Robert Rodriguez's 1995 action hit Desperado was almost an NC-17 rated film
In short: Before it became a cult classic, Desperado faced severe censorship. The Motion Picture Association of America initially slapped the neo-Western with an NC-17 rating due to its graphic violence, forcing director Robert Rodriguez to cut entire sequences—including a massive final shootout—to secure a more commercially viable R rating.
Released in 1995 as the second installment of the Mexico Trilogy, Desperado stars Antonio Banderas as the vengeful El Mariachi. The production was marked by both tragedy and technical ambition. Raúl Juliá was originally cast as the antagonist Bucho, but he passed away in October 1994 before filming began. The movie was shot entirely in Ciudad Acuña, Mexico, and featured a breakout role for Salma Hayek, who later noted that despite the intensity of certain scenes, the production environment remained supportive.
The film’s aesthetic was defined by its kinetic energy and a score by Los Lobos, which won a Grammy Award. However, the path to its final cut was fraught with compromise. Beyond the excision of the original mansion showdown, Rodriguez removed scenes involving a specialized 'crotch gun'—a weapon that eventually appeared in his later films, From Dusk till Dawn and Machete Kills. These cuts fundamentally altered the film's conclusion, replacing a large-scale battle with a more understated fade-out.
Critical reception at the time was polarized, reflecting a divide between appreciation for Rodriguez's visual flair and disappointment in the narrative depth. While some reviewers, such as those at Empire, praised its confident, adrenaline-fueled style, others like Roger Ebert and critics at The New York Times felt the film prioritized technical spectacle over character development. Despite these mixed reviews, the film grossed $58 million worldwide and has left a lasting cultural footprint, influencing everything from UFC walkout music to professional figure skating routines.
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- Summary by Intellect · source: Desperado (film)
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