Steve Zahn must be one of the luckiest actors in the business being cast to star along-side Penelope Cruz and Salma Hayek in the spaghetti – b-movie Bandinas. As their impromptu judge to decided which of the two girls is the better kisser, he spends probably about half his time on screen lip-locked with either one of them. This isn’t really even relevant to the plot of Bandinas, but it is surely worth mentioning.
Bandinas tells the story of Sara Sandoval (Selma Hayek) and Maria Alvarez (Penelope Cruz) in their efforts to keep an evil American bank from taking over all of Mexico. There is a reason this is a strait to the bargain bin release; The movie moves along at a predictable pace with very few surprises. Following typical B-Movie western rules, the two characters begin the movie as rivals, but end up compadres. It’s full of western cliche’s complete with a train robbing scene and horse companion that saves the hero at least once. The script is less than mediocre, but the actors do well with what they’re given.
Unless you happen to be a big fan of Selma and/or Penelope, you can pass on Bandinas. I’ll give it a 3/10.
As a side note, I’m getting sick of Hollywood attacking bankers. Bandinas lays on the preaching of how evil American banks are really thick, to the point where it’s more than off-putting. It’s almost as if somebody wanted to make a movie to communicate how evil rich white men are. I’m getting kind of sick of it.
You have to hold it like this.
March 2, 2010
Media