El Mariachi (1992) User Reviews

Robert Rodriguez's feature film debut!!

[Captain_Couth · 8/10 · 16 August 2005]

El Mariachi (1992) was a fine debut for film maker Robert Rodriguez. He makes the most of his minuscule budget and makes a very entertaining action film. The story behind the making of the film is even more interesting than the movie itself. You can tell from this movie that Robert Rodriguez had a bright future in the movie business.

The story is about a musician who's trying to find work in a Mexican border town. None of the places he visits wants to hire a guitar player for their business. Meanwhile another man comes to town carrying a guitar case, he's no musician. He's a notorious hit man for a local gangster. When their paths cross, nothing but trouble lies ahead for the El Mariachi. Can the poor dude survive the week without being killed? Who is this guitar carrying killer? Why is he in town? What are the local crime boss' motives? To find out you'll have to watch EL MARIACHI!!!

An interesting debut that showed lots of promise. The movie was followed by a pseudo-sequel/remake a few years later with a bigger budget and a cast filled with a lot of named actors.

Highly recommended.

Its a good small budget film

[patomartinezfgo · 6/10 · 20 May 2017]

I have loved some of Robert Rodriguez's later works like Sin City, so I was pretty excited to see this movie.

The movie is extremely small budget and it really feels like it is more expensive than that. I mean, Robert Rodriguez makes this movie look like it had much more money spent on it, and that is because of his creativity and resourcefulness.

The directing is really good. I loved many of the shots and scenes in this movie and the way they are edited.

My problem with the film or at least my dilemma is... I just find this movie OK. The main actor and character itself is pretty lousy, the movie is too long for its own good, and the story is just OK.

Many people argue that this might be justified because of the low budget. But I do believe that all of the story problems don't have anything to do with the budget. It is not as if I don't like low-budget films, I LOVE "The Evil Dead" and other low-budget films. I just find this movie uneventful, and sometimes boring.

I think this film is the kind of film you should only watch once and move on with your life. I do recommend you to watch it though.

Good debut movie

[ivanmessimilos · 6/10 · 6 July 2021]

I really appreciate this work from Robert Rodriguez. The so-called low-budget film, shot for just $ 7,000, and Rodriguez put his heart and soul into this film. He was a director, a screenwriter, a producer, he did effects, he did absolutely everything except acting. He was even tested for some drugs because they paid him for it, all to raise money and make a movie. From that aspect, the film looks extremely good. However, some flaws are visible, such as the camera or wooden acting, at times the film is too raw, but all this is understandable.

One of the greatest low budget movies of the last twenty years, and still an inspiration to wanna be movie makers around the world.

[Infofreak · 3 December 2003]

'El Mariachi' should still be regarded as an inspiration to wanna be movie makers around the world. For around US$7,000 Robert Rodriguez created one of the most enjoyable action movies to hit Hollywood since Peckinpah's 'The Getaway'. Once again Rodriguez proves the point that creativity and imagination beat million dollar budgets every time. An obvious concept to most people one would think, but going by the overblown CGI infested crapola at a theatre near you something that mainstream Hollywood STILL doesn't get! Carlos Gallardo played El Mariachi and co-produced with Rodriguez who did just about everything else - writer, director, cinematographer, editor, special effects,etc.etc. I first saw this movie not long after it hit video and I enjoyed it a lot. I recently watched it on DVD for the first time, ten years after I first saw it, and to me it really stands up. (Rodriguez' commentary is also highly recommended to any aspiring director) Personally my favourite Rodriguez movie is 'From Dusk Til Dawn', but 'El Mariachi' comes a close second. It's sequel cum remake 'Desperado' is a better known to most people but despite a budget 1000 times bigger(!) and some "name" actors involved I don't think it has half the energy and fun of the original, one of the greatest low budget movies of the last twenty years.

Decent, Low-Budget film by a young Robert Rodriguez.

[Batkid1 · 6/10 · 28 October 2007]

This is pretty good for a limited budget film debut. Rodriguez has campiness, Hong Kong-style action sequences, good music and a Western atmosphere.

