Machete Kills (2013)

Last night I took a break from writing, as the weather just put me in a bad mood. With the temperature dropping outshine, I decided to watch something with a warmer feel. My selection for Tuesday the 2013 entry Machete Kills.

Plot/ The U.S. government recruits Machete to battle his way through Mexico in order to take down an arms dealer who looks to launch a weapon into space.

I knew this one was going to be ridiculous as soon as I saw the first trailer. As a fan of Machete, I knew they could never recapture everything that made it great, and that bigger is not always better. This one was violent, it had some solid kills, and as with the first one , there was a lot of action, comedy and effects to like. Unfortunately, the storyline in this installment did not live up to the first one, and the ensemble cast did not flow in the same manner as the first. Yes, there were some perfect choices like Carlos Esteves, but others did not work. The biggest let-down was the new  characterization of Machete, as they transformed him into a supplier hero destined for the Justice League. In the end, I am glad I waited for this to hit the video shelves and did not rush in. I love grindhouse and exploitation cinema, but this one is a stretch even for me. Be warned!

Machete (2010)

I am really tired of this cold dragging me down. While I feel a lot better today, I am still nowhere close to being totally healthy. While stuck on my couch Thursday, I got to enjoy some great exploitation fun, with 2010s Machete.

Plot/ After being betrayed by the organization who hired him, an ex-Federale launches a brutal rampage of revenge against his former boss.

Being extremely sick and limited to laying on my couch can definitely lead to some insane thoughts, however, I actually felt much better for a few minutes after watching this. Yes, it is absurb, the were some pacing issues and there is almost no character development, but the mixture of nudity, blood, and crude humor more than make up for the flaws. The acting is solid (especially Danny Trejo) and while the story is rather basic, it is mindless exploitation fun. This is not for everyone, but if you like revenge, blood and boobs, this is for you!