Most B-movie fans had a good time with director Robert Rodriguez’s outrageous, over-the-top exploitation homage Machete. The original film even had a few cutting comments to make about immigration. This follow up has plenty of action, but appears haphazardly stitched together. Where the first film seemed sharp, Machete Kills feels a bit rusty, its blade slightly dulled.
This time out, Machete (Danny Trejo) is asked by the President (Carlos Estevez, more commonly known as Charlie Sheen) to take down a madman (Demian Bichir) who is plotting to fire a missile into the US. Along the way, our hero must also contend with a nasty Sheriff (William Sadler), a group of vengeance-seeking prostitutes (led by Sophia Vergara), a shape-shifting assassin known as Cameleón (Walton Goggins, Cuba Gooding Jr., Lady Gaga and Antonio Banderas) and a weapons developer (Mel Gibson). There are seemingly about a dozen other parties involved, including characters from the first film.
The plot is rather unfocused and veers wildly. As the story takes more random turns, Rodriguez can’t seem to stop introducing more and more characters, even well into the second half of the film. Many appear for a couple of scenes before being quickly dispensed, only so that more actors can be established. The hectic pacing and odd plotting becomes a little tiring. As strange as it may be to admit, the previous film took a little more care in developing the roles, and as a result was more involving. Even in a B-movie, characters are important.
Many of the jokes (particularly early on) are a bit clunky and obvious as well. However, a few of the gags are effective. There’s a great moment with Machete in a noose, his eyes menacingly following his target even while hanging. Charlie Sheen is highly enjoyable as the President, cussing up a storm in the Oval Office. Gibson also has some effective lines as the arms developer, most notably when admitting to being a Star Wars fan and driving around his factory in cart shaped like a Landspeeder.
And while a lot of the action feels familiar (many of the gags appear to be references to other films) it still has the occasional fun moment. It’s hard not to enjoy actor Trejo riding a rocket as it launches into the air. Still, other bits seem strained. It’s likely a result of a scene very early in the film, when one character comments that our hero is literally invincible and is proven right – so the villainous threat to Machete is diminished and the action becomes a little less exiting.
Despite the middling returns for this sequel, the filmmaker’s enthusiasm for another sequel is more than evident. Not only is there a trailer for Machete Kills Again… In Space at the beginning of the movie, but another series of clips follows at the end (and an amusing gag featuring the President firing laser guns after the credits). The concept appears to have far more outrageous exploitation potential than this film. In the meantime, Machete Kills stands as a B-movie that might be better enjoyed on late night cable than at the actual cinema.