• Quotes (21)
• Trivia (1)
• Plot Description
• Soundtrack
• Wallpapers
• Shooting Locations
• Popularity
Directed by
Robert Rodriguez Written by
Robert Rodriguez Cast
Antonio Banderas, Salma Hayek, Johnny Depp, Mickey Rourke, Eva Mendes [more]
Release Date
• USA: Sep 12, 2003
• UK: 26 Sep 2003
DVD Release Date
• R1: Nov 10, 2003
• R2: 20 Jan 2004
Budget $29,000,000
Official Website:
Once Upon a Time in Mexico Website
MPAA Rating
Rated R for strong violence, and for language.
Running Time
1 hour, 41 minutes
Country Mexico, USA
Studio Columbia Pictures, Dimension Films, Robert Rodriguez, Sony Pictures Entertainment, Troublemaker Studios
More info on IMDb.com
Other Titles
• Once Upon a Time in Mexico
• El Mariachi 3
|
Once Upon a Time in Mexico Reviews |
"Once Upon..." isn't unwatchable but it feels half-formed, a shoddy Sergio Leone 'tribute' filmed from a first draft by a director who lacks the discipline to match his talent. The credits proclaim this to be "A Robert Rodriguez flick". It's about time he made a film. [read review] 
--Nev Pierce (BBC Films)
Like Leone's movie, the Rodriguez epic is more interested in the moment, in great shots, in surprises and ironic reversals and closeups of sweaty faces, than in a coherent story. Both movies feed on the music of heroism and lament. Both paint their stories in bold, bright colors. [read review] 
--ROGER EBERT (Chicago Sun-Times)
After the legendary success of El Mariachi and the extremely good Desperado, you want the third one to be the ultimate movie - the Good, the Bad and the Ugly of the storied series. But, instead, we're given a mish-mash of interweaving plotlines that is much more confusing in the long run than satisfying. Perhaps expectation gets in the way, but you really, really want something more. [read review] 5/10
-- (CHUD.com)
The action is outrageous, as El Mariachi achieves superhero levels of coolness, and the movie's sense of retro style is cool. But that success is overshadowed by the waste of Willem Dafoe, Mickey Rourke and Latin heartthrob Enrique Iglesias, plus, the story draaags on. On top of that, it has more of a bust-up than a bang-up ending. [read review] C+
-- (E! Online)
How can you resist a movie that features Willem Dafoe sporting a tan, Mickey Rourke cradling a Chihuahua and Johnny Depp turning in another oddball tour de force? It's all there in Robert Rodriguez's gloriously incoherent salute to action movie mythology, "Once Upon a Time in Mexico,' another giddy exercise in genre busting from a filmmaker who has become the best one-man band working in movies today. [read review]
--Glenn Whipp (L.A. Daily News)
It's difficult to resist the feeling that Rodriguez has lost control of himself--his growing obsession with assuming nearly all the key creative positions on his films (production designer, editor, cinematographer, composer), as well as taking screen credit for them, suggests that he is either hopelessly insecure or staggeringly conceited. [read review]
--Wade Major (Boxoffice Magazine)
Robert Rodriguez is a wizard when it comes to making films on shoestring budgets. So take his wallet away. ...Rodriguez finishes off the "El Mariachi" trilogy with its biggest budget yet - $30 million. Nevertheless, "Once Upon a Time in Mexico" doesn't have half the charm of its two cut-rate predecessors. [read review] 
--Jami Bernard (New York Daily News)
Sometimes it's easier than others to forgive a filmmaker his excesses. Such a case is Once Upon a Time in Mexico, a mess of a movie that nevertheless entertains because each individual piece stands high enough on its own merits that it's not necessary tolook hard at the nonsensical linking material. Once Upon a Time in Mexico isn't so much a movie as it is a series of action/comedic sequences. [read review]
--James Berardinelli (ReelViews)
Slow-moving, surprisingly light on action and occasionally confusing, this is something of a disappointment, despite yet another great performance from Depp and at least one stand-out action scene. [read review]
--Matthew Turner (ViewLondon)
Robert Rodriguez's gun-slingin', car-chasin' joyous mess of a movie -- featuring Johnny Depp, Antonio Banderas, Salma Hayek and more -- is also a political allegory on an epic scale. [read review]
--Andrew O'Hehir (Salon)
Robert Rodriguez's gun-slingin', car-chasin' joyous mess of a movie -- featuring Johnny Depp, Antonio Banderas, Salma Hayek and more -- is also a political allegory on an epic scale. [read review]
Ostensibly the final chapter in Robert Rodriguez’ drug-lord-killin’ trilogy, “Once Upon a Time in Mexico” is not so much a sequel as a different, more epic take on a familiar tune. [read review]
--Kevin N. Laforest (Montreal Film Journal)
A dog’s breakfast of violence and partially developed characters, but if you can live with that, then you can have a lot of fun with this audacious, oddball film. [read review] 77/100
--Brian Webster (Apollo Guide)
Go for Depp. Go for Rodgrigeuz behind the camera. Don't go for a story you can sink your teeth into because you'll just end up chipping your tooth. [read review] 
--Brian Gallagher (MovieWeb)
If you're looking for the most confusing plot since Memento, but also yearn for the mindless action of Tomb Raider, this is your movie. [read review] 
--Derek May (MovieWeb)
Once Upon a Time in Mexico is an explosive and well choreographed gun assault that only falters to reload every once in awhile. [read review] 8/10
--Joseph Kastner (Movie-Vault.com)
"Once Upon a Time in Mexico" moves with uncanny cool; it has a strange lukewarm energy that most Hollywood action films lack. [read review]
--Jeffrey M. Anderson (San Francisco Examiner)
See it, but don't bother trying to follow it or you'll end up ruining it for yourself. [read review]
--Joshua 'Clark' Bertram (MovieWeb)
When it comes to creating excitement or adrenaline, [it] never really succeeds [read review] C+
--Lee Tistaert (Lee's Movie Info)
|
|
Movie Database
In Theaters
