Machete Kills

I am a fan of the first one, I am a fan of Grindhouse and I love over the top movies. Going in to this I knew that it was going to be bloody, cheesy and awesome. It surprised me that this did not do as well as the first one or even close to it. The original was a tad more serious and had some really badass parts while this one was just non stop cheesy and Grindhouse-y.

If you saw the first one, you pretty much know what to expect and what the basic concept is. Just times that times ten and you have Machete Kills. It is just a movie where you sit and don't think about it. Let it all happen and enjoy it. That is, of course, you like action movies where the hero chops every bad guy up and Sofia Vergara with her bra machine gun.

In Robert Rodriguez's Machete Kills, Danny Trejo's character—deadly Mexican secret agent Machete Cortez—is about as three-dimensional and grounded in realism as a Looney Tunes cartoon character tripping on peyote. For many, this move towards a crazier style with even more unbelievable splatstick violence will be a step too far, the live-action-cartoon style antics exceeding many people's willingness to suspend disbelief. However, those who can find their way safely past this potential stumbling block should have a whale of a time.

Rodriguez directs proceedings with a carefree attitude and sense of fun that I found infectious, with all ideas—no matter how dumb they must have looked on paper—making their way into the final film. Thus, we have a Bond-style baddie in the form of megalomaniac Luther Voz (Mel Gibson), our hero killing numerous henchmen in a variety of creative ways, some innovative sci-fi weaponry, plenty of cool in-jokes for us movie geeks (I loved the visual reference to Mad Max II) and a bevy of lovely latino babes in sexy gear (including Alexa Vega in PVC and Michelle Rodriguez in tight, cleavage enhancing top). Hell, Rodriguez is having so much fun that he doesn't even care about the quality of his CGI, which only adds to the gleefully gaudy vibe.

It all gets very silly, and with the next sequel featuring Machete in space, it's set to get a whole lot sillier; I for one will make sure I've booked my seat for the ride.

7.5 out of 10, rounded up to 8 for being marginally more fun than the first one.

Wild , bloody , violent and deliriously entertaining follow-up yarn . Thrilling action film with plenty of shootouts , explosion , some hilarious touches and lots of violence . The film is preceded by a fake trailer for "Machete Kills Again... In Space!", which features the titular hero on an intergalactic mission , starring Danny Trejo, Michelle Rodriguez, Mel Gibson, Alexa Vega, Lady Gaga, Antonio Banderas, Walton Goggins , Cuba Gooding Jr., Vanessa Hudgens , Justin Bieber as a robot named Bleep which Machete eliminates , and Leonardo DiCaprio as "The Man in the Silver Mask" with the sub-note that the actor playing the role is subject to change . The U. S. government recruits Machete , a deadpan Danny Trejo, to battle his way through Mexico in order to take down an arms dealer who looks to launch a weapon into space. Trained to kill. Left for dead. Back for more. He was given an offer he couldn't refuse...They just confronted with the wrong Mexican!.If you're going to hire Machete to kill the bad guy, you better make damn sure the bad guy isn't you! .He knows the score. He gets the women. And he kills the bad guys! .Yesterday He Was a Decent Man Living a Decent Life. Now He is a Brutal Savage Who Must Slaughter to Stay Alive. A Pissed Off Mexican Out to Settle a Score.

This is a zestful action film with eccentric all-star-cast , striking set-pieces and irony . Nail-biting and lavishly produced movie packs hilarious scenes , tension , chills , thrills , terror , sadism, tongue-in cheek and lots of blood and gore , including stabbing , slicing , stabbing , quartering- courtesy of Greg Nicotero and Howard Berger ; they create a truly creepy make-up and fantastic special effects . Machete appearance delivers the goods with hair raising thrills and plenty of non-stopped-acting in which he destroys loads of heinous hoodlums . The astonishing killings are gruesomely executed and grisly graphic . There is more than enough preposterous pleasure to be had from Robert Rodriguez's expertise with the action set-pieces and absurdist approach to the story of the mythical Machete . This movie is in similar style than Quentin Tarantino's ¨Death Proof¨and ¨Planet Terror¨both tales form a diptych titled 'Grindhouse', as contains more amusement action and fun . More a sequel than a loose , biggest budget remake , this second Machete installment feature may be a rambling derivative exercice in gratuitous violence , but anyway it results to be a gleeful entertainment and really amusing . Motifs and plot points are hardly explained and certain roles are extremely ridiculous and so sketchly drawn that it is difficult to work out why they are there .

