[UA] Once Upon A Time in Mexico

[Tim Toner]

I am a fan of Robert Rodriguez.  His story in Four Rooms is, in my
opinion, the only good thing about that movie, and I watched in sublime
glee as he brought one of my favorite urban legends to life.  

Needless to say, I also love El Mariachi and Desperado.  There were a
lot of unfinished bits in both movies, but they fit the definition of
what I consider a great movie, by showing me something interesting that
I'd never seen before.

Once Upon a Time in Mexico is also good, but still unpolished.  My
overarching exuberance faded when I considered some of the gaping plot
holes that could have been easily remedied.

So what is it?  Well, as far as I can figure, it's the classic story of
the Race toward Ascension, involving four Godwalkers--three of them
highly motivated, and one of them--an entropomancer with a boozehound
and maybe an Amoromancer as backup--damn unwilling.  And, as far as I
can tell, one of them DID ascend.  It's hard for me to go into details
without ruining some fairly juicy plot points, but someone sure seems to
be missing at the end of the movie, and Ascension sure does explain a
lot (for those who have seen it, consider what Ruben Blades's character
tells Johnny Depp's, in light of what occurred).  And it is, in every
way, a UA movie of "transcendental horror AND furious action."
Consider, after all, how far they go to stage the visual pun on
"esposa".

Still and all, very worth seeing, if for no other reason, a great answer
to the line, "You want me to kill the cook?"





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