Given the sheer number of his collaborations with Quentin Tarantino and his work on such films like Sin City, Death Proof, and Planet Terror, this newest film from director Robert Rodriguez seemed like a very appropriate project. With the core film content revolving around the issue of illegal-immigration, early buzz was a little controversial, especially when a fake trailer was released in early May through the website, Ain’t It Cool News. Still, the official trailer was released in July and attached to such films as Predators (which Rodriguez produced) and The Expendables, and with a cast that included Michelle Rodriguez, Jessica Alba, Cheech Marin, Steven Seagal, and Robert De Niro, Machete just kept looking better and better. The biggest question mark involved the casting of Danny Trejo as the lead; though far from unknown, as a character actor, Trejo has never headlined his own blockbuster. With a well-known cast, a director with an offbeat track-record, and a first-time leading man, I knew I had to see Machete out of sheer curiosity.
I’m really not sure how to describe Machete…at times its silly, downright ridiculous, and a little bit racist, but at the same time, I still found it entertaining. Danny Trejo is a convincing enough Mexican badass, but his character is just so stoic and one-dimensional that it is hard to feel any kind of any connection or feel supportive of the supposed “hero.” The real appeal lies in the supporting cast, who bring to life some downright ludicrous characters that are just shamelessly entertaining, my personal favorite being Cheech Marin as Machete’s brother, a crude priest who’s not above using a shotgun to prove his point. To truly enjoy this film, you just can’t take it too seriously; hell, I doubt the production crew took the movie seriously, because there are definite moments where Machete just seems to be making fun of itself. I do wish that the controversial subject matter had been handled with a little bit more care, as I constantly questioning whether a joke or a line of dialogue was clever, or just intentionally controversial and overly political. If you’re looking for some stupid fun and gratuitous violence, then you are sure to enjoy Machete.
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Overall Recommendation: Medium
