The origin of some movies is stranger than others. “Machete” is a great example. It was originally one of the fake movie trailers during the “Grindhouse” double feature put on by Quentin Tarantino and Robert Rodriguez. The “Machete” trailer was homage to the campy revenge movies that came out regularly during the 1970s. The trailer featured Danny Trejo, Cheech Marin and Jeff Fahey. People were so blown away by the trailer that they clamored for a full-length feature to be made and Robert Rodriguez heard them loud and clear.
The movie follows the campy formula of the old revenge movies, except it takes place in the 21st century, which gives us such classic Machete lines as “Machete don’t text.” Trejo is Machete, an ex-Federale now working as a day laborer in Texas as an illegal immigrant. He is hired to assassinate a crooked senator (Robert DeNiro), but before he can take the shot, someone shoots him. He barely survives and is now out for revenge on the people who betrayed him.
If this doesn’t sound like a deep, moving plot, it is not. It was never meant to be. This movie is about one man who goes around killing bad guys using his favorite weapon. (He chooses a machete instead of a gun early in the picture.) He knows how to use his weapon well and he spends most of the movie decapitating bad buys or just impaling the machete right through them. He uses this weapon with such grace that Jason Voorhees of the “Friday the 13th” films would be green with envy.
The movie is pretty gory through and through. There are many great “gags” in the movie. In fact, that’s what you are pretty much waiting for in between scenes where nothing is going on. Machete does get it on with some pretty sexy ladies including Jessica Alba, Michelle Rodriguez and Lindsay Lohan (and Lindsay Lohan’s body double). There is plenty of nudity in this film too, but oddly no sex. Right before anything good happens some funky 1970s style music plays and everything fades to black. Don’t expect too much from the acting either. The lack of acting ability from Alba matters very little here.
When none of the above is going on, the movie slows to a crawl. Rodriguez is not the only director on this movie. He lets longtime editor Ethan Maniquis join him. Which scenes Maniquis directs and which ones Rodriguez does is unknown at this time; but, you do feel there is something missing. That is not typical of a Robert Rodriguez movie. Rodriguez has earned a good reputation as a director, so any problems with this movie can be put on Maniquis’ shoulders. The movie does fall into the category of, “it’s so bad, it’s good.”
“Machete” is a popcorn flick. Anyone who buys a ticket for it should get exactly what they expect. So go enjoy. It is rated R for strong bloody violence, language, sexual situations and nudity.
Comments