El mariachi
Columbia Pictures | Release Date: February 26, 1993 CRITIC SCORE DISTRIBUTION
73
METASCORE
Generally favorable reviews based on 9 Critic Reviews
Positive:
9
Mixed:
0
Negative:
0
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Critic Reviews

Critic scorePublicationBy date
80
Chicago ReaderJonathan Rosenbaum
Juicy, adroit, and likable. Read full review
80
Washington PostHal Hinson
This brilliantly naive, low-budget shoot-'em-up presents every action as if it were brand spanking new. Read full review
78
Austin ChronicleMarc Savlov
While the story may be a common one (for the action genre, at least), Rodriguez, who wrote, produced, shot and edited the entire film himself, has a uniquely straightforward wit that makes what might otherwise have been just another shoot-'em-up something more than that. Read full review
75
Chicago Sun-TimesRoger Ebert
Enormously entertaining. Read full review
75
ReelViewsJames Berardinelli
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. Read full review
70
The New York TimesElvis Mitchell
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. Read full review
70
TV Guide MagazineStaff (Not Credited)
The unrelenting tempo is bolstered by Rodriguez's camera work and editing: nearly every frame seems to have been shot with a careening, handheld camera, and they're cut together in a skillful, fluid fashion that enhances the tension and pace of the 80-minute chase. Read full review
70
VarietyStaff (Not Credited)
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. Read full review
67
Entertainment WeeklyTy Burr
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. Read full review
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