Solemplex To me, this movie is perfection.

SunnyHello Nice effects though.

BallWubba Wow! What a bizarre film! Unfortunately the few funny moments there were were quite overshadowed by it's completely weird and random vibe throughout.

Juana what a terribly boring film. I'm sorry but this is absolutely not deserving of best picture and will be forgotten quickly. Entertaining and engaging cinema? No. Nothing performances with flat faces and mistaking silence for subtlety.

runamokprods From a funny, complex, dark and political script by Larry Gelbart, with a smashing lead performance by Antonio Banderas, and lovely support by a number of actors (first and foremost Alan Arkin cast way against type as a mercenary machine gunner, who makes the part completely his own) – this is a terrific retelling of a hard to believe but true story of the revolutionary Pancho Villa getting Hollywood to film his real life war as a way of netting good publicity and public support. I love the way the film effectively mixes the tragedy of war with comedy, an epic feel (amazing considering it was made for HBO) with intimate character moments. Not everything works. There's a love story that feels a little shoe-horned in, and some ideas get repeated a few too many times, but this is a terrific satirical look at Hollywood, war, politics and how they all dance together. And it's not afraid of making Pancho Villa a hero with a dark side, a man of good intent but huge, unchecked ego as well.

Jessica Carvalho The Mexican revolutionary Pancho Villa needs money to fund his war against the current government in Mexico and also against the American federals who try to steal Mexico's oil and other Natural Richness, as well to add Mexico's lands to US. Pancho also knows that he is not well seen in US because of the press campaign against him, so he decides to invite many studios to shoot his battles and his life, in order to raise money for financing guns and ammunition and also for people to get a better impression of his attitudes.The Mutual Film Corporation sends Frank Thayer and a film crew to make a deal with Pancho and to start shooting. Thayer stays fascinated with Pancho, and after the failure of Thayer's initial footage, he convinces Aitkin to invest even more money in a second attempt,with a longer and more personal movie about Pancho's life.I personally enjoyed this movie a lot. I randomly choose this movie to watch to practice my Spanish, but I am glad I did it! I am not much familiar with Pancho Villa's story to know if the movie is accurate or not, but I liked to see a movie with a different story from a different hero that is not very famous outside Mexico. And It was good to see a movie portraying Mexico's side of the story for a change.I think Antonio Bandeiras is great in his role( and it was good to see him talking in Spanish as well!), rude and soft at the same time, and I believe that this movie has one of his best performances.Such a pity that this movie didn't get the much wider viewing audience that it deserves!Ps: I stayed curious to watch the original movie from Pancho Villa from the 20's. Does anyone knows if it is really lost?

pwoods1 Considering that this was made for TV, it is one strange take on the life of a 'man who would be king', and deserves a much wider viewing audience that it may have attracted.Antonio Banderas is a much underrated actor - partially because he seems to accept any role that comes his way - and this should indicate to the harshest critic that he is most capable! Much as Robin Hood and, here in Australia, Ned Kelly, are revered as 'outlaws with a conscience', Pancho Villa is perceived as a folk hero. I hope this film dispels THAT particular notion. He was a self-serving bandit with a huge ego and, as the film shows, not above killing the 'locals' to further his grandiose schemes.Banderas makes a fine fist of what is, essentially, a portrait of a seemingly-complex yet simple man seduced by the notion of Hollywood stardom. The irony, of course, is that, these days, anyone who appears on the screen (silver or no) is perceived as a 'star'.Villa is presented as one in a long line of anti-heroes who find themselves fighting an unjust regime - but essentially just as brutal.Overall a charmer of a film. Definitely worth more than one viewing.

LivingDog Antonio Banderas is not my favorite actor, but with the 13th Warrior, and now this I see that his talent is wasted on "action/adventure" flicks, which is where I have usually seen him. However, with the viewing of this film I now see he is indeed an actor of high caliber.Every gesture he made I was lost in the character and utterly forgot it was Banderas acting - this is superb. The anger, frustration, tiredness came through in his every word and gesture.Also note how Banderas is able to act in the style of silent films. This is no small task because you have to step backward, step out of yourself, and step into very uncomfortable shoes.Because the movie has a "TV feel" to it I only gave it a 9/10, but Banderas' performance is absolutely 11/10.-ZafoidPS: An exceptional movie is always surrounded by an exceptional supporting caste and crew.-Z