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Is it worth $10 No
“Machete” is the first movie I’ve seen in which someone is decapitated, then the severed head is split in two by a machete before it hits the ground.
You must admit, that’s pretty original. And disgusting. Either way, after reading the first sentence you likely immediately know if you wanted to see this movie. And if you do, it’s my responsibility to tell you the action comes in spurts, and there’s a serious rather than playful tone that takes away from the sophomoric fun.
Character actor Danny Trejo (“Heat”) gets his first lead role here as Machete, an ex-Mexican Federale whose family was murdered by a drug-dealing bad guy named Torrez (Steven Seagal, in his first outing as a true villain). Jump to three years later. Along the Mexican border in Texas, Machete works for pittance as a day laborer.
After winning a street fight, Machete is offered $150,000 by a power broker named Booth (Jeff Fahey) to assassinate a racist U.S. Senator (Robert De Niro) who wants to construct an electric fence along the border. But when Machete learns he’s been framed, he seeks vengeance on Booth’s daughter (Lindsay Lohan) and learns of Torrez’s connection to the senator. As long as the film focuses on Machete’s vengeance-is-mine storyline, it’s fine. Crass and vulgar, but fine.
It’s when co-writer/director Robert Rodriguez insists on hammering us with commentary on illegal immigration that the movie runs into trouble. Luz (Michelle Rodriguez) ostensibly runs a taco stand, but she’s really the brain behind an illegal smuggling ring that gets people across the border. Jessica Alba is Sartana, the customs and immigrations officer responsible to stop Luz and, later, help Machete. Sure Rodriguez and Alba are here for sex appeal, but their characters are so virtuous it’s as if Robert Rodriguez forgot people paid admission to see blood splatter, not be preached to.
Ordinarily, movies are well into post-production before a trailer is made. With “Machete,” the trailer came first. Robert Rodriguez made it as one of the “fake trailers” that ran in between “Planet Terror” and Quentin Tarantino’s “Death Proof” in their double feature homage to ‘70s Exploitation movies, “Grindhouse” (2007). True to form, scenes from that fake trailer are in this movie, though it’s hard to believe the rumor that some of the old footage was used.
At times, “Machete” makes “The Expendables” look like an after-school special: Vomiting, excessive nudity (including Lohan), and at least three eyeballs are dismembered. But what’s really bothersome is that the movie dares to be more than an Exploitation pic after promising so little.
Usually substance is needed to make a movie better. In this case, the message of tolerance for immigration makes “Machete” play like a revenge flick caught between being “so cheesy it’s fun” and “too serious for its own good.” What was Robert Rodriguez thinking?
Did you know?
Brace yourself: Another fake trailer from “Grindhouse,” Eli Roth’s “Thanksgiving,” is currently in development to be a feature-length movie.
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Gsypydreamer
said:
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... It was a B movie, but I think that was what they were going for and yes, I agree, they were trying hard to deliver a message which hit it's mark as far as I was concerned. |
shemoose
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... I actually had a lot of fun watching Machete. I agree that at times it felt a little heavy on the "message". I love a good exploitation flick, so during the moments that this film was true to its exploitation roots, it was incredibly enjoyable. Whether or not Machete dared to do more than what it said on the tin, I think this movie was worth a watch anyway. It caters to a certain type of moviegoer (me!), and I don't think that anyone with similar expectations will leave entirely disappointed. |
A Fan
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... Another great movie!!! It has a little of everything,action,drama,comedy,suspense,irony,romance,e tc...Choosing Danny Trejo as a knife-wielding outlaw to play the main character was brilliant.Jessica Alba,Michelle Rodriguez,and Lindsay Lohan all had great performances as well.I do not have a positive or negative opinion in reference to Robert De Niro's performance.He did not do bad,but I am just so use to seeing him in great roles that sometimes it felt as this was not the right film for him;however as the great actor he is he played the villain part really well.I enjoyed watching Steven Seagal as well,but I wish he would have prepared better for the Spanish speaking parts;specially when it came to pronouncing the curse words.Every time time I heard him curse in Spanish(one word in particular)It killed it for me because he was not pronouncing it correctly.However,his acting,and action scenes were as good as usual.Enough of Steven,back to the movie.I would give Machete 5 stars,but I didn't because sometimes the comedy in reference to the immigration subject was a bit to much,but I am sure the director was just trying to make a point.With all of that said,the movie is a great film for anyone over the age of 18,and it is worth paying the $10.00 dollars.Go watch it:-))) |
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