Carlos Gallardo is good as the main protagonist and it sure is a hoot seeing him jump off of buildings with his guitar, hide in cars and escape at least a dozen assassins.

It's so cool and funny that it reminds the viewer of a Jackie Chan flick with a hint of John Woo as well. Rodriguez does however suffer from the budget due to having the in-between scenes drag on even for a eighty-one minute film project.

I should probably see this film again, in English, because while I'm in Spanish class and saw this on a Telemundo channel, I didn't quite understand this film as much as I could have.

Pretty good with so little.

[kdavidbushnell · 7/10 · 15 July 2009]

Pretty good with so little. Of course the acting isn't that good at all, nor is the dialog and special effects (only action). But the story, plot and main character are all very likable. I'll admit I am not a Robert Rodriguez fan, I'll Repeat NOT a Robert Rodriguez fan this is my favorite of his work. Where did he turn after Four Rooms (which I didn't even really like) he became Hollywood BS is what he did. He conformed to BS of Hollywood because for an ambitious very cheap independent film he had a promising career. I'm sure others would disagree (just because he's made much money and success in Hollywood) but nonetheless a bunch of BS is what he's done after El Mariachi. The end was good and like I said the plot was simple the story was interesting and the Mariachi was a likable character.

Not Antonio but really good

[iwatcheverything · 7/10 · 3 September 2003]

Most people do not know that this is part one to Desperado. I just got to see this film recently and was quite impressed. The acting was not bad for probably most of their first times. There was good comic relief in the film to lower some of the drama but not too much to take away from the film itself. I believe this film is a good watch and has gotten a pretty high score from me. Check it out if you get a chance.

This First One Still The Best In The Trilogy

[ccthemovieman-1 · 9/10 · 24 December 2006]

This movie put director Robert Rodriguez "on the map." He followed up with two sequels: "Desperado" and "Once Upon A Time In Mexico." Not surprising, the best of the three was this low-budget opening film. As Rodriquez had more and more money to spend on the sequels, the stories got more and more carried away with too many explosions and special-effects, losing the charm of this first effort.

Unlike the sequels, this Mexican-made, so it is in Spanish with English subtitles. Don't let that scare you away. There isn't a great deal of dialog so keeping up with the subtitles is very easy.

The movie has very interesting camera closeups and angles as Rodriquez showed he was going to be a stylish director. The story is simple but effective, suspenseful and even with some humor. Unnlike his subsequent films in this trilogy, the action is not overdone here.

The length is also is a plus. At 80 minutes you can be thoroughly entertained in less than an hour-and-a half. The only disappointment to me was the print quality on th DVD, but I got an early edition. There might be better editions out since. It's not fuzzy but it's not sharp, either.

Anyway: highly recommend for actions/crime buffs who like style in their photography, or saw the sequels and would like to know the history of this particular "Mariachi."

Simple but fun fare for the grindhouse crowd

[wandereramor · 7/10 · 12 September 2011]

There's a certain kind of gleeful, almost childish energy to the low-budget grindhouse aesthetic, something that a lot of directors (including Rodriguez) have tried to capture artificially in recent years (to decidedly mixed results, but that's a different story.) El mariachi, however, has the genuine article in spades, and that's probably it's greatest virtue. At heart it's a mistaken-identity comedy about an assassin and a mariachi who get mixed up with tragic results. The central conceit is essentially comedic, and the violence sometimes gets so over the top you have to laugh, but for the most part El Mariachi plays it straight -- which only makes it more fun. I was fortunate enough to see this movie on a big screen with a big audience as part of a film class, and that's really the only way to watch it -- with an audience hooting and laughing along, creating that raucous carnivalesque atmosphere that mainstream movies are too tame and wannabe-respectable for. I suspect El Mariachi might just seem flat if I watched it on my own, however -- after all, there are a lot of parts that are too goofy for their own good, and more than a bit of exploitation. Still, there's something to be said for the communal act of moviewatching, and El Mariachi was able to evoke that experience that none of the classical or art-house movies did for that class. Not one to seriously contemplate, but a fun one to watch with friends nonetheless.

