The Cisco Kid (1994 film)
The Cisco Kid is a 1994 American TV movie, which updated the successful 1950s comedy Western television series, and 1940s movie serial. The film was written by Michael Kane and directed by Luis Valdez. Jimmy Smits played the Cisco Kid, the role previously played by Duncan Renaldo, Gilbert Roland, and Cesar Romero. Cheech Marin played his sidekick Pancho. Bruce Payne and Ron Perlman played French villains. The film aired on the TNT Network. Plot. The Cisco Kid and Poncho are about to be executed by the French, who have taken over part of Mexico, when  an attack on the prison by rebels allows them both to escape. Still chained together, they steal a burro and ride to a nearby village where they come upon a tax collector and several soldiers in the process of taking money from the villagers. The pair manage to overcome the soldiers, and using their guns, free themselves from the chains and rob the tax collector. Pancho takes Cisco back to his village, where the pair inspire Mexican peasants to oust settlers from the Second French Empire. The action continues with gun battles, kidnapping, swordplay, humor and suspense. Production. The film  was directed by Luis Valdez. Filming took place in Sierra de Órganos National Park in the town of Sombrerete, Mexico. Review. Just before its initial airing, Todd Everett of "Variety" praised the casting of Jimmy Smits in the role of The Cisco Kid as "ideal", and wrote that Cheech Marin as Pancho had "never been more appealing". He predicted that the film would have broad appeal. Kim Newman of "Empire" stated that the film was 'a likeable cable revival for the old 1950s series Western character' and noted that it depicted Mexicans in a less stereotypical fashion than the original  television series. Nonetheless, Newman stated that it 'continues to depict the French (Bruce Payne, Ron Perlman) as effete sadists and the gringos (Tim Thomerson) as grungy swine'. Mick Martin and Marsha Porter stated that it was an 'enjoyable, lighthearted Western...spiced with humor and enthusiastic performances by Jimmy Smits and Richard 'Cheech' Marin'. Similarly, Ray Loynd stated that Smits played the Cisco Kid with an 'easy swagger and light romantic panache'. Terry Rowan described the film as a 'tongue-in-cheek comedy western filled with fast gunplay, narrow escapes, wild rides, battling armies and yes, some romance'. Michael Pitts stated  that a highlight of the film was the 'use of authentic locations depicting the rural Mexico of 1867'.