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Once Upon a Time in Mexico

  • 2003
  • R
  • 1h 42m
IMDb RATING
6.3/10
174K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
3,953
850
Antonio Banderas, Johnny Depp, and Salma Hayek in Once Upon a Time in Mexico (2003)
Trailer for Once Upon a Time in Mexico
Play trailer2:16
10 Videos
99+ Photos
Dark ComedyGun FuActionCrimeThriller

Hitman "El Mariachi" becomes involved in international espionage involving a psychotic CIA agent and a corrupt Mexican general.Hitman "El Mariachi" becomes involved in international espionage involving a psychotic CIA agent and a corrupt Mexican general.Hitman "El Mariachi" becomes involved in international espionage involving a psychotic CIA agent and a corrupt Mexican general.

  • Director
    • Robert Rodriguez
  • Writer
    • Robert Rodriguez
  • Stars
    • Antonio Banderas
    • Salma Hayek
    • Johnny Depp
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    6.3/10
    174K
    YOUR RATING
    POPULARITY
    3,953
    850
    • Director
      • Robert Rodriguez
    • Writer
      • Robert Rodriguez
    • Stars
      • Antonio Banderas
      • Salma Hayek
      • Johnny Depp
    • 548User reviews
    • 122Critic reviews
    • 56Metascore
  • See production info at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 3 wins & 6 nominations total

    Videos10

    Once Upon a Time in Mexico
    Trailer 2:16
    Once Upon a Time in Mexico
    Once Upon a Time in Mexico
    Trailer 0:31
    Once Upon a Time in Mexico
    Once Upon a Time in Mexico
    Trailer 0:31
    Once Upon a Time in Mexico
    Once Upon A Time In Mexico Scene: My Guitar
    Clip 0:58
    Once Upon A Time In Mexico Scene: My Guitar
    Once Upon A Time In Mexico Scene: Kill A Man
    Clip 0:54
    Once Upon A Time In Mexico Scene: Kill A Man
    Once Upon A Time In Mexico Scene: Kill Your Village
    Clip 0:56
    Once Upon A Time In Mexico Scene: Kill Your Village
    Once Upon A Time In Mexico: Restore The Balance
    Clip 0:44
    Once Upon A Time In Mexico: Restore The Balance

    Photos114

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    Top cast36

    Edit
    Antonio Banderas
    Antonio Banderas
    • El Mariachi
    Salma Hayek
    Salma Hayek
    • Carolina
    Johnny Depp
    Johnny Depp
    • Sands
    Willem Dafoe
    Willem Dafoe
    • Barillo
    Mickey Rourke
    Mickey Rourke
    • Billy
    Eva Mendes
    Eva Mendes
    • Ajedrez
    Danny Trejo
    Danny Trejo
    • Cucuy
    Enrique Iglesias
    Enrique Iglesias
    • Lorenzo
    Marco Leonardi
    Marco Leonardi
    • Fideo
    Cheech Marin
    Cheech Marin
    • Belini
    Rubén Blades
    Rubén Blades
    • Jorge FBI
    Gerardo Vigil
    • Marquez
    Pedro Armendáriz Jr.
    Pedro Armendáriz Jr.
    • El Presidente
    • (as Pedro Armendariz)
    Julio Oscar Mechoso
    Julio Oscar Mechoso
    • Advisor
    Tito Larriva
    Tito Larriva
    • Cab Driver
    Miguel Couturier
    • Dr. Guevera
    Toño Valdez
    • Chicle Boy
    José Luis Avendaño
    • Alvaro
    • Director
      • Robert Rodriguez
    • Writer
      • Robert Rodriguez
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews548

    6.3173.6K
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    Featured reviews

    4Sevenmercury7

    Messy

    I think this will be remembered as Rodriguez's vanity project, a film so indulgent it makes a strong case for studio control. Its narrative is feeble, its caricatures squeezed into the plot, and even much of the action is repetitive. Rodriguez is an inventive filmmaker, but he's certainly no artist, as this, the third part of his personal Mariachi trilogy, proves.

    Of the cast, Ruben Blades is good as an ex-FBI agent persuaded to avenge his partner, while Johnny Depp steals the film from just about everyone, including the director. The rest of this bloodbath is pretty much a bore. Banderas' character is reduced to an extremely silly comic book hero - more interested in his guitar than he is of avenging his woman (a redundant cameo from Salma Hayek).

    Rodriguez intended this as his Leone trilogy, but as over the top as those Dollars films were, there was more gravitas in one frame than in the whole of this daft pastiche.

    Overstuffed and very silly, this is a disappointing effort.
    wellthatswhatithinkanyway

    El Mariachi makes a pleasant return

    STAR RATING:*****Unmissable****Very Good***Okay**You Could Go Out For A Meal Instead*Avoid At All Costs

    A follow up to the Desperado film was not something I was expecting.So it came as a shock to see this third instalment in the El Mariachi series being made.But a pleasant surprise it is.It is high on sweltering Mexican style,with impressive camera style and angles.There is a complex and engaging story to follow,complimented by some riveting action scenes and classy dialogue.On the performances front,Antonio Banderas continues to personify Mariachi,with Salma Hayek well cast as his love interest and good support from Johnny Depp,Mickey Rourke and William Dafoe,not to mention the bodacious Eva Mendes.A wholly worthwhile venture.***
    7MovieLuvaMatt

