reverie

Okay, here's the story. I saw the trailer for this awhile back, and it looked fairly interesting. So now I'm debating getting it on sale at Best Buy, and was wondering about it. I was going to pick it up yesterday, until I saw on the back that it's the thrid in a trilogy. So my first specific question is does it matter if I don't see the others? Will I be lost in any way here?

And I guess also, is it worth it to buy? I've read the reviews (except for the Superbit one I skimmed since it seemed really spoiler filled at a glance) and they seem a little conflicting. Opinions? Thank you!

fryinpan1

I do not think you need to view the previous films (El Mariachi and Desperado) to enjoy this film; however, I would recommend at least watching Desperado first. It is the best of the trilogy.

I would not buy the Once Upon a Time in Mexico Superbit because the standard release already has a great transfer, commentary, and extras. This is probably a good blind buy, but it may take you more than one viewing to really like it. I thought it was ok at first, but upon subsequent viewings, I now love it. This movie features my favorite Johnny Depp character.

Rypro 525

its either a love or hate movie, depending on what you think of robert rodrequez.

reverie

Hmm.. how about if I've never heard of him before this film? And in regards to seeing "Desperado" (which seems to be a film everyone liked and I have no idea what it is outside of seeing the cover and what little I learned in my research of "..Mexico"), would it be spoiled by seeing "...Mexico" first?

Iron_Giant

I liked the movie.

We had a party with about 10 guys, the meal was the pork dish in the movie (there is an extra telling you how to make the dish).

chente

I thought it was dumb and a disservice to the first two better movies.

Rypro 525

these are mostly brain dead action movies. (plus desporado is the only movie sans frida where salma took it off without a body double)
rodrequiez also directed the spy kids movies as well as the upcoming "sin city"

flmfreakcentral

I feel it my duty to point out his name is "Rodriguez," as these weird malapropisms might make it difficult to look him up on the IMDb.

Definitely not a blind buy, btw. You want a great "Once Upon a Time" western? Stick with Sergio Leone's ONCE UPON A TIME IN THE WEST. The only remotely safe Rodriguez blind buys are probably EL MARIACHI and FROM DUSK TILL DAWN, though that last one sure does polarize audiences.

Bill C

Geofferson

I was not especially a fan of the movie. It is worth seeing once, but holds little/no repeat value. Rental is my advice.

Bookhouseboy

It's not even worth a rental IMO. El Mariachi and Desperado were fun, cool and entertaining movies. OUATIM don't have any of these qualities. Johnny Depp was the only thing I liked about this movie, but I've seen him better, much better.

RyoHazuki

This movie goes on sale all the time at Best Buy. When it does, I'd get it. I really enjoyed this movie. I'd even say its better than Desperado (still haven't watched Mariachi though). While the movie doesn't really make much sense or have much of a plot, it is a whole lot of fun.

reverie

That's actually the reason I'm inquiring about it now, it's on sale this week as a two-for-twenty deal. Like I said, the trailer got me semi-interested.

I didn't know this director was the one doing Sin City. I haven't seen any trailers yet for it, but I'm certainly going to be seeing that.

And Bookhouseboy, Johnny Depp is also part of the alure of this movie, as he almost always does a great job. I guess I figured 'how bad could it be'?

Damed

Desperado is great, OUATIM is good. I own it, and am glad I do. I like it quite a bit. If Depp wasn't in it, it wouldn't be nearly as good though. His character is great.

Filmmaker

reverie, they are a particular type of film, though, that makes it hard to recommend blind--if you'll love it (and the prequels), like I do, you'll really love it, but if not, you'll really detest it. Since that sale goes through 2/19, can't you rent EL MARIACHI and/or DESPERADO in the next couple of days to make sure whether this type of production is your cup of tea first?

Filmmaker

flmfreakcentral, if I'd have taken that suggestion from you that a blind buy of FROM DUSK TIL DAWN was safe, you and your family wouldn't be... God, what a useless piece of bombastic tripe that was...

flmfreakcentral

Yeah, like I said: a polarizer. But Salma Hayek as a stripper seems a somehow surer thing to me than Willem Dafoe in bandages.

Bill C

Filmmaker

he he, a fair argument...oh, but if only the other 90+ minutes of wasted celluloid could have been shaved off...

SC_Trojan

I wouldn't buy it. I would rent it first before buying it. I liked El Mariachi and Desperado but Once Upon A Time In Mexico was just too over the top for my liking. I'd suggest to rent it first, maybe purchase Desperado and probably rent El Mariachi since this movie was done with a limited budget of a few thousand dollars.

fumanstan

Pretty much my thoughts as well. Personally, i'd recommend watching Desperado first before watching Once Upon a Time in Mexico.

For the record, i didn't think much of El Mariachi at all.

Josh Z

One big problem with OUATIM is that the plot doesn't make a damn bit of sense even if you have seen the first two movies.

I'd just get Desperado and call it a day. Desperado is more or less a remake of the first movie with better production values, and is the only really entertaining one of the bunch. El Mariachi is more of a "Wow, I can't believe how far he stretched 7 grand", and OUATIM is a "Wow, I can't believe how he took everything that was great about the second movie and completely pissed all over it."

Filmmaker

Huh, I couldn't disagree with this statement more, but I'm actually pleased to disagree with you. Perhaps our personal tastes just aren't in alignment--maybe that means I may still enjoy the director's cut of DONNIE DARKO over the original...

dumbdvdtalkers.

Another dumb & stupid question asked by another dumb dvdtalker. Look at all the questions the dumb OP is asking and still referring to his interest in this title as a "blind" buy. How freaking dumb can MOST dvdtalkers be?

Amel

The movie's worth $10 bucks. Shit, a rental's gonna cost what, about $4-$5 bucks? Say you rent it, like it, and then buy it later. Now you've spent $15. Just buy it now. Johnny Depp's performance alone makes it worth it. It has great action, and some fantastic scenes of Depp & Cheech. The plot's a little loose, but not as indeciphrable as other's say.

You don't need to see the first two. Desperado is basically a remake of El Mariachi, and is the best of the three movies.

Fok

Its worth buying, not as good as Desperado, but I quite enjoyed it.

obscurelabel

Agreed, and I don't hold "not making sense" against movies if they have other things going for them, but in this case there is virtually no coherent storyline, and for me the flashy visuals are so empty that this becomes a big distraction. You really have to check you mind at the door, so to speak, when you watch this one, IMO.

Also note that the movie played theaters in an AR of 2.35:1, but is on DVD at 1.78:1 per Rodriguez's choice. It might not make any difference to anyone, perhaps because Rodriguez indicates it's what he wanted for the DVD, but the DVD isn't in the theatrical OAR.