Review of Machete (2010) by Grindhouse83 — 26 Nov 2010

I have to start with saying that I adore Grindhouse, both as a double-feature as it was originally intended, and as two separate movies. Quite simply, it represents one of the most enjoyable viewing experiences I've ever had at the cinema.

In the original feature the fake trailer for Machete was a highlight, and so I approached the full-length movie with hope but some trepidation - could Robert Rodriguez expand on and deliver what he had promised in the 3minute trailer that previewed before the excellent Planet Terror? The answer, I'm sad to say, is not really.

The film is not a failure by any means - it's fun, gory, and a pleasure to watch, but sadly it doesn't have the magic of Grindhouse. Perhaps it's because Rodriguez merely co-directed it, with his frequent editor Ethan Maniquis, and shared many other duties he usually performs solo.

The score for instance lacks iconic themes, and didn't generate the excitement and sense of fun of Planet Terror. The editing too seemed disjointed at times, and the screenplay felt lacking - all the best lines were in the original trailer.

Maybe it was just too political, and could have further embraced the trashy B-Movie qualities of exploitation cinema. One moment that was particularly disappointing was the shot of Machete with the machine gun attached to the front of his bike - when compared to Cherry Darling's big moment when she utilises her shot-gun leg for the first time, it just didn't generate that same feeling of euphoria and disbelief.

For all that however, the film is a success for its spot-on casting. Danny Trejo enjoys the kind of role he was born to play (and boy can he wield that weapon to terrific effect - carnage certainly ensues).

Michelle Rodriguez and Jessica Alba are smart, sexy and feisty, and Lindsay Lohan, Jeff Fahey, Cheech Marin and even Steven Seagal have a blast (although in comparison they do not enjoy the gifted dialogue or frenetic set-pieces the actors in Grindhouse were awarded with - nothing in this movie compares to Marley Shelton's "three friends" monologue, Freddy Rodriguez' hospital corridor fight or the aforementioned Cherry and her remarkable machine-gun leg).

I look forward to watching Machete for a second time when I will have more realistic expectations, and I can enjoy it without comparing it to Grindhouse, a movie I now regard as one of my top films of all time.