Machete - Just soooo much fun!

Where do I begin with this movie?  Perhaps the title? 'Machete' is a simple enough name for a film that, despite what it appears at first glance, is not that simple.  It started life as a 'mock trailer' made as part of a homage to a pair of 'Grindhouse' films by Quentin Tarantino and Robert Rodriguez ('Death Proof' and 'Planet Terror') and, no, I've never heard of 'Grindhouse' until those films!  Anyway, I digress... 'Machete' was a trailer advertising an insanely powerful Mexican anti-hero (Danny Trejo) by the name of 'Machete' who happily blasts his way through wave upon wave of faceless henchmen in the most gory and over-the-top fashion possible.

In short, it hardly took itself seriously, knowing that it was completely unbelievable and deliberately gory, with plenty of cheesy one-liners and, well, over-the-top action.  In fact... 'over-the-top' was its byword.  And, despite 'Death Proof' and 'Planet Terror' being successes in their own right (my personal favourite being 'Planet Terror') it seemed that there was an appetite to adapt the trailer into a full-length feature.  And here's the result.

Danny Trejo is hardly a 'household' name, but that's nothing new in B-movies.  However, what is different is the amount of big names the script has attracted.  If ever there was a measure as to whether a script was any good, it's whether it can attract A-list stars.  It's hard to believe that Robert DeNiro is in this - granted he only pops up here and there, but he's clearly enjoying the ride, as are the rest of the cast.  Expect to see Jessica Alba, Michelle Rodriguez and Steven Seagal all doing their bit to aid or hamper Machete's quest to take down a ruthless gang of armed thugs who want to gun down Mexican migrants as they make their way to America.

If ever a film captured the sheer essence of the trailer then 'Machete' is a perfect example.  If you love B-movies that refuse to take themselves seriously, then 'Machete' is for you.  It's wonderfully exaggerated and full of gore, violence, nudity and profanity.  So, if any of those things offends you then you're better off steering clear.  If you're unsure as to whether or not you'll like it, track down the original trailer (probably available for free on YouTube) and, if it tickles your fancy, then you'll definitely enjoy the 'real thing' (and the sequel - that's pretty damn fine, too).  Just wondering where the final chapter of the trilogy is these days?

9/10 almost as perfect as The Godfather