Machete

In his collaboration with Quentin Tarantino on Grindhouse, Robert Rodriguez introduced a mock trailer for a fake movie called Machete, starring craggy-faced, veteran character actor Danny Trejo as an intimidating Mexican day laborer. In Rodriguez’s homage to violent low-budget ‘70s exploitation pictures, that Coming Attraction is now a testosterone-fueled reality. The minimalist plot revolves around Machete (Trejo), a badass ex-Mexican Federale seeking revenge against the vicious drug lord who killed his wife and daughter. Within the opening minutes, Machete has lopped the heads and arms off a dozen gangsters guarding kingpin Torrez (Steven Seagal) before he falls. After recuperating, Machete flees across the U.S. border to Austin, where he’s coerced under threat of deportation by double-crossing Booth (Jeff Fahey) to kill bigoted Texas Senator McLaughlin (Robert De Niro), a politico who denounces illegal immigrants and enjoys driving with sadistic, rifle-wielding Von (Don Johnson) to shoot unarmed Mexicans sneaking into the country. Naturally, things go wrong. The high-powered cast also includes Cheech Marin as Machete’s less-than-pious priest brother, tough girl Michelle Rodriguez as the leader of the underground resistance, scantily-clad Jessica Alba as a luscious Immigration and Customs Enforcement Agent, and Lindsay Lohan as Booth’s spoiled, drugged-up daughter. Ludicrous, over-the-top, and politically incorrect, Machete features bigoted hombres, naughty nurses, and naked bodacious babes. Serving up a huge helping of B-movie murderous mayhem (sequels are already being planned), this is a strong optional purchase. [Note: DVD/Blu-ray extras include an audience reaction track, deleted scenes (11 min.), and trailers. Exclusive to the Blu-ray release is a bonus digital copy of the film and the BD-Live function. Bottom line: a decent extras package for a silly but entertaining film.] (S. Granger)