Stream it now Bandidas 2006

 

No putlocker Darn it.

It's a fine fun movie, that has the right ingredients the right mix for a mildly enjoyable (if unforgettable) watch, and believe me i have watched much worse.

Ok know that there is; no bigger story to unravel, no morals screamed at you. No real danger, no blood letting in the streets, no vivious scenes of torture, no grander scheme of things, no dark and brooding villain, no tortured and revenge seeking souls.

The ladies were costumes, the villain wears black. Its as simple as that.

Just some plain silly fun set in western times.

So some American's wont like they are the 'bad guys' but who cares, it's all rather incidental, and disposable but for a film that does not take itself seriously, it's a pretty good attempt.

Think of this film as a fancy dress show, for two absolutely gorgeous 'women' set in western times.

That shows them in as many outfits as it can, with a simple tale, some corny dialog, where every shot is lit to perfection. Done specifically to highlight their charms.

Some days that's just what you need.

An atemmpt at a western, produced by acclaimed French director Luc Besson (Leon the proffesional, Deep Blue), "Bandidas" is a brained out multi-national Western, located in Mexico. Though the idea of a Western in Mexico sound refreshing, this film is simply a vehicle of luxury to parade around of two of the most beautiful actresses around: Salma Hayek and Penelope Cruz; the humor is, also, uneffecttive, sometimes relying on fetichism (much to the despair of us, the guys).

Sara Sandoval (Salma Hayek) is the daughter of a rich latifunder (owner and exploiter of of the territories he owns) and has just returned to Mexico after studying in Europe. It it the Mexico of the 1880's, a time where the differences between rich and poor people were notorious. Maria Alvarez (Penelope Cruz) is, on the other hand, daughter of a poor farmer. These two women will be united by common disgraces: Their fathers are killed by greedy American baron Tyler Jackson (Dwight Yoakam) for the only purpose of stealing their teritories. Both gals decide then, to rob the rich to give to the poor Mexicans. With the help of criminal investigation Quentin Crooke, who the girls convince to join them, the trio will plan a major hit: Robbing Tyler Jackson.

The art direction is notorious: The ambientation of Mexico during the Porfirian years is excellent, along with notable historial accuracies, a thing you can't say about the westerns of today. That, along with the original concept of a taco-western and a strong Anti-capitalist message feels refreshing in a putrid genre. The problem of this film, is it is full of excess. The pace is wicked and at sometimes is unbearable, challenging the spectator to live its comfy seat or to change the channel. But probably the most unbearable is to see that with all this precious material I have mentioned lines above (along with estimable actors) the directing pair Joachim Ronning and Espen Sandberg waste the great script of Besson to make this movie a frivoulous and fetichist Sergio Leone imitation. It is clear that both directors don't have the remote idea to how to make a western (There native from Norway, that might give a clue) involving pace and acting.

"Bandidas" is a waste by the directors, but it remains afloat by the charisma of their lead actresses, wich are misused as objects. An average film that probably in hands of Besson would have been a good film. The fact that Besson denied to direct this, remains a mystery.

2.5/5

*1/2 (out of four)

Some people liked this film, but I really hated it, and I am usually a fan of Salma Hayek and I have no issues with Penelope Cruz. But the entire set up and delivery was presented in such a ludicrous way. Maybe being someone who studies history and still remains interested in the Old Westhas tainted me a bit. However, the lines are so bad and, sadly, poorly delivered as the filmmakers try too hard to create these ultra sexy female outlaws. It looks purley like dress-up time.

Pasable como comedia muy al estilo de una bunea pero odiada pelicula Wild Wild West con buenos gags y unas pasables actuaciones pero quedandose atras en cuanto a la accion y con un gran parecido a la saga de Mision Imposible

Good entertainment, silly, loved it. Felt like watching Lucky Luke.

Bandidas is a fun movie that is action packed. Charmingly good.

