Satire seems to be a popular tool of preference when political rhetoric fails. Sharp satire is even a strong tool against subjects for instance immigration. Immigration got a good whipping from satire within the “Machete” video with the Robert Rodriquez “Mexploitation” gore fest, according to movie reviews. “Machete” splatters the audience with its ideas, tongue planted firmly in cheek from the first hack to the final slash.
”Machete” reviews say the film is close to falling off a cliff
Satire in “Machete” is what puts Rodriguez on such a thin line to walk. In 2007, “Grindhouse” was meant to be a send-up of 1970s midnight film genres, just as “Machete” is. It is about a Mexican federale (Danny Trejo) that wants to get revenge on some people. Machete loses his family to agents of the drug lord Torrez (Steven Seagal), who by choice of actor is himself a form of self-parody. Machete’s trail of bloody revenge is littered with bigoted authorities, opportunistic politicians (Robert De Niro takes a turn as one) and a drug mule network akin to any comparable vein of U.S.-Mexico drug trade that exists today. Cheech Marin, Lindsay Lohan, Michelle Rodriguez, Don Johnson and Jessica Alba all come along for the ride. ”Machete” is not always on a thin line when it comes to satire, says the Denver Post. Some of the jokes seem to really just be “too cool for school”. The planned sequels may need just a little bit more from Rodriguez though.
Screenrant finds the immigration satire to be disturbing
A key scene in “Machete” that depicts an illegal border crossing may be counted as too far over the top, suggests Screenrant. A pregnant woman with her husband to cross. This is now when Don Johnson and Robert De Niro choose it is time to stop them as uniformed vigilantes. De Niro’s role here was to be the United States of America senator to shoot both the pregnant woman and man after saying, “Welcome to America” to them. This is entirely too obvious to be effective satire, but within the bloody scheme of things, it’s all part of the fun for Rodriguez.
Bloody fun involved
The storyline and acting in “Machete” do not really matter. It was really all there to give some blood. Screenrant explains that connecting segments of the story will really just leave you bored. Entertainment Weekly says that it is just schlock without the blood and entrails that make the film work.
Further reading
Denver Post
denverpost.com/breakingnews/ci_15966734
Entertainment Weekly
ew.com/ew/article/,,20417721,00.html
Screenrant
screenrant.com/machete-movie-reviews-vic-76754/
