Grouch Bite: Machete

Well I don't know about you guys out there but I certainly had great Christmas one that was filled with many new DVD's given to me as gifts. So I figured it might be cool if TheDVDGrouch actually gave a short review of a new release DVD for a change. With that said I've decided to share my thoughts on Machete a movie which I surprisingly felt I had a lot to say about.

Machete is of course ultra violent intentionally cheap intentionally silly mexplotation movie brought to by writer director  Robert Rodriguez. If your like me then you first hear about this movie when it was featured as one of the many excellent fake trailers in 2007's Grindhouse.

The actual plot to Machete as best as I can describe it ,after notorious drug lord(Steven Segal) nearly kills him, Machete , a renegade Mexican Federale and tough-as-nails vigilante for justice Played by action super star Danny Trejo, roams the streets of Texas, working as a day laborer. When Machete is hired by a crooked US Senator(Robert Deniro) to execute a covert hit, Machete is double-crossed and forced to run from the cops and an endless stream of assassins. But what they don't know is that Machete is looking for them so he can settle the score.

As I stated before the story is intentionally silly and tailor made to string together one bat shit insane fight scene after another. These fight scenes are especially the ones early in the movie are the obvious highlight bloody and over the top as well as feverishly inventive. The use of bladed weapons, guns and even landscaping equipment throughout the movie keep the many action scenes from getting boring.

Had the been nothing but campy scenes of violence I would have been given everything I asked for out of the movie but unfortunately Machete tries to more with it almost two hour run time. The attempts to contrast it almost looney toon level of cartoon violence with actual biting social commentary on the border debate. Don't get wrong I can see where Rodriguez is coming from I'm sure a man like him would have a lot to say on the issue I just don't feel this movie as it is was the right place to do it.

The sad fact is the movie is jammed pack Machetes quest for revenge is just a small part of a much bigger and more confusing story that involves Don Johnson and a group of border vigilantes and drug addicted Lindsay lohan as well as a I.C.E investigation lead by Jessica Alba and an underground immigrant network lead by Michelle Rodriguez. The films final battle while being an action packed free for all is a needless convoluted mess that intentional or not did affect my liking of the movie.

Over all if you Like Danny Trejo if you like violence and like beautiful naked senoritas then Machete is numero uno jsut don't go looking for deep characters of a compelling story. The DVD also comes with the great extras Robert Rodriquez is know for including some fun deleted scenes.

GROUCH RATING: ITS OK (Good For a RENTAL Or On TV)