Machete [2010]

“They F****d with the wrong Mexican”

Violence is key in most of Robert Rodriguez’s movies. And it’s probably the reason why they’re so popular (recall “Desperado”, “Planet Terror”…). “Machete” is no exception; it’s a straighfoward action flick, and it’s all about revenge. Dany Trejo is well cast as the title role, and he’s a very angry man: the organization who hired him for a job betrayed him, so he decides to launch a brutal revenge plan against them. Yes it’s corny as hell, and it’s nothing we haven’t seen before, but the action scenes are brilliantly crafted, so it’s not a total loss. Rodriguez’s fans will definitely enjoy this one (though it’s not as good as “Planet Terror”). Major complaint: Robert DeNiro is totally miscast as a corrupt senator (I just couldn’t buy it).

Rating: 2.5/4