El Mariachi

A legendary entwined (drugged-up guinea pig Rodriguez sweating blood to save on the budget, two real stuntmen changing disguises, and completely contrived end credits, all of which are the fault of Rodriguez himself) low-budget stylish film that means for action what Jackson's Bad Taste means for splatter. The oft-maligned clichés have been given a cool new coat, which the director has stitched together with the help of simple cinematography, some funny finesse (the sped-up image when the phone is being dialed), and a good portion of perspective that holds this mix of road & revenge movie together. Of course, some critics will see it only as a failed stylistic exercise for a later ride, while a genre-laden fan will see it as very peculiar guilty-pleasure entertainment with a hint of something grander. (16.03.2007)

When reviewing El Mariachi, it is necessary to take into account the fact that it is an ultra-cheap debut shot for literally a few thousand dollars. It is an independent film that is not influenced by studio interference or any creative compromises. In his later films, Robert Rodriguez developed motifs that he hinted at in his first work, and even though they were supported by a decent budget and the presence of movie stars, it was a calculated affair that lacked the energy of Rodriguez's first film. I'm not a fan of the genre, but when it comes to evaluating Rodriguez's style, I prefer El Mariachi over his later works. He works well with genre clichés, and his parodic style suits me more than his later action thrillers. Overall impression: 60%. (21.11.2008)

Robert Rodriguez shows that amateur, independent filmmaking can be worth it, even when there is simply not enough money. When one wants to, it always somehow works out. "El Mariachi" contains truly good, interesting scenes that do not lose their quality in execution, on the contrary, they are so good thanks to it. A successful feature film debut followed by a great film frenzy. (12.04.2015)