Assassins, 1995
 

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Director: Richard Donner

Other Actors: Sylvester Stallone, Julianne Moore

In his second outing as an action star Antonio, as a psychotic assassin, completely steals the movie from action veteran Sylvester Stallone. Reviewer Scott Renshaw said: "His (Antonio's) every appearance on screen is like a mainline of adrenaline, and further proof after Desperado that this man sweats charisma. Banderas has both the sly sense of humor and the physicality to be a major action star, and we all know that an accent is no hindrance in that respect. But he also demonstrates that there is more than one character in his action repertoire. In Desperado he was the silent haunted type; in Assassins he is an edgy egomaniac with an itchy trigger finger and hilariously funny. It takes a special kind of screen presence to make sitting in a chair and waiting something riveting, and Banderas has it. Where Stallone's existential killer is like Chinese water torture, Banderas blows you away and has you thanking him for the privilege."

The movie is about two professional assassins and their rivalry as Miguel Bain (Antonio) tries to take over the position of number one assassin held by Stallone's character. By the end of the movie, the two realize that they are caught in a game orchestrated by another.

Director Richard Donner found himself comparing Antonio to Mel Gibson. He found their combination of looks, brains, talent, sexiness -- and above all, wackiness -- to be very similar and very refreshing.

Antonio admits that he enjoys making action movies. He likes the technical aspects of such films as well as the thrill of performing stunts. He is quite swift to defend the action genre to people who feel that such films should be beneath this classically trained star of stage and dramatic films.

Related Information

Antonio was rather stressed during the filming of this movie as the world's tabloid press pursued he and Melanie. Antonio also had to face his wife, Ana Leza, and end their relationship.

Antonio was slightly injured when part of a set fell on him striking him in the face. The result was a shiner that makeup could only partially conceal.