Machete

If you saw Grindhouse's theatrical release back in 2007, you may remember seeing a fake trailer for Machete. What's even more interesting is that Machete was an idea that first got into co-director/producer/writer Robert Rodriguez's head back in 1993 when he cast Danny Trejo for Desperado. In my opinion, this movie should have been made 10 years ago, because Trejo is a very underrated actor when it comes to action films. He's a former prison boxing champion and recovered drug addict turned actor who has never had a leading role until now. He's always a villain or a sidekick. And if Machete happened sooner, he'd be at a somewhat more convincing age for his character (the man is 66!)

In this Grindhouse style flick, the title character is an ex-Federale turned illegal day laborer who's hired by a shady businessman (Jeff Fahey) to assassinate a Texas state senator (Robert De Niro) who has strong views against illegal immigration. Little does he know that the job is a set-up to improve De Niro's chances for reelection. With help from an underground "Network" of immigrant activists lead by Michelle Rodriguez, and a sexy immigration enforcement officer (Jessica Alba), Machete must hunt the bad guys down to clear his name and get his revenge.

When you see a name like Robert Rodriguez in the credits, you know that this movie is all about fun and doesn't take itself too seriously. However, there's also a bit of a political message regarding immigration that actually makes the film a bit more enjoyable. And while the plot slows down a bit in the middle, it's still worth the price of a ticket. Just be ready for a lot of gore and nudity. Cheech Marin and Lindsay Lohan also have their own great comical roles, but I won't say any more than I need to.

Two issues I had with the casting was with Alba and Steven Seagal. Alba isn't known for he acting ability, just her looks; and Seagal is promoted as the first supporting actor, even though he doesn't get as much screen time as you'd expect. He also doesn't even get to be himself until the brief sword fight at the end. I think both of these actors were only cast for their names to help the movie sell better, and could have been easily replaced.

Overall, Machete isn't perfect, but it's still one of the most fun movies you'll see this year. Check it out, and feel free to speculate on whether we'll see this made into a trilogy.

Image provided courtesy of Wikipedia.org.