Machete (Ethan Maniquis/Robert Rodriguez, 2010): USA

Reviewed by Kathleen Amboy.  Viewed at Fiesta Five, Santa Barbara, CA.

Based on a fake trailer within the 2007  Rodriguez/Tarantino Grindhouse double-feature,  Machete stars Danny Trejo in his first lead role, and is about a former federale agent bent on revenge.

On the lam and hiding in the U.S. from Mexican drug lord Torrez (Steven Seagal), Machete picks up odd jobs as a day laborer until one day he is hired by Booth (Jeff Fahey) as a hitman.

He soon discovers the job was a ploy to boost the political career of his target Senator McLaughlin (Robert De Niro). By setting McLaughlin up as a victim of an illegal immigrant,  his political stance and support for a much tighter border would be boosted.  However, the shooting goes awry and once again Machete is on the lam, but this time with his recognizable face plastered all over the news media.  Tracking Machete is INS Agent Sartana (Jessica Alba),  who eventually catches up to him, surveys the situation and decides to help expose the truth.

Machete’s weapon of choice is none other than a machete blade, which he wields with reckless abandon, slicing, dicing and chopping any body part that is readily available – many scenes are gruesome yet over-the-top.  Machete also has a magnetic libido in which women just throw themselves at him with irresistible lust, but in humorous, exploitive fashion.

The character of Machete seems to fit Trejo like a glove – hardly surprising given the fact that Rodriguez wrote the part specifically with him in mind, and having had the idea many years ago during Trejo’s memorable work in Desperado and From Dusk til Dawn. Trejo has both the charisma and flexibility to perform the role of anti hero and chick magnet, but with tongue-in-cheek humor, which is what this film delivers.

Action hero Steven Seagal appears to typecast himself into the usual whispery performance, while Jeff Fahey delivers a smooth likeable villain in Booth.  De Niro is great as the sleazy politician, but Lindsay Lohan with A-list actors?  Her medium really should be  B flicks only.

Machete is a mockery of exploitation films, and unless one enjoys and understands this style of filmmaking from the 60’s and 70’s (or is a fan of Trejo’s or Rodriguez’s work) it probably will not appeal to the average audience.

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Published:
09.24.10 / 10am
Category:
Films