Twenty-five years ago, Robert Rodriguez was at the pinnacle of his career after his immense success with the Mariachi films. From Dusk Till Dawn is a no-holds-barred feature that combines the horror, action, thriller, and comedy genres. The film also brings larger-than-life characters (criminals, a small family, bikers) together to battle grotesque vampires that have a unique style.

The horror feature focuses on two brothers, Seth and Richie Gecko, who are violent criminals simply trying to get rich. After successfully robbing a bank in Texas, while also killing some police officers and innocent civilians in the process, their plan is to meet up with another group of crooks in Mexico, who will give the brothers a new car, and split the bank money. However, in order to get to Mexico undetected, the Gecko brothers use a father and his two children to get through since they have an RV with plenty of space to hide.

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The Gecko brothers (portrayed by George Clooney and Quentin Tarantino) are truly a piece of work. While Clooney was well known on television during the 90s, especially for his strong work on ER, this Rodriguez feature gave Clooney the opportunity to stand out as a movie actor, displaying dramatic gusto and tough guy vibes with intense flare. Tarantino (primarily known for his directing chops, and his funny cameos) delivers his best full-length role as a crazy, uncontrollable lunatic who only knows how to kill people and rape women.

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While Seth is an intense and aggressive character, he only kills and fights when he has to and intends on only being a professional thief. Richie murders and attacks out of pleasure, always picking fights and cooking up lies and excuses to kill civilians and cops. Seth is especially disgusted with Richie after his deranged brother viciously attacks and murders a female hostage. Yet, despite all their fighting and disagreements, Seth and Richie are brothers who always stick together.

As for the family, Harvey Keitel (usually known for tough guys roles like in Tarantino's directorial debut Reservoir Dogs) portrays the more subtle Jacob Fuller, a former preacher who lost his faith in God after his wife's death. His two children, Kate (Juliette Lewis) and Scott (Ernest Liu) do their best to comfort their father and are a very calm family compared to the Gecko brothers' aggressive behavior. When the Geckos meet the Fullers and hold them hostage, tension builds. Richie is attracted to Kate, Jacob is bothered by that, and Seth warns the family that he will harm them if they don't comply with his demands.

Once the Geckos and Fullers make it over to Mexico, they spend the night at a club, where the Gecko brothers are supposed to meet Carlos (Cheech Marin) and other criminals to make their business transactions. However, the night takes a horrifying turn and gets bloody when the dancers and workers at the club turn out to be deadly vampires at night, forcing the Geckos, Fullers, and other survivors to set aside their differences and work together to defeat the bloodthirsty villains.

While Rodriguez's film seems to take on a lot, along with excessive profanity, graphic bloody violence, and sexual content, the director effectively blends the horror, thriller, drama, and comedy genres in one feature. The first half is especially crucial as a dramatic thriller (with some comedic moments) in introducing the primary characters (the Gecko brothers and the Fullers) because both families are very different. The Geckos are hardened criminals on the run, and the Fullers are a faith-based family grieving over the loss of a mother and wife. Both families may be different, but each goes through personal conflict, and have to use their humanity to defeat a greater evil.

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The second half is very much over-the-top horror due to the vampires, and their intriguing style. The dancers (especially Salma Hayek as Santanico Pandemonium) are beautiful and attractive, but when they turn into vampires, they are absolutely terrifying, with big teeth and major facial transformations that appear grotesque. When the vampires bite, stab, and slash people in the club, plenty of blood gushes, and body parts are also torn in some ugly scenes. When Seth, along with Jacob and his kids, take down vampires with guns, crosses, and sharp and wooden objects, the hideous creatures bleed in various colors and burn.

The most horrifying part is that not only do the survivors in the club have to take down the primary vampires, but then they need to kill those who've been bitten and slaughtered by vampires before they turn. Rodriguez favorites Danny Trejo and Cheech Marin (who effectively plays three roles in this film: a border patrolman, a member of the club, and Carlos) also bring their machismo to the film. The way Trejo and Marin, as members of the club argue with Seth over whether or not he can drink at their club provides some funny banter, and when both men transition into vampires, they are even deadlier (while also having hilarious, over-the-top death scenes). Another Rodriguez favorite, makeup artist and actor Tom Savini (also well known for his work with horror legend George Romero) is also cool and humorous as a character known simply as Sex Machine, a tough survivor who kills a lot of vampires, and in one scene hilariously tries to hide his arms and teeth after he's bitten by a vampire, and begins transforming.

While the first half resembles a Western action thriller, and the second act is bloody horror, Rodriguez holds his feature together by centering it on Seth Gecko and Jacob Fuller. It's due to their initial opposition, and then their camaraderie, that makes spectators care about the fate of the protagonists, and whether or not they are capable of taking on the vigorous vampires. Jacob gets through to Seth by telling him that he should accept his victory as a criminal and not be aggressive all the time, especially after successfully robbing a bank and escaping from the police. Seth also restores Jacob's faith in God by explaining to him that there has to be a God people are faithful to in order for goodness to overcome evil.

From Dusk Till Dawn is one of the best horror features because Rodriguez is a skilled and talented filmmaker (both independent and mainstream) who knows how to bring captivating characters into a multifaceted story that blends many genres, along with well-choreographed action. This film is also an homage to drive-in films involving brutal violence, seduction, and horror with satisfyingly grotesque makeup and visual effects.

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