It's a film that doesn't pretend to be serious and that doesn't pretend to be awarded or at least nominated for any prize, but it is so entertaining.
It is obvious that the movie is cheap, silly and simple. I had a good time watching it.
I never thought that

Bandidas
2006, 93mins, 12
Director (s): Espen Sandberg, Joachim Roenning
Cast includes: Salma Hayek, Penelope Cruz, Steve Zahn, Dwight Yoakam, Sam Shepard

Bandidas was heavily neglected upon it's release, thrust into limited cinemas for a fortnight in September then rushed onto DVD shelves for the January shopping crowd. The film isn't a landmark by any means and nor would I try to even debate that point, but compared to some of the utter garbage flushed into multiplexes during 2006 (The Wicker Man, Little Man) it seems more than a little offensive to Hayek and Cruz that there goofy yet fun western romp couldn't be afforded the same luxery.
The film introduces us to the two girls one poor (Penelope Cruz) one rich (Salma Hayek). However after dirty New York banker Tyler Jackson (Dwight Yoakam) takes over the banks within their Mexico and murders both their fathers they team up, and with the help of legendart bank robber Bill (Sam Shepard) they start to rob the local banks becoming known as the infamous Bandidas, taking back to the poor what has been stripped from them. Naturally this doesn't please Jackson who recruits a professional (Steve Zahn) to help but the Bandidas behind bars forever.
The performances in Bandidas are chirpy and confident, Hayek and Cruz share great chemistry, Zahn is likeable in a Clouseu style manner and Yoakam makes a generic if not modestly effective bad guy. Obviously the picture is being sold on the sex appeal of it's two gorgeous leads, and rightly so both women are stunning to look at. However despite the beautiful faces and pouting chests one must remember both of these actresses are very capable on their day, Cruz infact made waves the next year in Volver. The two chip away at each other the whole film with sly affection and really make for a super double team of leads. Indeed had they been replaced by any other latino actresses the vanilla story might have been alot more jarring.
The script has several great moments but the story is sort of predictable and not helped by a surprsingly basic finale. The action in between is pretty well done and really leads you to believe theres going to be an explosive pay-off, sadly it arrives in the form of a blatent and underwhelming The Matrix rip off.
That said the bonding between the two characters is great fun and the new pairing behind the camera capture 1880 Mexico in a light and colourful way, indeed it's basically the perfect location for the bright and breezy happenings that occur within Bandidas.
Many fans will be curious to know how far Penelope and Salma go in the film, and bar a section where they take suggestive photos with Steve Zahn in tarty outfits and have a kissing competition (Not together....) there is little reference to the sexual appeal of the lead pairing. Don't panic they still look hot as hell throughout the entire movie....just for those wondering nothing else happens.
I enjoyed the light hearted energy of Bandidas and really the film is far better than alot of Summer fare, and marketed the right way I see absolutly no reason why it couldn't have done decent buisness at the Box-Office. Watch and have fun with this production, it's going to keep you entertained and probably very satisfied. However afterward spare a thought for the makers and stars, because whilst it ain't a masterpiece when accounting for the crap released in Hollywood these days, it certainly deserved more.

Two young Mexican women from wildly different backgrounds--one is a wealthy, European educated sophisticate (Hayek) and the other is a rough-and-tumble farmgirl (Cruz)--team up with an American criminologist (Zahn) to stop a rogue agent of a major American bank (Yoakam) from driving poor famers from their land to make way for the railroad.

"Bandidas" is an action/comedy heist movie set in the late 1800s. It's about as predictable as it could possible be (with one tiny little twist toward the end that I didn't see coming), but it is so breezy and fun, and its two very attractive leads are so charming and sexy that it really doesn't matter. Penelope Cruz's performances is especially fun, and Salma Hayek's cleavage is always a welcome sight.

This is probably one of the better, completely forgettable eye-candy movies I've seen. It was a fun way to spend an hour-and-a-half, and I'm surprised this movie never saw a wide North American release; it's got some plot elements that could be construed as anti-American, but it's far better than some of blatantly political and America-hating crap that's been making it's way to the theaters (like, oh, "Redacted").

If you like light-hearted westerns that feature explosions, train robberies, and darkhaired beauties in cleavage-revealing tops, this is a film that's worth a look.


Bandidas
Starring: Penelope Cruz, Salma Hayek, Steve Zahn, Dwight Yoakam, Sam Shepard, Jos