Susan Granger’s review of “Once Upon a Time in Mexico” (Sony Pictures/Columbia)
If you missed “El Mariachi” and “Desperado,” never fear. Robert Rodriguez re-introduces the gun-slinging, guitar-strumming balladeer (Antonio Banderas) who vows revenge for the cold-blooded murder of his beloved wife (Salma Hayek) and their young daughter. Only, this time, a cool, caustic CIA agent named Sands (Johnny Depp) steals the picture right out from under him. The somewhat incoherent plot revolves around a drug-cartel boss (Willem Dafoe), his American henchman (Mickey Rourke) and a fascist General (Gerardo Vigil) who arrange a coup d’etat in Culican province during the festive Day of the Dead celebration. Banderas’s brooding pistolero gets involved because a) General Marquez killed his family, and b) he’s a patriot who objects on general principles to the assassination of Mexico’s president. There are subplots involving his crooning mariachi sidekicks (Enrique Iglesias, Marco Leonardi), a crooked local cop (Eva Mendes), a retired FBI agent (Ruben Blades) and a botched attempt at plastic surgery. Since 1992, when he made “El Mariachi” on a $7,000 budget, Robert Rodriguez has achieved mainstream success through his “Spy Kids” franchise. Nevertheless, he still clings to his Sergio Leone spaghetti Western-inspired roots. Using a high-definition video camera, he writes, directs, scores and chops (his word for “edits”) his films from his Troublemaker studio in Austin, Texas. While this chaotic fable lacks substance, it oozes with shoot-’em-up style and explosive energy. On the Granger Movie Gauge of 1 to 10, “Once Upon a Time in Mexico” is a grotesque, fragmented 5. Sadly, however, despite second billing, sultry Salma Hayek does little more than an extended cameo appearance in memory flashbacks.
