B-movie leaves something to be desired

Rating: 6/10 (11 March 2010)

Quentin Tarantino and Robert Rodriguez are Hollywood's bad boys. The two of them completely flaunt Hollywood conventions, doing what pretty much whatever they want. The two filmmakers have very similar styles, and a co-operative production between the two became inevitable. Unfortunately, their first combined effort is something of a disappointment.
Two bank robbing brothers, Seth (George Clooney) and Richard Gekko (QT himself) are fleeing to Mexico to live a life of luxury. Along the way, they hijack an RV driven by Jacob Fuller, an ex-priest, and his son (Ernest Liu) and daughter (Juliette Lewis). Stopping to meet up with their cohorts at a bar, they discover that the bar is actually run by a group of nasty vampires.
The problem with the film is that it takes a while to get going. Clooney is fun to watch, but this isn't the likable criminal that he usually plays. He's a violent thug, and "charm" is not something one would use to describe his character. QT however, is ineffective as Richard. He can be a genius filmmaker when he wants to be, but he can't act. Harvey Keitel is solid as the priest who lost his faith. Juliette Lewis is miscast, and the less said about Ernest Liu, the better (he's awful, if you must know).
Robert Rodriguez is trying to emulate the B-grade zombie/vampire horror shlock films that he and QT love, and while it's certainly bloody, cheesy and sleazy, it's also a little boring. When the film gets going, it doesn't stop until the end. But it takes a little too long to get there.