Danny Trejo brings tough guy persona to ‘Machete'
Danny Trejo is a real-life tough guy.
He's an ex-con, ex-heroin addict, ex-robber and ex-boxer. He was boxing champion of his prison, no less. Then he gets clean, gets his act together and decides to get into the movie business.
He worked his way up from the very bottom — he was an extra, a scene-filler for movies about prison or crime. And then he started getting a few lines here and there. Whenever he had a scene, Trejo made an impression, and then he slowly started working his way up.
After 25 years as an actor, Trejo finally is the star of his own movie — “Machete,” which is newly arrived on DVD and Blu Ray. What a long, strange trip it's been. Spawned from the (then) fake movie trailer of the same name in “Grindhouse,” this is a bloody action/revenge movie, a love letter to exploitation films in which Machete leaves a trail of dead bad guys and satisfied women in his wake.
Machete Cortez is a former Mexican federale on the skids who is hired by a shady Jeff Fahey to assassinate Senator Robert De Niro, a politician campaigning on an anti-immigration platform. But the whole thing is a set-up, and Machete is used as a Latino fall-guy to benefit the campaign.
Machete, as you might have guessed by the muscles, tattoos and abundance of knives, does not play that. His quest for revenge brings him up against De Niro, Fahey, Don Johnson, a resplendent Steven Seagal and about 400 armed baddies. He also crosses paths with underground revolutionary Michelle Rodriguez and federal agent Jessica Alba, lures his priest-brother Cheech Marin back into a life of violence and inspires an uprising.
For a man of few words, Machete gets a lot accomplished in two hours.
“Machete” was directed by Robert Rodriguez, one of the directors who really helped Trejo establish himself over the years. After “Desperado” (see below), the two collaborated on “Spy Kids,” “From Dusk Til Dawn,” “Once upon a Time in Mexico” and “Predators.” Rodriguez always embraces humor and over-the-top action and violence, and in “Machete” he really pushes everything to the limit.
This is a movie that has no time for plausibility — it is a pure-blood exploitation flick, made with boundless energy and a love of cheesy movies. Thus, “Machete” exceeds at delivering exactly what it promises. The only time the movie stumbles is when it tries to bring in too much story; there are a couple of subplots that get a little dull in that they take time away from the mayhem.
But this is a minor quibble against a movie that is big-time fun to watch.
The best of
Danny Trejo
“SPY KIDS” SERIES: Before he was the ultra-violent Machete Cortez in “Machete,” Trejo was the brilliant and gentle Uncle Machete Cortez in the “Spy Kids” franchise. He is, for all intents and purposes, the same guy, only much more mellowed out and a high-tech super-genius. Perhaps these movies take place in the future, long after the spilled blood of “Machete” has dried.
“ANCHORMAN”: He only has one scene — as a bartender — but every time I watch the movie it's a great moment that cracks me up. As big and tough as this guy is, he's got a natural gift for comedy.
“DESPERADO”: He's a silent assassin stalking the streets armed with throwing knives, a scowl and pay-phone money. Without speaking a word, Trejo used this movie to establish himself as a premiere movie villain. If he isn't starring in “Expendables 2” next year, it will be a travesty.
“BREAKING BAD”: Trejo also does a lot of TV work, having appeared on “Burn Notice,” “King of the Hill,” “Modern Family” and “The Young and the Restless” of all things. But one notable, offbeat role for the small screen had him playing the lazy drug informant Tortuga in an otherwise heavy-duty drug drama.
“SHERRYBABY”: He can do action and comedy, but this movie shows that Trejo has dramatic depth. Drawing on his personal experience, he simply shines in a supporting role as Dean, a recovering addict who helps star Maggie Gyllenhaal deal with her heroin addiction. This is a markedly different role then Trejo usually plays, which is too bad because the guy can do incredible work in such quiet, character-driven films.
“Machete” kicks off what could be the Year of Trejo: The hardest working man in show business has no less than seven movies coming out in 2011, and maybe as many as 10. The next one, “Death Race 2,” hits in two weeks.
Contact Nate Hensley at govideogainesville@gmail.com.
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