The film born from a fake trailer now bears a sequel, and titled Machete Kills, there’s no prizes for guessing we’re in for another free-for-all rampage, as heavy on ridiculous action and dialogue as it is light on narrative and plot.
Danny Trejo returns as the eponymous Mexican Police detective-turned-spy, Machete, recruited by the U.S. President (Sheen) to stop a plot to bomb the capital, Washington D.C.
As a silly B-movie, there’s undeniable fun to be had in Machete Kills, but having already spent 105 minutes playing along with the joke, it’s not long before the whole thing before a little trying.
Opening with a faux trailer for the would-be second sequel, Machete Kills Again… In Space, director Robert Rodriguez knows how to get you in the mood. It’s this lunacy that brings a lot of fun to the film, but Machete Kills needs a plan B, it needs another edge.
Danny Trejo is great, and it’s obvious he loves playing the role and had a lot of fun while on set. In fact from Michelle Rodriguez and Sofia Vergara to Amber Heard and Antonio Banderas, across the board the actors do really well, but the world they’re living in just isn’t that engaging.
The tongue-in-cheek jokes don’t work as well this time, like Charlie Sheen as the U.S. President, and when you stop going along with the lunacy of the plot, it all becomes a little too ridiculous to stay enjoyable.
Guns and explosions aren’t that exciting when the plot hasn’t sucked you in, a nd lacking the imaginative, spunky spirit of the original, Machete Kills just feels so much more laboured and it’s not long before everything starts to inevitably fall flat.