A SIMP drug dealer

[artursquaresma · 7/10 · 18 April 2020]

When a SIMP it's a drug dealer confronts an Mariachi

Frenetic.

[Peach-2 · 9/10 · 29 November 1998]

I know the budget for this film was somewhere between 5000 and 7000 dollars, but I would like to comment more on the pacing and frenetic film style Rodriguez bestows upon us. Low budget or not,this film has energy. It never lets down for more than a few minutes and the editing is amazing. Robert Rodriguez has such a knowledge of film-making that he makes this movie look like a million bucks easy. The film isn't perfect, but on sheer energy alone it will entertain you more than most over-blown Hollywood action films.

The First Mariachi

[CrassActionHero · 7/10 · 23 October 2006]

This is indeed the First installment of the El Mariachi series. However, this is the most "real" of them all.

The movie starts with a known drug lord and a vigilante at war in Mexico. The drug lord betrayed the vigilante and the vigilante simply wants his money back and he will go away or blood will be spilled. The drug lord is not going to comply.

Then our hero is merely a drifter who is just looking for work. Bad timing. The vigilante carries a guitar case full of weapons. The drifter is just a mariachi with a guitar. The mariachi and the vigilante also dress the same. Mistaken identity. Here we go!

The acting is great. It all feels so real. The story is pretty good. The action is the best part, it's not over the top. It's very good and feels real. Our hero is not a weapons expert, he has not used a gun in his life. He has to fend for himself. Well done. The dialog is good too.

The Last Word: Cool. The first mariachi film. This is the most realistic of the trilogy. The action feels real, the story is good, and the casting is great. Also the villain is just a roach. Entertaining.

A Nice Film

[Uriah43 · 5/10 · 28 September 2012]

Let's give credit where credit is due. Although this picture had an extremely low-budget, it goes to prove that a nice film can still be produced if the director has the imagination and talent to pull it off. And let's face it, the sad fact is that there are all too many movies being made today that cost much more than this particular film ($7000) but fail to deliver the same level of satisfaction. The director (Robert Rodriguez) deserves every attribute due to him. The humor was good and there were some social commentaries that I think some people might have missed. That is not to say, however, that this film was necessarily perfect. It wasn't. The acting wasn't great by any means. Neither was the script. But then, the movie was originally produced in Spanish and the version I saw was dubbed in English, so it is possible that some of the dialogue may have been lost in translation. The ending though, was unexpected and abrupt and I didn't quite like it. As far as the characters are concerned, I thought Reinol Martinez (playing the part of the gangster "Azul") did the best. Consuelo Gomez ("Domino") was attractive and put in a fair performance as well. Carlos Gallardo ("El Mariachi") was average at best. The rest of the cast were pretty much forgettable. Having said all of this, the fact that this film was produced with a low budget doesn't mean that a person should lower his standards and give it a higher score than it deserves when it comes to evaluating it. This wasn't "Gone with the Wind" so there's no need to give it an equivalent rating. The bottom line is that it was an enjoyable low-budget film and it made a hefty profit. No need to argue with that.

Good morning, Azul. Know who this is?

[film-critic · 17 September 2004]

Through the heart of independent cinema comes the bold and expressive first film by Robert Rodriguez. While he would go on later to give us some modern day classics, this is the film that jump-started his career. Set in a gritty town of Mexico, a drifter arrives ready to restart a new life and concentrate on his music. He soon learns that this will be a very difficult dream since the moment he steps foot in town he is mistaken for a murderous criminal named Azul. Azul is after his money that Moco (the head boss) has failed to pay him. Moco tries to have Azul killed, but finds it difficult when he carries with him a guitar case filled with guns. After several gun battles, explosions, and a love story with a woman that gives the guitar player his first real gig, our hero finds his life in the mercy of others. It is at this time our Mariachi is reborn.

