Review: Machete (2010)

Robert Rodriguez's Machete, starring Danny Trejo and Robert De Niro, began as a fake trailer in front of the 2007 Tarantino/Rodriguez project: Grindhouse. Much like the Grindhouse double feature itself, the Machete trailer's aim was to resemble a 1970's exploitation film. Having had such a success with Grindhouse, Rodriguez saw it fit to go ahead with the idea and make Machete a feature length film. Machete stars Trejo as an ex-Federale ("FBI, DEA, and CIA all rolled into one") who has been lead to believe that if he assassinates the senator (De Niro) he may continue to reside in the states and receive any legal documents required to do so. As events unfold, Machete finds that he is in business with the wrong individual and has been double crossed. However, what they failed to apprehend was that they messed with the wrong immigrant! Much like some recent reviews (Piranha 3D, Evil Dead 2), Machete doesn't promise much, but it delivers. Being inspired by exploitation films of the 70's, the flick does just that- it exploits every aspect of film. Scenes that are "ordinary" in normal films, are extraordinary in Machete. Ordinarily violent scenes are extra violent, as well as routinely cheesy lines being more frequent and extra cheesy. Machete defies gravity, physics, humanity, and pain tolerance- making it everything an action fan could dream of. The film also has special appearances from Cheech Maron, Don Johnson, and Lindsay Lohan (in an ironically appropriate role). For fans of exploitation films, Trejo, Rodriguez, action, De Niro, and babes, Machete pleases on all levels. Having started as a pre-movie gag trailer, Machete is an amazing adaptation of a simple idea and a really fun way to spend 105 minutes. I give Machete 31/2 stars.

First Review: Predators (2010)

The Movie is "Predators", the latest update on John McTiernan's 1987 original film starring Arnold Schwarzenegger. Predators, directed by Nimród Antal and produced by Robert Rodriguez, stars the Oscar winning Adrien Brody and the aspiring Alice Braga in lead roles as former, highly trained soldiers accompanied by a collection of soldiers, killers, a doctor, and a convict that have awakened in mid air, free-falling to an alien planet. Upon arrival the group of diverse specialists come to the conclusion that they have been brought to this planet to survive amongst alien hunters. I admire the approach of naming the film "Predators" in comparison to James Cameron's "Aliens" (a sequel to Ridley Scott's original film, "Alien"). I perceive this as an approach to weed out any expectations of Predators being a follow up to anything but McTiernan's original film and to disregard the god-awful remakes of recent years. First of all I would like to acknowledge that I can understand one's disliking of the film if one is completely turned off by violence and non-stop action. For this viewer, Predators did not disappoint. Predators started with a free-fall and ended with victory, both on the screen and in the audience. One thing screen writers Alex Litvak and Michael Finch conquered was characterization that was on par with the original. Walking out of that theater, I was closer to the characters of "Predators" than I have been with characters of any film of the dry cinematic year of 2010. Beyond that was the screenwriters achievement of originality that has not been an element since the original. Not to mention Brody being a sigh of relief due to a display of heroism not seen since Sigourny Weavers role in "Alien" and top notch acting in his most diverse role yet. It didn't hurt that J.C. Cantu and Mary Vernieu of the casting department threw in a pleasant and slightly humorous role for the lovable Laurence Fishburne. Would I recommend Predators for a fun summer action flick? Absolutely; especially for fans of the franchise searching for a relief from the failed sequels of recent years. "Predators" had every element of a perfect sequel that "aliens" did: bigger, longer, more beasts, and more violent. and for that I give Predators a solid 31/2 stars!