Movie · 1995 · Thriller, Action, Crime · 1h 44m · R · English
Curator score: 5.4/10 (118.9K ratings)
He came back to settle the score with someone. Anyone. EVERYONE.
Overview
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.
Ratings
Curator score: 5.4/10
Letterboxd: 3.52/5
Rotten Tomatoes: 71%
TMDB: 6.9/10
Director
Robert Rodriguez
Production
Columbia Pictures, Los Hooligans Productions
Cast
Antonio Banderas, Salma Hayek Pinault, Joaquim de Almeida, Steve Buscemi, Cheech Marin, Carlos Gómez, Quentin Tarantino, Tito Larriva, Angel Aviles, Danny Trejo, Abraham Verduzco, Carlos Gallardo, Albert Michel Jr., David Alvarado, Angela Lanza, Mike Moroff, Robert Arevalo, Gerardo Moscoso, Peter Marquardt, Consuelo Gómez
Where to watch
Netflix, Netflix Standard with Ads
Curator Review
Verdict
A loud, stylish, and very entertaining action-revenge movie that trades realism for swagger, music, and explosive set pieces. It’s especially rewarding if you like pulpy crime cinema with a romantic streak and a strong sense of visual attitude.
Best for
fans of kinetic 90s action movies
viewers who like revenge stories with a playful tone
people drawn to sexy, hyper-stylized genre filmmaking
audiences who enjoy charismatic leads and big set-piece action
Skip if
you want grounded or realistic crime drama
you dislike exaggerated violence and cartoonish villains
you prefer subtle performances over broad pulp energy
you are allergic to movies that prioritize style as much as plot
Overview
Desperado is pure pulp propulsion: a revenge story stripped to its bones and rebuilt as a mariachi-fueled action fantasia. Robert Rodriguez leans hard into color, music, and momentum, turning every gunfight into a flourish and every pause into a pose. It’s not interested in realism; it wants to be cool, loud, and memorable, and on that level it absolutely delivers.
Worth noting
Antonio Banderas gives the film its center with a mix of melancholy and swagger, while Salma Hayek adds warmth and heat that help keep the movie from becoming just a barrage of bullets. The supporting cast is packed with fun faces, and the movie’s sense of humor keeps the violence from feeling grim. It’s a film with a very specific attitude, and that attitude is a big part of the appeal.
Bottom line
If you respond to DIY genre filmmaking, bold camera moves, and action movies that feel like they’re strutting instead of walking, this is an easy recommendation. If you want something more restrained or emotionally layered, it may feel thin. But as a piece of 90s action cinema with personality to spare, it still hits hard.
Top Letterboxd reviews
zoë rose bryant (4★) · 813 likes
antonio banderas and salma hayek holding hands and walking away from an explosion as their hair blows in the wind is what movies were made for
Grooveman (5★) · 795 likes
I had a paper route when I was 12 and this was the first movie I bought on VHS with my money. 12 year old Grooveman was a bad motherfucker.
DirkH (3★) · 572 likes
Way before Rodriguez only made silly cartoons, he made slightly less silly cartoons that were fun because of fun not because of an obsession with his own style.
Two things though:
- Tarantino telling that joke.
- Salma Hayek crossing the street.
Two very legitimate reasons to rewatch this when you get the chance.
Christian Di Leo (4★) · 392 likes
This thing is a fucking vibe, padre. I haven't seen this in a long, long time so I forgot how goddamn entertaining it was! Rodriguez's mexican revenge tale is one of his best films ever. It's bloody, sexy, hilarious and just one hell of an action-packed fiesta. Banderas is incredible, Hayek's so hot that she's causing car accidents, De Almeida kills it as the moustache-twirling villian, and the supporting cast features memorable performances from Steve Buscemi, Danny Trejo, Cheech Marin… more This thing is a fucking vibe, padre. I haven't seen this in a long, long time so I forgot how goddamn entertaining it was! Rodriguez's mexican revenge tale is one of his best films ever. It's bloody, sexy, hilarious and just one hell of an action-packed fiesta. Banderas is incredible, Hayek's so hot that she's causing car accidents, De Almeida kills it as the moustache-twirling villian, and the supporting cast features memorable performances from Steve Buscemi, Danny Trejo, Cheech Marin… more
Nolan Barth (4★) · 361 likes
The fact that Steve Buscemi’s character is just named Buscemi makes me so happy