El mariachi

This brilliantly naive, low-budget shoot-'em-up presents every action as if it were brand spanking new.

Juicy, adroit, and likable.

A gripping, tautly-paced action flick that outdoes most of Hollywood's similar output. This is clear evidence that film quality often has little to do with a production's budget.

Enormously entertaining.

Spanish lingo crime meller has a verve and cheekiness that's partly a smart wedding of such influences as Sergio Leone, George Miller and south-of-the-border noir.

Mythic pulp has its allure, and it also has its limitations. El Mariachi displays no real emotion except a profound appreciation for the genre film making that has inspired it, and a delight in manipulating the elements of such stories.

Rodriguez makes the same mistake as other first-time auteurs: The world of this movie exists only in relation to other movies, particularly the Sergio Leone-Clint Eastwood spaghetti Westerns of the early '60s.

Even on such a low budget, this is the best in the Mexico-trilogy films. Well paced from the opening title to the to be continued promise, every scene has a humorous note. An original script with a good amount of shoot outs, this film obviously doesn't take itself too seriously, but manages to keep the momentum till the end.

Rodriguez's strong script and direction give him a strong start to the game in this outstanding action thriller.

For me, the biggest reveal in El Mariachi is that it was made by an American on an impossibly low budget. I thought this movie was a cheesy Mexican film made in the 1980s until I listened to the extra commentary. This kind of movie should appeal to movie buffs and academics.

It's not entirely true what they say about first impressions. Not only are they anything but "everything," they also aren't always a good indication of what's to come. A lot of directorial debuts don't entirely telegraph the ensuing careers of their respective filmmakers. Christopher Nolan's "Following" is easily his weakest film -- and it's not even close. Clint Eastwood's "Play Misty For Me" doesn't even flick a booger in the direction of the kinds of heights his career would later transcend to. And I don't even think we need to talk about James Cameron's "Piranha II." I think you might know where I'm getting with this, but I feel a similar way about this first film from director Robert Rodriguez. Do I have to take into account that it was made on a shoestring budget? Yes, I do. But surprisingly, it's not the production values that bothered me. It's the personality -- or lack thereof -- that ultimately makes this movie as dull as it ends up being for me. A lot of characters with limited charisma, speaking in hushed, uninspired tones about some fairly contrived things. It's not a bad movie in any regard, but again, in no way does this signal the kind of filmmaker we'd eventually get from it. It is simply not the quintessential Robert Rodriguez film.

Despite the low budget and the inexperience of pretty much everyone on set, El Mariachi still manages to be a technically impressive first feature film for writer and director Robert Rodriguez. Unfortunately, the movie was quite boring at times and the acting wasn't very good. If you're interested in Robert Rodriguez's filmography you may appreciate the movie, if not, you should probably skip it.