History YMMV / OnceUponATimeInMexico

* NarmCharm: "Are you a Mexi''can''...or a [[JustForPun Mexican't]]?"

* WhatAnIdiot: Many characters are guilty of holding the IdiotBall over the course of this film, most egregiously [[spoiler: Ajedrez. She leaves Sands alive to wander the streets of Culiacán City, albeit blind, then when they meet again she fails to notice that he is using his fake arm, allowing him to shoot her]].

* CompleteMonster: The corrupt [[TheGeneralissimo General Emiliano Marquez]] plots a coup against Mexico's president to let the torturing, murdering cartel of his ally Barillo flourish. An enemy of the nameless "El Mariachi", Marquez murdered the former's wife Carolina and their young daughter for spite, returning to lay siege to Mexico City and slaughter everyone close to the President, with his forces willing to kill all civilians who stand against him.

* NarmCharm: "Are you Mexi''can''...or a [[JustForPun Mexican't]]?"

* SugarWiki/AwesomeMusic: [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QsfWoibAtcY The main theme.]]

* WhatAnIdiot: Many characters are guilty of holding the IdiotBall over the course of this film, most egregiously [[spoiler: Ajedrez. She leaves Sands alive to wander the streets of Mexico City, albeit blind, then when they meet again she fails to notice that he is using his fake arm, allowing him to shoot her]].

* TrueNeutral: Agent Sands. He actually says "restore the balance" when he explains his purpose. It includes summarily executing cooks who are too good.

* AwesomeMusic: [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QsfWoibAtcY The main theme.]]

* EnsembleDarkhorse: Sands proved wildly popular. This might have something to do with the fact that he's played by [[DracoInLeatherPants Johnny]] [[MrFanservice Depp]].

* FridgeBrilliance: Barillo's piano teacher explains to him that if one's soul is pure, music flows clearly from it. And if it isn't? You have to practice a shit ton. One can infer from El Mariachi's beautiful guitar playing that his soul is either very pure... [[AlternativeCharacterInterpretation or he just practices all the time.]]
** Which would accurately describe an evil person trying to do good. Such as Agent Sands, murderer and agent provocateur, playing his part to foil a coup and assassination attempt on the President's life (admittely a plot he had his part in creating, and admittedly out of revenge for what Barillo and [[spoiler: Ajedrez]] did to him.)
* FridgeLogic: We know from Sands' conversations on the phones that his contact was unwilling or unable to get the weapons that his people would need to stop Marquez's coup. So where ''do'' the townspeople get all that heavy weaponry from? Either they were able to get that kind of firepower on their own, or else [[FridgeBrilliance Sands' contact came through for him after all.]]

* WhatAnIdiot: Many characters are guilty of holding the IdiotBall over the course of this film, most egregiously [[spoiler: Ajedrez. She leaves Sands alive to wander the streets of Mexico City, albeit blind, then when they meet again she fails to notice that he is using his fake arm, allowing him to shoot her]].

* HilariousInHindsight: Sands's obsessive concern with "maintaining balance" becomes this considering ''Film/TheLoneRanger'' has Tonto (JohnnyDepp) making a semi-CatchPhrase out of observing "nature definitely out of balance"!

* CrowningMomentOfAwesome: The response of the people of Mexico to the attempted overthrow of their government.

* HillariousInHindsight: Sands's obsessive concern with "maintaining balance" becomes this considering ''Film/TheLoneRanger'' has Tonto (JohnnyDepp) making a semi-CatchPhrase out of observing "nature definitely out of balance"!

* HighOctaneNightmareFuel: The EyeScream moment.
* SpecialEffectsFailure - Most of the effects are very good...which only makes it sadder that the CG blood is so obvious.

* EnsembleDarkhorse: Sands proved wildly popular. This might have something to do with the fact that he's played by [[DracoInLeatherPants Johnny]] [[EstrogenBrigadeBait Depp]]

* NightmareFuel: The EyeScream moment.

* AlternativeCharacterInterpretation: [[spoiler:The movie hints that El Mariachi really IS dead, and has returned as a vengeful ghost.]]

* CrowningMomentOfAwesome: Many. But the moment that gives this Troper a thrill no matter how many times he sees it is when [[spoiler: The citizens of Mexico prove that the President's faith in them was correct by rising up against Armando Barillo's forces in order to protect the President. They hadn't been fooled by Barillo, and were willing to fight to the death the protect their real hero, El Predidente. AWESOME.]]