El Mariachi

El Mariachi (2001)

  • 93% of critics liked it
    (27 reviews)

  • 74% of users liked it
    (52,004 ratings)

Filmed in two weeks on a budget of 7,000 dollars, El Mariachi was one of the singular pleasures of the 1993-1994 movie season. Kind-spirited guitarist El Mariachi (Carlos M. Gallardo) simply wants to wander through life as his father and grandfather did, with a song in his heart and a smile on his… More

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R, 1 hr. 21 min.
Directed By
Robert Rodriguez
Written By
Robert Rodriguez
Genres
Drama, Action & Adventure, Art House & International
In Theaters
Jan 1, 2001 Wide
On DVD
Aug 26, 2003
Sony Pictures Home Entertainment

Critic Reviews

  • Todd McCarthy, Variety

    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.

  • Jonathan Rosenbaum, Chicago Reader

    Juicy, adroit, and likable.

  • Janet Maslin, New York Times

    It goes without saying that Mr. Rodriguez, having made such a clever and inventive debut, is prepared for a big future of his own.

  • James Berardinelli, ReelViews

    A gripping, tautly-paced action flick that outdoes most of Hollywood's similar output.

  • Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times

    An enormously entertaining movie.

Read all 18 critic reviews

Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)

Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)

Featured Audience Ratings

  • Martin S


    I liked it...It was good.....funny and action. And I think this no-named guy fits the part much better than Banderas. The rolling head scared the shit out of me though...

  • Lorenzo v


    <i>"All I wanted was to be a mariachi, like my ancestors. But the city I thought would bring me luck brought only a curse."</i> A traveling mariachi is mistaken for a murderous criminal and must hide from a gang bent on killing him. <center><font… More

  • Chris W


    I am glad I finally saw this movie. It totally lives up to the hype. This is, without a doubt, one of the finest low-budget indie films of the past 25 years. The plot is relatively simple, and pretty straightforward, but Rodriguez makes it his own via innovation on a microbudget… More

  • Randy T


    You could say that <i>El Mariachi</i> has low production quality, or you could say that it has a raw, rough-cut edginess. Either way, Robert Rodriguez was honing his craft in preparation for great things to come. Gritty and violent with a few brief flashes of… More

  • Conner R


    A great movie and probably the most serious Robert Rodriguez has ever gotten. It isn't all fun and games, but a ruthless revenge tale full of carnage and destruction. While the acting isn't quite up to par with the later films in the trilogy, it is perhaps the best in terms… More

Read all 20 featured audience ratings

Cast

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Trailers & Clips

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