A Trailer So Awesome It Became a Movie - Machete
Perhaps the most recognizable and memorable of the teaser trailers for Grindhouse was for Machete. I remember seeing it and thinking, “That will be awesome.” Also, I was let down to learn that it was only a teaser. Of course, anyone who knows the story knows that enough people felt the same way that they made the movie. Now that’s a great trailer. Let’s jump into this awesome movie with a just as awesome backstory.
Danny Trejo - A Real Life Bad A
First, let’s talk about Danny Trejo. This guy is a boss plain and simple. He generally plays a stone-cold bad dude-type role. Regardless of your opinion of what Disney has done to or with Star Wars, you must be bad to train rancors. Trejo is the real deal when it comes to being a bad dude and, I think that’s why he plays one well. He’s not really an actor. He just shows up and acts like himself on the provided set. I learned from reading an article that his uncle trained him to box at an early age and it kept him alive and respected…when he was in prison at San Quentin. Yeah, he’s the real deal. You can read the same article here.
There’s just something about a Katana vs Machete battle. Back to Danny Trejo being a real-life bad dude, the main bad guy in Machete is none other than Steven Segal. I respect Aikido but, I think in real life that Trejo would come out on top. First, he boxes so he can defend himself against Segal’s hand. His biggest advantage is that lower center of gravity though. Unless Segal has touched up on his Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Trejo would ground him, and it would be over. It’s funny and a cool twist that following a Katana vs Machete fight, Segal commits Seppuku in traditional fashion. Segal did a really good job being the bad guy in Machete. Something about his style fit and added a touch of comedy that was a perfect addition to this otherwise straightforward action movie.
Mexican Culture is Heavy in Machete
Mexican culture, both stereotypical and not, is part of Machete. There are references to the US and Mexico border issues which has a lot to do with the story. Politicians are using this to their advantage which makes for an ironic death scene for Robert De Niro’s character. I’m not here for the plot so, read that here. There is a taco truck with great art, tricked-out lowriders, and a lot of Mexican lingo. Machete goes to see the father of a local catholic church which he calls “Padre.” This is no ordinary Catholic priest because he is played by none other than the legendary Cheech Marion. With Cheech involved, you know there are a lot of marijuana references. Machete also features plenty of chicas. The cast includes Jessica Alba and Michelle Rodriguez. There are a couple of other known Hispanic actresses in Machete too, Elise Avellan and Electra Stone.
Way Over The Top Action in Machete
As almost to be expected, Machete includes over-the-top action. It’s almost half that of The Expendables. Nothing will ever compare action-wise to The Expendables but, Machete tries. As an example, a motorcycle jump sends the bike complete with Machete through the air. The bike has a functioning Gatlin gun mounted on the front bars. This wouldn’t be complete without the gun laying waste to a crowd of people and a huge fiery explosion as the backdrop. Action is almost comic book style at some points. Lindsey Lohan arrives driving a hearse, dressed as a nun, and brandishing a 6” barrel .44 pistol. I’m not a gun expert but that’s what I think the weapon is. Right or wrong, it is a high-caliber revolver with a very long barrel. Nurses arrive in an ambulance and get out with silenced machine guns around the same time.
On eBay Buying a Copy Now...
Machete has easily become one of my new favorites and I see a DVD copy of this on my shelf soon. It had the flickering screen and feel of Planet Terror – you can read my blog on this movie here – and a loud grindhouse vibe. There were so many classic lines too. One, of course as the tagline, was “You just messed with the wrong Mexican.” They don’t stop with that though and there are too many to mention. Machete was everything I expected and more. This was my first time watching this one and I’m a fan. Gotta go, so I can hop on eBay and buy my copy.
If you’ve seen this movie, who was your favorite character? Does anyone know the exact type of gun Lohan is using in this one? I’d love for you to leave your thoughts on this movie below. Please check out my artwork here, thumb through my photography here, read more of my blogs here, and follow me on all social media here. All likes, shares, subs, and follows are appreciated.