Opening thoughts: I liked this movie much better 15 years ago when it was called "Desperado." Rodriguez doesn’t try too hard on this low-budget film with an A-list cast. The balance is too far on the side of action movie parody rather than enjoyable action flick.
Pros:- A cooky cast of big stars and has-beens add to the allure - Danny Trejo is appropriately intimidating and deserving of lead status - A sexy cadre of scantily clad females, including Jessica Alba and Michelle Rodriguez
Cons:- Cheap-looking action set pieces add little to the genre - A plot that is a sad shadow of Rodriguez’s "Desperado" - Completely unbelievable storyline that isn’t particularly humorous either - A wasted final action sequence with "actor" Steven Seagal - Forced political dialogue that is far from conversational
Final word: The final product looks like something shot over a weekend instead of a major film production. Intentionally channeling B-movies of Rodriguez’s past is no excuse for the quality of the picture, since films like "From Dusk ‘til Dawn" and "Planet Terror" manage to be both internally believable and entertaining.
Audience: Only "Grindhouse" purists
Rated R for strong bloody violence throughout, language, some sexual content and nudity.
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