Rating of
2/4
Machete Kills - Messy but Fun
Chris Kavan - wrote on 01/13/14
I appreciated the original Machete because it pretty much followed the trailer (included as an extra before Grindhouse) to the T - and it was an over-the-top love letter to that era of film. It was violent, yet a lot of fun and Robert Rodriguez knew what he was getting into and it was exactly what I was expecting it to be. But we were promised two more Machete films - Machete Kills and Machete Kills Again... In Space!
What the sequel lacks compared to the first is a sense of direction - and I know that is hilarious coming from a throwback to a grindhouse film - but despite the many added characters and cameos that abound here, nothing seems to quite come together as well as I would have liked. Picking up where the first film left of, Machete and Sartana (Jessica Alba, in a brief appearance) are about to take down the military for selling to a drug cartel before things take an unexpected (and bullet-riddled) turn. Before you can say vendetta, Machete finds himself helping the president (Charlie Sheen) with the aid of secret agent/Ms. San Antonio (a devilish Amber Heard) with nothing less than nuclear warfare on the line.
But things aren't that easy - the cartel leader, Mendez (Demian Bichir - playing his role to the hilt) has a deadman switch wired to his heart - and a huge bounty on his head. That means that people are on his trail including El Camaleón (played by no less than four actors - including Cuba Gooding, Jr. and Lady Gaga) as well as a man-hating brothel owner (Sofía Vergara - and her trusty double-d mini guns) and her crew - Alex PenaVega sure has grown up since Spy Kids, that's for sure.
Things get really convoluted when weapons manufacturer Voz comes into play (Mel Gibson - who is just as over-the-top as everyone else in the film). Needless to say there are double-crosses and deaths - and some old friend (Michellle Rodriguez and Tom Savini amongst others) show up as well. For a film that is supposed to celebrate the grindhouse aesthetic, things sure do get overly-complicated in the plot department.
That isn't to say you won't find plenty to love (provided you don't mind a lot of blood). Helicopter blades, out-of-control speed boats, an armored car chase and lots and lots of guns - this movie is just as violent as the original and even more outlandish in its death-defying moments. Granted, I wasn't sure whether to laugh or groan through most of the film, but at least at times I was having fun.
While I could have done without adding a dozen or so new characters, I have to hand it to Rodriguez, he did get the most out of his eclectic cast. Standing out especially for me were Demian Bichir and Amber Heard (who I mostly know through horror films). Given that you won't get too much character development here - both turned in exceptional roles. And despite the issues Gibson has had in his personal life, he actually looked like he was having a lot of fun here - and you can never go wrong with Trejo - Machete is a character that just couldn't be played by anyone else out there.
For grindhouse aficionados, this will be right up your alley. They do cut down on the nudity (good or bad? I'm torn) but don't back down on the violence. And, despite my trepidation, there may still be Machete in Space to look forward to in the near future. Granted, that looks even more outlandish than this one (fake lightsabers, ray guns and bionic parts abound) but I say, more power to them because you know I'll watch that one too.
