender (Cheech Marin), a drug deal pick-up guy (Quentin Tarantino), and the original mariachi (coproducer Carlos Gallardo) as a new-found compa'. Antonio Banderas has the lead this time, and if he's not quite up to the challenge, it's probably because he's Spanish, not Mexican, a distinction not lost by anyone raised on what the popular media now calls "ethnic food." That said, Desperado is not to be missed. Using intelligence, romance, and humor--as well as plenty of explosive, surreal violence--Rodriguez again showcases the timeless struggle between the forces of darkness and light. And, in the process, he's recasting the mold for the contemporary action hero--kids now argue about who gets to play the Mexican. --Stephan Magcosta ... Read more

Reviews (40)

DVD does not get any better
Robert Rodriguez's "El Mariachi" is one of the great independent movies. It follows a very original plot about a man with no name (called El Mariachi)(Carlos Gallardo) who comes into a crime run Mexican town looking for work. Instead he is being mistaken for a man carrying a guitar case full of guns seeking revenge on the town boss. Plenty of great action sequences light up this amazing film.

El mariachi returns in the big budget/big cast sequel, "Desperado" starring Antonio Banderas. This time he is the one seeking revenge with the guitar case full of guns. The character has become more of a legend. The cast is great featuring Joaquim De Almeida, Salma Hayek, Steve Buscemi, Cheech Marin, and even Quentin Tarentino. Carlos Gallardo also makes a brief appearance in a different role. The script is gret and the action sequences are even better.

The DVD has commentary from Rodriguez and features additional short programs about how he went about filming the two movies. It is really interesting to hear how these films were made, making it an essential DVD for any movie buff. There are the original trailers as well as scene selection. Both movies are really good and this DVD certainly deserves a look.

El Mariachi/Desperado - A Twin Bonanza!
These are 2 great action flicks I've watched in recent times. I do not really want to compare both, but couldn't help not doing it.

El Mariachi is definitely a masterpiece from a very young, versatile director Robert Rodriguez, who I think has a tremendous potential. Good, solid performances from little known Carlos Gallardo and Conseula Gomez. Do not forget the fact that the movie was made for a measly budget of $7,000 with help from the Director's friends and acquaintances. Very gripping, amazing picturization and very good use of even trivial, simple looking things. A must-see movie for any Action Director Wannabe. On the flip side, it's meant for