Review of Machete (2010) by Walter M — 17 Jan 2012

Three years after watching his family killed in an ambush by the evil crimelord Torrez(Steven Seagal), former Federale Machete Cortez(Danny Trejo) lives a life of poverty on the other side of the border, depending on the kindness of Luz(Michelle Rodriguez), who operates a lunch truck for day laborers, under the watchful eye of ICE Agent Sartana(Jessica Alba). Making matters worse is the demagogic political campaign run by State Senator McLaughlin(Robert De Niro). In response, Michael Booth(Jeff Fahey) gives Machete $150,000 to assassinate McLaughlin.

On the surface, "Machete," with all of its mayhem and nudity, may seem like just another exploitation picture and on that level it is certainly entertaining. At the same time, the movie desperately wants something to say about the immigration debate. And while I always appreciate a social conscience mixed in with my action, the delivery of the message is more preachy than most documentaries. Come to think of it, the acting is also more serious than it should be, with a distressing lack of scenery chewing amongst the 89 villains which also dilutes the message. For example, Steven Seagal could not be any more wooden, even though Danny Trejo makes for a capable unorthodox lead while Cheech Marin is always good for a laugh. Otherwise, Don Johnson and Jessica Alba are pretty much the only ones to get the memo to have fun which should tell you all you need to know.