BANDIDAS may not set new standards for film-making, whether those standards are for westerns, comedies, action flicks, or slapstick, but it is just as awful lot of fun to watch! The script by Luc Besson and Robert Mark Kamen is pretty shallow and at times borders on maudlin, but it is also peppered with some little one-liners that allow the stars to show off their comedic talents.

Directors Joachim Roenning and Espen Sandberg are neophytes and wisely allow the star qualities of Salma Hayek and Penélope Cruz to reign and have a good time both as opposites (Hayak comes from money and education and Cruz comes from the farm) and as partners is bank robbing - done of course in the Robin Hood manner. The bad guy is the reliable Dwight Yoakim and the fall guy is the always lively Steve Zahn. The quasi-good guy who trains the divas to be robbers is portrayed by Sam Shepard. And that is about all the viewer needs to know to realize the movie is in good hands.

No, the story isn't particularly ' find themselves - dividing their concentration between settling evil vendettas and vying for best kisser role with Steve Zahn. This is a comedy, folks, and a good lighthearted outing for two of our best actresses. Worth an evening's viewing! Grady Harp

Amusing and silly continental Western produced by Luc Besson and filmed in Mexico , with two top-flight actresses .Funny and enjoyable film with noisy action , struggles, shootouts , amusement and entertainment . It's a slapstick comedy where two gorgeous women fight for a vendetta. Goofy and entertaining tongue-in-cheek European Western about two female outlaws go in action to execute a relentless vengeance . Set in 1848 , New York bank wants to put a railroad across Mexico, so it buys up small banks around Santa Rita, Durango, and evicts country people on the proposed rail line carried out a nasty enforcer against those who owe money . Then two very different sexpot women , the European-educated , daughter of a banker , named Sara (Salma Hayek showing cleavage) and the farmer Maria (Penelopé Cruz) become a bank-robbing duo in an effort to combat a ruthless killer executioner caller Tyler Jackson (Dwight Yoakam) who runs afoul after them , while terrorizing poor villagers and then the two rebel girls are wanted...alive or dead . As Sara and Maria robbing banks and then riding off with the loot, being accompanied by a bumbling fool (Steve Zahn) and become the new Robin Hoods in the West .No man can come between them! Wanted...alive or dead .Being Bad never looked so Good! .Definitely wanted.

An European Western Featuring Two Beautiful Actresses as bank robbers , they're both international sex symbols and buxom beauties .The picture displays crazy characters with silly plot and some amusing moments here and there . It is a muddle but acceptable French/Mexican co-production Western with an appropriately goofy tone , it has has action, fun , brawls , light-weight comedy , crossfire and surprise-filled entertainment . Interesting to note is that plays like a male sex fantasy of female supremacy . The all the men in the movie are idiot , perennially horny and incompetent buffoons . The women are sassy , bossing the men around and outsmarting them at every turn , while they carry out philantropic action to feed the now landless people . Both of whom form a sympathetic and agreeable couple , María, the strong but innocent and uneducated daughter of a farmer , while vixen Salma Hayek as a brave and impulsive girl who'll stop at nothing to get her purports . Both Salma Hayek and Penelope Cruz have the goofy men wrapped around their finger . You can guess the conclusion from sheer arithmetics alone and the movie is pretty good from a technical standpoint, but eurowestern fans will have a ball seeing two of the most beautiful women ever to grace the silver screen. The picture packs an attractive female duo , funny gun-play along with fist-fight very much in the style of two Continental Westerns : ¨Legend of Frenchie King¨or ¨Les Petroleuses¨ by Christian Jaque played by B. B and C. C : Brigitte Bardot , Claudia Cardinale and ¨Viva Maria¨ by Louis Malle with Jeanne Moreau and Bardot . On the flip side, however, as a Western this film didn't quite have the same quality as many others in the genre and a major reason could be the fact that it was intended more for European audiences and specifically , the French public . In any case , while it wasn't a bad movie for the most part , I thought it should have been much better and that's why I have rated it accordingly . It does eventually outstay its welcome , and there are a surprising amount of ridiculous confrontation , shoot'em up, fights and laughters . It certainly has an enthusiastic cast , as Steve Zahn who steals the show with his gestures , faces and excesses as a bungler , stupid investigator and there appears ordinary secondary actors , such as : Dwight Yoakam as the murdeous pursuer , Denis Arndt as a wealthy banker , Sam Shepard as their experienced instructor and Mexican actors as 'East' Carlo , Carlos Cervantes , among others .

The motion picture was well directed by Joachin Rønning and Espen Sandberg , both of whom are friends from childhood , and they began directing professionally shorts . Known for making films about famous Norwegian historical figures, like Thor Heyerdahl and Max Manus. And other films together or separated , such as : Maleficent , Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales , Doomsday , Amundsen , Marco Polo series , among others . Rating : 6/10. Decent , acceptable Western especially appointed to Penelopé Cruz and Salma Hayek fans .

Americans are on a land grab building a railroad into Mexico. Tyler Jackson (Dwight Yoakam) is the cruel enforcer evicting poor farmers from their lands. Sara Sandoval (Salma Hayek) is the spoiled rich landowner's daughter. Her father is killed after selling his land to Tyler. María Álvarez (Penélope Cruz) is the poor gutsy farm girl. The two women from opposite classes join forces to rob banks and take revenge on Tyler with the help of retired bank robber Bill Buck (Sam Shepard). Quentin Cooke (Steve Zahn) is the bumbling Sherlock Holmes son-in-law of the railway boss brought in to catch the bank robbers.

Don Diego's dealings with Tyler needs explaining. It doesn't make sense that Sara loses her inheritance to Tyler. Even if it's stealing, Tyler needs to say it out loud as an exposition. I'm also not sure that Luc Besson understands Mexico other than from some spaghetti westerns. He does have two of the most beautiful actresses around. It has his style of campy humor which the two actresses go full out pulling it off. The love quadrangle only works because both Hayek and Cruz are game and so endearing. They are a great pairing and I only wish that they did continue to rob banks in Europe. It's fun as long as it's not taken seriously.