MACHETE KILLS (2013)

Cinematography & Directed By: Robert Rodriguez 
Written By: Kyle Ward 
Story By: Robert Rodriguez & Marcel Rodriguez 
Editor: Robert Rodriguez & Rebecca Rodriguez 

 Cast: Danny Trejo, Mel Gibson, Charlie Sheen, Amber Heard, Demian Bichir, Michelle Rodriguez, Vanessa Hudgens, Sofia Vergara, Alexa Vega, Walton Goggins, Cuba Gooding Jr., Lady Gaga, Antonio Banderas, Tom Savini, William Sadler


During an operation of a Mexican Cartel, Machete Cortez and Sartana Rivera intercept the criminals alone, but another group arrives and a masked man kills Sartana. Machete is arrested, accused of killing his beloved Sartana and Sheriff Doakes hangs Machete. But the President of the USA Rathcock pardons and recruits Machete to kill the revolutionary Marcos Mendez that has threatened the USA with a missile with a bomb. Machete goes to San Antonio to meet the Miss San Antonio Blanca Vasquez that will be the liaison between Machete and President Rathcock. Then Machete goes to the brothel of Madame Desdemona to seek out the prostitute Cereza that is Mendez's mistress. Machete meets Mendez and learns that his heart is connected to the missile and only the arm dealer Luther Voz is capable to disarm the bomb. Now Machete needs to bring Mendez to the USA in less than twenty-four hours and save his new country in a dangerous journey with betrayals.

While it stays in the spirit of grind house cinema and paying homage to the exploitation films of yesteryear. This films feels actually less exploitive in some senses as I guess the last film was more sexual. This film more focuses on gore, action and cheap sci-fi. Which is fine but it seems all over the place

When does a film stop playing at being a parody of bad films then actually becomes a bad film itself.

It is understandable that the plot be ridiculous, but when it is hard to follow ad then when you do it still seems rather stupid as you can't tell what is going on or why? It just ceases to exist other than a bunch of amped up sequences with no rhyme or reason.

Now I liked the first film a lot, here with the preview of the next film this just feels like filler with a bunch of unused ideas from his EL MARIARCHI series of films.

Don't get me wrong this film is fun as long as you take nothing seriously at all.

The cameos are funny and campy. They sometimes shock even though they just seem like a cool concept rather than believable. At least most of them are funny. Mel Gibson completed his role in one week.

I see this film as a teenagers wet dream of a film. Plenty of action and cool gadgets. It still tries to pack a little message and goes fully into race exploitation territory, while also pushing it Into he background.

Robert Rodriguez's eleventh collaboration with Danny Trejo.

I believe one of the problems with the film as building this legendary character. Who early on the film tells and shows us can't die. So we know he will pull through. That takes a certain tension right out of the equation. Especially as the rules of this world seem to be made up on the spot.

The film also has so many plot thread and dangers that they start to become overwhelming and hard to keep straight.

There is also so much sexy women and outfits in the film with little to nothing to do. Then there is barely any titillation that it just seems a waste or a tease of something that will never come.

During the fight between Danny Trejo and Mel Gibson, the "William Wallace" sword from "Braveheart" can be seen behind Gibson.

I will give the film credit for constantly being inventive, though I don't know if it's modest look is by design or low funding. --It feels like Robert Rodriguez fresh off the success of the first film feels he can add any ridiculous element at his own whimsy and the audience will eat it up and not question it. The difference is even though machete was like a homage to exploitation and could have doubled as a more comedic version of desperado. Only with a different character. At least the first film, while having a laugh at it's premise was also In The perimeters of what was plausible and permissible while having an interesting story. Here the film is so outlandish and thinks it's funny and/or smart when it seems more sophomoric. It also doesn't indulge as much in the 70's exploitive grind house aesthetic as much l. Only once in awhile it remembers what it's supposed to be. Also having limited budgets should make the film more creative to work within it's means and make it seem better. Instead most f the film just looks cheap with some shiny dressing with star cameos and good action sequences. Though nothing is ever believable even by movie standards:".

This marks the first time Mel Gibson has ever played a villain .

I can take Danny Trejo as an actor as I have enjoyed his appearances in many films and I understand the strong silent type hero, But other than doing action and having a reputation that's precedes him his character barely has a pulse no personality nothing really to admire. So it's hard to root for him other then the fact we are supposed to, even Charles Bronson tried to have one. At least I the first film the side characters distracted you. Here none are more interesting than their slotted time to get to know nor are they even that interesting that you would want to spend more one with them and when you hear their backstories you wish that the film was more about that story then the film we are forced to watch play out in front of us.

This is the first film of Charlie Sheen 's career in which he is credited under his real name, Carlos Estevez. He is humorously given "introducing" billing.

While this is better than the usual Danny Trejo films where he is the star mainly thanks to the first machete film. This film feels like a joke that is reaching it's breaking point. It's sillier yet not as fun as the first film.

 Grade: C-