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Desperado
(By Gerry Wang)
VIDEO PICK OF THE WEEK #3
by Gerry Wang
DESPERADO
(Antonio Banderas, Salma Hayek, directed by Robert
Rodriguez)
My health status is still looking grim. I'm stuck in my
dorm w/ nothing to do but watch TV. What better time to
rent a video! Hence, the video pick of the week is here.
This week my VPOTW is......... DESPERADO, a modern day
western starring Antonio Banderas and Salma Hayek, w/ a
cameo from our favorite bug-eyed weirdo Steve Buscemi as
well as an appearance by ultra-slick film geek/director
Quentin Tarantino. The movie was directed by Robert
Rodriguez, who obviously has quite a fetish for violence.
DESPERADO picks up where EL MARIACHI, another Rodriguez
film, left off. Antonio Banderas is the Mariachi, a
nameless guitarist who wanders around Mehico looking for
gigs. Except in DESPERADO, he's looking to avenge his
girlfriend's death, which occurred in EL MARIACHI.
He finds out that his girlfriend's killer is a local drug
dealer named Bucho, and sets out to kill him. The rest of
the movie is simply a delightful bloodbath, as Antonio
busts out his guitar case full of guns and ammo and
regulates on the druglord's men. Along the way Antonio
gets into a few scuffles, which obviously end up w/ him
blowing the bugger's head off, and he meets Salma Hayek,
a local townswoman who happens to be hot.
Salma Hayek has probably got to be my favorite Latino
chick. She's got voluptuous curves, nice breasts, awesome
legs, and a cute face. Plus, DESPERADO is the first and
only movie she's ever done a nude sex scene in. Yummy.
Aside from Salma Hayek, I recommend DESPERADO because of
the sheer energy in Robert Rodriguez's direction. His
shoot outs are full of awesome stunts and twirling double
gun tactics. It's like John Woo, but w/ Mehicans.
Rodriguez even manages to get a knife throwing fight and
bare knuckle boxing match into the movie. The total
package.
The story is a bit weak, but the identity of Bucho did
come as a shock to both the audience and Antonio. But
watching this movie is a good, bloody pleasure.
Throw a guy party, keep the beers plentiful, play your
usual video game tournament, and rent DESPERADO. You will
bond.
** (out of 4)
Chick-o-meter: 1 (melee from beginning to end; girls
don't like that)
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