Apearances by Salma Hayek and make-up virtuoso Tom Savini have small but unforgettable roles. Keitel is terrific as always and is perfect as the faithless pastor who doesn't trust in God anymore. Tarantino is average, but he was certainly having fun with the role. The acting is very effective, with George Clooney carrying the film as the cool-headed older brother who has to take care of his psychotic younger brother. While it is definitely a tribute to their influences, the Rodriguez/Tarantino team create a solid movie that stands on its own as a very original take on horror movies. The movie is interestingly divided in two, the first half dedicated to establishing the relationships between the characters, particularly the complicated clash of the Geckos and the Fullers, in a typical Tarantino style crime/drama fashion on the other hand, the second half is an action packed thrill ride on the style of 70s action movies that clearly shows John Carpenter's influence over Rodriguez. This lack of pretensions makes it even more enjoyable as it never tries to be something else than pure entertainment. In fact, at times the film feels like an updated version of exploitation action films of that era. Rodriguez direction gives the film the a 70s feeling that gives the movie a Drive-In spirit pretty much in tone with the plot. The story (by Kurtzman) is a very good mix of action, western and horror cleverly put together in Tarantino's witty script. In their escape the group will arrive to a Mexican strip club where nothing is what it seems. The plot starts with the escape of two criminal brothers, Seth (George Clooney) and Richard Gecko (Tarantino himself) and their effort to reach Mexico kidnapping the family of a faith-less preacher named Jacob Fuller (Harvey Keitel) who was traveling with his daughter Kate (Juliette Lewis) and his son Scott (Ernest Liu). Their friendship lead them to make movies together starting with "Four Rooms", but together with make-up masters Kurtzman, Nicotero and Berger the two young directors crafted one of the most original movies of the 90s: "From Dusk Till Dawn". Rodriguez had a tremendous success with his western-inspired action movie "El Mariachi" while Tarantino reached fame and glory after updating heist movies in "Reservoir Dogs". Directors Robert Rodriguez and Quentin Tarantino are probably the two most recognizable faces of the generation of filmmakers who had their start in the independent scene of the early 90s.
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