Rodriguez gives his best direction to date. Perhaps it was the lack of funds or the intensely gritty scenes, but this film helped me realize why cinema is so amazing. It is the perfect story of the small fish making his big mark on a big pond. Rodriguez takes every resource he can and rebuilds the classic concept of mistaken identity. With the fast-framed photography and interesting choice of camera angles, he takes a straightforward story and builds a legend. I enjoyed watching this film because although it was made for just a simple $7,000, the production doesn't look cheap. I have seen Hollywood blockbusters that have looked like they squandered their money more than Rodriguez did. I was just impressed with the quality of the film and the story that I suddenly felt myself totally immersed into the story.

Oddly, it is the story that never falters throughout this picture. Normally, when you have a lower cost on budget, a segment of a film will suffer. Sometimes it is the character development, other times it is the story. Nothing is forgotten about in this film. There is plenty of violence (for all you action fans out there), some powerful drama (dealing with his dreams), and some comedy that will keep you grinning from ear to ear. By having this strong balance, our hero emerges with the utmost confidence, our villain seems diabolically evil, and therefore leading into moments of sheer joy, constantly wondering what will happen next. I was rooting for everyone in this film because I felt something for each. Only through the careful eye and artistic direction of Rodriguez could such a feat be accomplished.

I have nothing negative to say about this film. From the moment the first turtle walked across the screen until the very end, I enjoyed every aspect of this picture. I suggest this movie to anyone that has ever thought about making a film, but was concerned about budget. I also suggest this film to anyone who loves a good story, amazing action, and characters that literally jump out of the screen like comic book heroes.

Grade: ***** out of *****

All I wanted was to be a mariachi, like my ancestors.

[lastliberal · 7/10 · 28 August 2007]

I bought this film and Desparados on Region 2 by mistake and so it sat on my shelf for a long time. Fortunately, my new computer plays Region 2, so I got to see it again in Hi Def.

It was as good as I remembered. No, it's not high quality, but it is fantastic considering that it was written, directed, shot, and edited by one person - Robert Rodriguez. It was his experiment, and he showed his talent and what can be done for $7,000.

He even used his friend to star in the film. The non-actor Carlos Gallardo was perfect for the role and made the film more believable. Even the little town of Ciudad Acuña added realism to the film.

An inspiration to filmmakers everywhere.

well done considering the budget.

[mm-39 · 6/10 · 10 July 2002]

One loses a bit of the feel for the movie with the subtitles. It was not a hard movie to watch with subtitles. It was filmed like the old Spaghetti Westerns. The film was interesting and artistically done well. The budget hurts this film. I could just imagine what could of been done with a larger budget and more time. This film was surprisingly well; I have seen worse done on bigger budgets. It shows how talent can overcome low budgets and no name actors. 6/10

Low budget, great movie!

[lowdown19632000 · 7/10 · 3 February 2004]

Much has been said about the budget of this movie being $7,000 but the reality is that that is how much the rough cut cost. Then after it got picked up for distribution.They took it back into the studio and re-cut it and put a new sound mix on it. That said, this is a great little movie and it makes it possible for all the independent film makers out there to dream.

a bang of a debut

[Quinoa1984 · 10/10 · 29 April 2000]

Robert Rodriguez has his first little/big film here that is by no means big money wise. The book written by Rodriguez, Rebel Without a Crew, illustrates this point very well, but to see the film in its present form you might wonder if it really cost more than he says. But it's this same grit that adds to its rough charm, like a slightly more cartoonish, crazy and action-packed film in the vein of Night of the Living Dead (shoe-string done with a level of truth for what the genre material needs). The budget for this film was 7000. That is the cheapest price for a film given wide release I've still heard of, and probably is. And watching this film I noticed that a lot the big hundreds of millions of dollars spent on other films, while usually bankrolled with high-powered Hollywood casts and immense crews working on special effects, they lost an intensity that this film has even in its brief quiet scenes. Plus, as in the rest of the Mariachi films, it's often got a slick, quick sense of humor where Rodriguez's compositions say almost all there needs to be said. The story shows a singing musician (El Mariachi) who is not looking for trouble, but everyone is wanting to kill a man carrying a guitar case, which he has. It's a nifty little classic of exploitation/action that was meant for video markets but doesn't compromise. It's even got OK acting.