Various familiar players acting , many of them Rodriguez's regulars , such as : Sofia Vergara , Antonio Banderas , Cuba Gooding Jr , Vanessa Hudgens, Alexa Vega , Michelle Rodriguez , Amber Heard, Charlie Sheen , William Sadler , Julio Oscar Mechoso and the Avellan twins as two nurses , they're niece-in-law of Robert Rodriguez and wife, Elizabet Avellan . Besides , appearing Tom Savini, the prestigious make-up artist who repeats his role from Machete I , but now as a good guy . Moving musical score , special cinematography , edition and nice direction by Robert Rodriguez himself . His big hit was Robert Rodriguez's Mariachi trilogy formed by ¨El Mariachi¨ 1992 with Carlos Gallardo , ¨Desperado¨ 1995 with Antonio Banderas , Salma Hayek , Cheech Marin, Quentin Tarantino , Steve Buscemi and ¨The Mexican¨ (2003) with Banderas , Hayek , Willem Defoe , Eva Mendes . Rating : 6/10 , an acceptable and tolerable sequel . The film will appeal to action/thriller fans with some humor and irony.

1. "Poor acting, poor dialogue, even worse actors. I didn't see the first one and will not see this one either." - DUH. This is what happens when one segment of society is bound and determined to shrink government so small that it can be drowned in a bathtub; things tend to get a bit, shall we say, dumbed-down.

2. "People who actually pay money to see these films are as brain-dead as the writer, director and producers of these films." - This, written about people who make a great living producing movies... written by someone who, based on the text of his review, probably has yet to achieve one accomplishment of note that even remotely compares to the production of just one movie.

3. "These remind me of the old Blacksploitation films in the 70s, only they are considerable lower budget and lower class." - Again, DUH. Uh, that was kind of the point, John Baggs. These movies are an HOMAGE (do the google) to 70s grindhouse and blacksploitation movies. The excessive scratching on the film stock? Intentional, to give the movie the "feel" of a 70s grindhouse/exploitation film. There are many other things in the movie that directly pay homage to the 70s films, and you can find these elements in many Rodriguez and Tarantino films. Since it reminded you of a 70s blacksploitation movie, I would say "MISSION ACCOMPLISHED", and not "lower budget, lower class", etcetera.

4. "Honestly I can't think of a single good thing to say about it." - Since you didn't see EITHER of the Machete movies, yet insisted on commenting about them, I am not surprised that you are unable to say anything good about them. Generally, to develop an opinion (that matters), one must EXPERIENCE the subject at hand. I guess your parents didn't teach you that, "if you have nothing good to say, don't say anything at all". If they had, perhaps you would not have commented and could be given the benefit of the doubt that you might be intelligent.

5. "Meth-Head Charlie, Crack-Head Danny, and Brainless Jessica. What a team. The three of the together couldn't make one good brain between them as evident of their acceptance to participate in this film, but then I guess when you are broke (or drugged out like Charlie, you'll do anything for money. " - Let's do the math, shall we? Charlie, Danny, Jessica.... many movie credits, many accomplishments in life, respectable bank accounts. John Baggs? Produces rambling, semi-literate "reviews" of movies that he has never seen, so that he can attack people who have actually succeeded in life. Sorry John, but the math doesn't add up in your favor.

In summary, Machete Kills is exactly what it is advertised to be. It is an homage to 70s grindhouse and exploitation films. Why attempt apple v. orange comparisons between an intentional B movie, and Oscar-caliber films (that John Baggs probably hasn't seen either)? Why not just get some popcorn and enjoy it? (That means actually SEEING it, John)

The humor is subtle and much of it is too subtle for the average viewer as I see from the posts below. If one views it as a "Kill Bill" kind of silliness that looks at the Mexican/Us border, then one may enjoy it.

The movie is not self-indulgent, rather it takes common stereotypes and puts them into funny situations. It has dark humor at times and makes no apologies for making fun of everything. It takes on many issues in a light-hearted way, but for some reason, it is not listed as a comedy. It, however, is a comedy.

The hero is a clever native American which is it's twist. The movie's plot is not predictable and it is filled with guns and shoot ups. It is a modern comedy that pokes fun at US politics and all its insincerity.

Watch it. Do not take it seriously as an action flick and allow it to be the comedy that it is.