Desperado

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2:02

Desperado

R

1995

1h 43m

Action

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

71%

Tomatometer

56 Reviews

79%

Popcornmeter

100,000+ Ratings

Mariachi (Antonio Banderas) plunges headfirst into the dark border underworld when he follows a trail of blood to the last of the infamous Mexican drug lords, Bucho (Joaquim de Almeida), for an action-packed, bullet-riddled showdown. With the help of his best friend (Steve Buscemi) and a beautiful bookstore owner (Salma Hayek), the Mariachi tracks Bucho, takes on his army of desperados, and leaves a trail of blood of his own.

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Critics Consensus

Desperado contains almost too much action and too little story to sustain interest, but Antonio Banderas proves a charismatic lead in Robert Rodriguez's inventive extravaganza.

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Juan M. Mendez

New York Daily News

08/18/2021

3/4

[A] satisfying banquet of pulp filmmaking.

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Geoff Andrew

Time Out

01/26/2006

Rodriguez's second feature may be a rambling, derivative exercise in gratuitous violence, but its determination to proceed as if the word 'restraint' never existed makes for gleeful entertainment.

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Janet Maslin

New York Times

05/20/2003

2.5/5

Mr. Rodriguez may be good enough to make a film about anything, but Desperado would collapse if its characters had to do anything but play with guns.

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Matt Brunson

Film Frenzy

Sep 20

3/4

There’s style to burn in Robert Rodriguez’s enjoyable follow-up to his 1992 art-house hit El Mariachi.

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Nick Rogers

Midwest Film Journal

Aug 26

3.5/5

Making films might be easier for Robert Rodriguez now than when he was first starting out. But making them fun? That's not necessarily as simple. "Desperado" still illustrates that when Rodriguez was in his prime, he cut absolutely no corners on fun.

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Emilie Black

Cinema Crazed

09/14/2024

The story here gains from a higher budget and more experience on Rodriguez’ part. The writing and direction have evolved and are better than the first film while maintaining the spirit of El Mariachi.

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Ryan C.

@djrmc24 Mar 14

Desperado is one of my favorite Robert Rodriguez films out of all the films he has directed. The movie is fun, action packed, and never takes itself seriously. Also the performances are all so memorable. This is the film that made Antonio Banderas an action star. The movie’s plot is simple, Banderas is plays a guitar-playing vigilante, seeking revenge on the drug lord who killed his lover. The movie features plenty of action, explosions, and fun dialogue. This film is also a sequel to Robert Rodriguez’s first film ‘El Mariachi’ which was low budget. Check out Desperado! Desperado gets a high 4 1/2 stars out of 5 from me.

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Jerod S

@jeroduptown Dec 24

Desperado is violent but not much of a story. Banderas and Hayek are fun to watch if you like it bloody.

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Jack F

@MovieFan111 Nov 28

Rodriguez classic. Pair it with Once Upon a Time in Mexico.

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Maksim S

@MaksimusMovies Nov 2

Stylish Excess and Wild Revenge. Desperado is pure, over-the-top action cinema, reveling in blood-soaked, high-octane sequences that flirt with the absurd. Robert Rodriguez doesn’t aim for subtlety or deep character commentary, and while the narrative isn’t particularly nuanced, it doesn’t need to be — the film thrives on sheer kinetic energy and audacious spectacle. The action unfolds with a Wild Bunch-style ferocity: exploding bullets, flamboyant stunts, and vengeful carnage delivered with a wink and a grin. It’s fun, funny, and unapologetically over the top, a genre spectacle that rewards viewers willing to surrender to its gleeful excess. Not high art, but a riotous, stylish revenge fantasy that knows exactly what it wants to be.

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Chief B

@RT53266745 Jul 25

Evident that Rodriguez is a big fan of Sergio Leone. With a twist of his own.. Great classic!

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Stephen C

@bob25009 07/01/2025

Success in 1 hour and 43 minutes.

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Robert Rodriguez

Director

Antonio Banderas

El Mariachi

Salma Hayek

Carolina

Joaquim de Almeida

Bucho

Cheech Marin

Short Bartender

Steve Buscemi

Buscemi

Desperado: Official Clip - Is That Going On Right Now?

2:05

Desperado: Official Clip - We Can Improvise

1:53

Desperado: Official Clip - Guitar Army

2:09

Desperado: Official Clip - Throwing Knives

2:09

Desperado: Official Clip - Two Brothers, One Woman

2:13

Desperado: Official Clip - Serenade to an Ambush

2:10

Desperado: Official Clip - Let's Play

1:50

Desperado: Official Clip - Rooftop Escape

2:05

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Desperado: Trailer 1

2:02

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Synopsis

Mariachi (Antonio Banderas) plunges headfirst into the dark border underworld when he follows a trail of blood to the last of the infamous Mexican drug lords, Bucho (Joaquim de Almeida), for an action-packed, bullet-riddled showdown. With the help of his best friend (Steve Buscemi) and a beautiful bookstore owner (Salma Hayek), the Mariachi tracks Bucho, takes on his army of desperados, and leaves a trail of blood of his own.

Director: Robert Rodriguez
Producer: Robert Rodriguez, Bill Borden
Screenwriter: Robert Rodriguez
Distributor: Columbia Pictures
Production Co: Columbia Pictures Corporation
Rating: R (Strong Bloody Violence|Language|Strong Sex Scene)
Genre: Action
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Aug 25, 1995, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Apr 16, 2012
Box Office (Gross USA): $24.9M
Runtime: 1h 43m
Sound Mix: Dolby Stereo, Dolby A, SDDS, Surround, Stereo, Dolby Digital, Dolby SR
Aspect Ratio: Flat (1.85:1)