Just Needed a Bigger Budget

[view_and_review · 6/10 · 9 June 2020]

This movie was a bit of a struggle to watch, but I was willing to suffer through it being that it's the prequel to "Desperado" (or so I've heard).

The plot isn't bad, just everything else is. It's clearly low budget which is what makes it so strenuous to watch. I don't like to hold a budget against a movie, but proper budgets go into any and everything we experience. Those products and services that have adequate funding tend to be better than those that are underfunded.

In the case of "El Mariachi," the picture quality is poor, the editing is choppy, and the acting leaves a lot to be desired. Then there's the voice over dub. At least in kung-fu movies it's a thing to have bad voice overs. This was no kung fu movie.

As for the plot, it's about a Mariachi singer with a guitar that is mistaken for a gangster who carries a guitar case full of guns. They look nothing alike, but the only description that the henchmen have is of a guy who wears black and carries a guitar case. In my mind, that'd be half the guys in Mexico!! Well, the first guy they see with a guitar case is an actual Mariachi player and they go after him.

Again, because of the low budget the movie lacked the intensity and believability that it needs to be really engrossing. The movie watching experience was bland, hence the violence and action was also bland (if violence can be considered bland). With a bigger budget this movie would've been so much better.

Dynamic debut...

[poe426 · 10/10 · 2 February 2005]

Jaded, perhaps, by years of toiling in the Public Access field (and having sat through scores of first, foundering efforts by scores of foundering aspiring filmmakers), I was taken completely by surprise by the remarkable Robert Rodriguez's first film. As sure and as "polished" as any feature, EL MARIACHI belies its no-budget roots and stands as a testament to determination- and talent. If you're one of those whose attention span precludes sitting down and actually reading Rodriguez's book REBEL WITHOUT A CREW, I recommend obtaining a DVD featuring his "ten-minute film school." And pay very close attention: There'll be a quiz afterward.

Good action flick at a bargain price

[fleagles · 7/10 · 2 August 2000]

Director Robert Rodriguez, working with only $7,000 to spend, puts together one heck of an action film. The story of an innocent Mariachi musician accidentally swept into a nasty crime story, Rodriguez delivers with a smart sense of visual style and snappy dialogue.

Vote: 7

loved it

[laduerfahrd · 9/10 · 23 January 2018]

Loved it. He started well. What happened? Does anyone have a hunch about why evertyhing went "down hill" after El Mariachi? The more money he got later on, the less edge his films had.

Only 7,000

[gmiller8 · 7/10 · 28 November 2004]

I am not sure if this was posted or not, but i thought those who are considering seeing this movie should know that this movie was incredibly only made for 7,000 dolars. Robert Rodrigez is an amazing guy if he can make such a good movie with such little funds. It also sheds some light on Desperado. I saw the DVD and it had some cool special features like a ten minute film school lesson. It really made me want to go out and make a film. Go see this one and get the DVD. Maybe you will be inspired like i was and who knows you might learn something. It is in Spanish though and the sound is a little fake sounding, but what can you expect on such a tight budgett.

Get real! Even for $7000!

[george-81 · 2/10 · 14 April 1999]

I know it's his first film, and I know he only spent $7000. But still... How can Ebert say this is a good movie? It's pathetic, for a commercial product. Maybe for a family movie fest, featuring all the relatives. But the actors, other than the Mariachi, the joint girlfriend, and the real hit man, are so stiff and artificial that it was a pain to watach them. This "Moco" guy is such a bad actor that I can't believe the director couldn't liven him up any. There are a couple of cute scenes, but by and large this is not worth watching. I just had to in view of all the fuss everyone made. Don't bother.