I was hoping for a hard-boiled Mexican crime thriller when I paid my $9.50 to watch "Bandido" at a cineplex in South Gate, Calif. This theater often shows Spanish-language films to cater to the Latino population in that part of L.A. County. But to my dismay, the movie was in English and the quality was sub-mediocre. Because of the language cop-out, the Mexican actors had to speak English, and some of them (especially one who played a security guard) were barely comprehensible. The plot is the old cliché about the CIA agent who turns against his handlers after they double-cross him. The "hero" is just too pale and skinny to be a credible threat, and the actor doesn't have the charisma to overcome this challenge. The protagonist of the first "Mariachi" was portrayed by an actor who's no Stallone, physically speaking, but director Robert Rodriguez made it work somehow. That kind of talent is missing in "Bandido."
2 Reviews
Best Action Thriller by an Independent Production.
MobinKhan17 December 2004
Yes, Mexican stories also have rights to use English language. So that we all (non-spanish) can enjoy. And BANDIDO is an excellent example of using English language. I know the feature film GANDHI was filmed in India and it is an Indian story, and it's producers used English as language medium. They had option to film in Hindi, but they used English as a result entire world and particularly United States enjoyed it and GANDHI is well known to American audience now. Offcourse the hero of Bandido is not Silvester Stallone and need not to be. Movie story is not about a body builder but a genuine portray of the character. And Carlos Gallarado is perfect in look and acting. I would like to take him to Bollywood India where more feature films are produced than in Hollywood. Perhaps Carlos will be better appreciated in India and all those countries enjoy Bollywood movies. We can use his talent. I am a member of Producers Guild of America and I know it is a hard work to produce an Independent movie without any studio help or help from Hollywood movie tycoons. Among all supporting actors very few spoke English as first language, yet they portrayed better character and many of them never acted in any movie before. Like Salma Hayek, they will take over Hollywood soon. Just watch out. My Salute to Producera/Director/Writers and all actors. MobinKhan
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