    Entertaining

    Like "Desperado," the film offers nonstop action and a gargantuan body count. Robert Rodriguez knows how to please his audience, and the movie does work for the most part. As expected in a Rodriguez film, the action scenes are very well-choreographed and all possess a certain slickness and originality. Johnny Depp steals the show in his supporting role, and seems to be having the most fun. I actually looked at him as more of an action hero than Antonio Banderas. Then again, Banderas seems to be going through the motions. After all, he has played roles of this type many times before and is probably almost bored. I like how most of the movie is in subtitles. As I heard in the commentary, the reason for that was because most of the cast only spoke Spanish. But I'd rather see Mexican characters speaking in their native language, and having to read the subtitles, than them speaking in a second language that they obviously haven't mastered totally. Hollywood appears to have a fear of subtitles, and it's a stupid fear. Now onto what I didn't like about the movie...I'm not exaggerating when I say that it has nonstop violence. I'm not one of these people who gets bothered by excessive violence, but after a while all that action and killing can get a little dull. You just sit there waiting for the next body to fall to the ground. The story isn't non-existent, but I think if Rodriguez paid a little more attention to developing characters and story, his films might be even more interesting. But altogether, I was entertained. You don't view a film like this in the same way you view a Kubrick film. So what you see is what you get.

    My score: 7 (out of 10)
    george.schmidt

    Muy caliente!

    ONCE UPON A TIME IN MEXICO (2003) *** Antonio Banderas, Johnny Depp, Salma Hayek, Mickey Rourke, Ruben Blades, Eva Mendes, Willem Dafoe, Cheech Marin, Danny Trejo, Enrique Iglesias, Marco Leonardi, Gerardo Vigil, Pedro Armendariz Jr., Julio Oscar Mechoso, Tito Larriva. Wunderkind Robert Rodriguez' grand finale - Sergio Leone-style - of his South of the Border trilogy of El Mariachi, the lone assassin for hire cum renegade (Banderas once again) who is out for revenge (natch) for the murder of his beloved (the achingly gorgeous Hayek in flashbacks) while being ‘hired' by gonzo-crazed CIA man Depp (in Walken mode) involving a corrupt federale (the heavenly femme fatale Mendes), a retired FBI agent (Blades) and a nasty presidente-wanna-be madman (Dafoe in heavy bronzer) resulting in a digital bloodbath with flying corpses, gravity defying stunts (and women to boot!) and much tongue-thru-cheek take-no-prisoners guerilla filmmaking Rodriguez has made a trademark for (writing, ‘chopping' and directing) with more of the same to the nth degree. Bloody good carnage and suspension of disbelief should be checked at the door. And for the record: that is Rourke's own Chihuahua.
    8I_Broke_A_Shoelace_This_

    You need to see this two or three times...

    ...not because it is a piece of cinematography at it's best but simply because you will need to see it two or three times to actually understand the basic plot of the movie (even though I enjoyed watching it immensely).

    The main thing that will draw people to watch this movie will be the fact that it has Johnny Depp, Antonio Banderas, Willem Dafoe, Salma Hayek, Eva Mendes, Enrique Iglesias...and many more famous names in it. Although I must admit that some of them should have been given bigger parts or else have been left out altogether.

    I did enjoy watching this movie but it doesn't make sense the first time around...there is so much going on that the audience often feels as if trying to figure everything out will cause their brains to overheat. up are still a definite factor, however, As Johnny Depp lends his style and talents to the character of corrupt C.I.A agent, Sheldon Jeffrey Sands(he even came up with the 'sheldon Jeffrey' part of the name) even though the part was originally written for Quentin Tarantino. And praise is much deserved of Enrique Iglesias who plays the opinionated but still very loyal Lorenzoand also Eva Mendes who plays Agent Ajedrez with edge and darkness.

    This film is very much one for people who are fans of explosions and action but not for those who like well-written plots. I did enjoy this movie and I think Robert Rodriguez has impeccable style even if he doesn't present it well in some instances.

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Johnny Depp shot all of his scenes in eight days, but after filming was done he didn't want to leave. So he suggested to Robert Rodriguez that he play a small part, the priest that Antonio Banderas talks to in the church, and used his Marlon Brando impression.
    • Goofs
      When Sands first meets the bubblegum-selling boy, the shots of the boy have been flipped - the writing on the pack is backwards.
    • Quotes

      Agent Sands: Are you a Mexi-CAN or a Mexi-CAN'T?

      Cucuy: I'm a Mexi-CAN

      Agent Sands: Good. Then do as I say.

    • Crazy credits
      After all the credits, we are treated to one last quick image of Agent Sands (Johnny Depp) with no eyes.
    • Alternate versions
      The theatrical version was screened in the 2.39:1 aspect ratio. The DVD & Blu-ray version keeps the original High-Definition 1.78:1 aspect ratio. Only Netflix has the theatrical 2.39:1 aspect ratio of the film.
    • Connections
      Edited into The Anti-Hero's Journey (2004)
    • Soundtracks
      Sands Theme
      Written and Produced by Johnny Depp, Bill Carter, Bruce Witkin and Ruth Ellsworth

      Performed by Tonto's Giant Nuts

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    FAQ17

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    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • September 12, 2003 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Official sites
      • Miramax (United States)
      • Sony Pictures (United States)
    • Languages
      • English
      • Spanish
    • Also known as
      • Érase una vez en México
    • Filming locations
      • San Miguel de Allende, Guanajuato, Mexico
    • Production companies
      • Columbia Pictures
      • Dimension Films
      • Troublemaker Studios
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $29,000,000 (estimated)
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $56,359,780
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $23,424,118
      • Sep 14, 2003
    • Gross worldwide
      • $98,769,390
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 42 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • DTS
      • Dolby Digital
      • SDDS

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