Machete is almost the Rodriguez version of Expendables only with way more gore, titty and gratuitous violence. Those of you who went to see Grindhouse in theaters a few years back know that Machete-the-movie originates from the fake trailer of the same name presented before Planet Terror.
Machete is co-directed by Robert Rodriguez and Ethan Maniquis. Rodriguez who is also responsible for the Grindhouse trailer and for the cinematic collaboration with Quentin Tarantino on Grindhouse. Grindhouse is of course a double feature (Planet Terror & Deathproof) presented together by both Rodriguez and Tarantino. It was a hell of a good time if you saw it in the theater and not so much when it was separated into two DVDs. The DVD's don't include the fake trailers that premiered with the Films and the DVDs weren't even sold together.
Mentioning Grindhouse is very important to Machete. To understand the ridiculous action and style of the film, you need to know the motivation for Rodriguez and it all stems down from Grindhouse. Like Grindhouse, Machete was made in the style of the 70s B movie over-the-top action. It's also important to mention that Roriguez made the film because apparently after the Grindhouse trailer, fans were coming up to him asking to see the whole thing.
When Rodriguez makes a film, its like he's making a film with all his friends. Danny Trejo who plays the title character, Machete, has been in all of Rodriguez's films. However, this is Trejo's first time in the lead role. He's not the greatest actor, which is why he didn't say much in the film, but he plays a pretty cool bad-ass. Jeff Fahey who plays one of the bad-guys named Booth makes his second appearance in a Rodriguez Film. He's principally the main antagonist in the film based on the fact he has the most screen time. Cheech Marin, who's also a Rodriguez regular finds his way in the film as the Padre who is holier then Holy with his double shotguns.
Joblo.com describe the casting as a "WTF?!" cast because of the serious range of actors that play in the film. And ya, "What the fuck?!" is appropriate for this film. Robert DeNiro makes a Rodriguez first as the Texan Senator McLaughlin up for election. There's Steven Seagal who got some time off from being a Cop to play the Mexican drug lord Torrez and sports a terrible Mexican accent. Don Johnson also landed a part as the main border patrol dickhead. Jessica Alba makes her second appearance in a Rodriguez film since Sin City. She plays an immigration officer. Michelle Rodriguez is another hottie that plays 'SHE', a female homage to the Argentinian revolutionary 'CHE'. And just for tits and giggles, they threw in Lindsey Lohan as a cracked out whore and daughter to Booth. Not a challenging role for her, I'm sure.
The movie does have some funny and intriguing things to say about the current ethnic and political topic of Latinos in the USA. The film takes place in Texas where Border Patrol vigilantes are supported and even considered a necessity. With Arizona recently passing their controversial law regarding Latino's to have papers proving citizenry, Machete provides Latinos with a symbol against this very realistic injustice going on in the southern states today.
However, Rodriguez has some fun with this movie. Its not meant to be taken seriously at all. This is what gives Machete its charm. With all the blood, guts, titty, gratuitous violence and cheesy one liners like "Machete don't Text", its really easy to find yourself laughing. The downside is that this movie is not for everyone. If your not a fan of Rodriguez, your much less likely to enjoy this flick. However, you have to give kudos to Robert Rodriguez for having the balls and financial support to make an "R" rated film in America, and then make money with it. Nearly 90% of Hollywood productions get a PG rating so they can distribute to a wider market. This is why most films lack that extra something.
Although Machete isn't a revolutionary piece of film-making, it is one heck of show. I'll never forget the naked girl getting a phone call from her Cooter. Or Machete rappelling from one floor of a building to another using the intestines of a henchman. All I can say is that you will enjoy the fun of this movie, even if you don't enjoy the story.
3.5 / 5 Xombie Heads
