This is a great action flick from the master of the modern shoot-`em-up, Robert Rodriguez. Starring Danny Trejo as Machete, the greatest of Mexican Federales who loses everything to gangster Steven Segal. Becoming a drifter, he gets tangled up in a byzantine plot surrounding the transportation of immigrants across the Mexican/American border.
Framed for an attempt on a Senator's life, and on the run from seemingly everybody, an entertaining tale of bloody mayhem and revolution is woven as Machete seeks to right wrongs and clear his name.
Trejo is perfect as the hard as nails Machete, with monosyllabic dialogue and mean, moody glares. It's a magnetic performance. Jeff Fahey has fun as the somewhat seedy Machiavellian villain, Segal carries off his eviler-than-though character with aplomb and De Niro puts in a surprisingly good performance as the corrupt Senator. There is an interesting cameo from Don Johnson as the head of the local militia. Cheech Marin makes a welcome appearance as Machete's priestly brother, in scenes reminiscent of the scenes between Tuco and his brother Ramirez in the good, the bad and the ugly. Also worthy of note are Jessica Alba as the world's sexiest immigration official, and Lindsey Lohan as Fahey's dissolute daughter. Both manage great performances of quite some depth whilst simultaneously lighting up the screen as some much needed eye candy.
With Rodriguez's trademark gory violence and insane weaponry, this is not a film for the fainthearted. It is however a film that delivers plot, action, beautiful women, action, gore, action, one liners, action, social comment and a little bit of action. It's great stuff, I loved it.