Machete Kills (2013)

The U.S. government recruits Machete to battle his way through Mexico in order to take down an arms dealer who looks to launch a weapon into space.

Director:

Robert Rodriguez

Writers:

Kyle Ward (screenplay), Robert Rodriguez (story)

Stars:

Danny Trejo, Alexa PenaVega, Mel Gibson

3 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Danny Trejo	...	Machete
Mel Gibson	...	Voz
Demián Bichir	...	Mendez (as Demian Bichir)
Amber Heard	...	Miss San Antonio
Michelle Rodriguez	...	Luz
Sofía Vergara	...	Desdemona
Charlie Sheen	...	Mr. President (as Carlos Estevez)
Lady Gaga	...	La Camaleón
Antonio Banderas	...	El Camaleón 4
Walton Goggins	...	El Cameleón 1 (as Walt Goggins)
Cuba Gooding Jr.	...	El Camaleón 2
Vanessa Hudgens	...	Cereza
Alexa PenaVega	...	KillJoy (as Alexa Vega)
Marko Zaror	...	Zaror
Tom Savini	...	Osiris Amanapur

Storyline

Patrolling the U.S. border with his gun-toting lover, Sartana, after the massacre in Machete (2010), the stone-faced, former Mexican Federale, Machete, receives a call from the president himself of the United States. Thirsting for retribution, Machete embarks on a deadly mission to bring to Texas the megalomaniac Mexican revolutionary, Marcos, who has a nuclear missile pointing at Washington, D.C. Now, Machete and the undercover agent, Miss San Antonio, have to stop a global war, as the shape-shifting assassin, La Camaleón, is hot on their trail. Can Machete's hungry blades avert the impending Armageddon?

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Plot Keywords:

murder of a police officer | time bomb | woman breaks a man's neck | woman murders a man | murderess | 

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Taglines:

Trained to kill. Left for dead. Back for more.

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Genres:

Action | Crime | Thriller

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R For strong bloody violence throughout, language and some sexual content

Did You Know?

Trivia

At the end of the armored car chase scene, when Desdemona and her crew turn around and leave, a few notes from the "Spy Kids" theme music can be heard when Alexa PenaVega turns around and reveals her exposed back side.

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Goofs

When Voz puts on the metal mask, it is clearly just a part that will cover the face. (He's putting it on towards his face.) But in the next second it appears to be more like a helmet that completely covers the whole head which would have been impossible to be put on the way he did before.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Lieutenant Brass: Where the fuck are they?

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Crazy Credits

The term: "Special Effects Technicians" is spelled incorrectly in the credits as: "Special Effects Technincians".

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Connections

Referenced in American Crime: Episode Two (2015)

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Soundtracks

Funky Fanfare
Written by Keith Mansfield
Courtesy of APM Music

User Reviews

Move over, Speedy Gonzales!

In Robert Rodriguez's Machete Kills, Danny Trejo's character—deadly Mexican secret agent Machete Cortez—is about as three-dimensional and grounded in realism as a Looney Tunes cartoon character tripping on peyote. For many, this move towards a crazier style with even more unbelievable splatstick violence will be a step too far, the live-action-cartoon style antics exceeding many people's willingness to suspend disbelief. However, those who can find their way safely past this potential stumbling block should have a whale of a time.

Rodriguez directs proceedings with a carefree attitude and sense of fun that I found infectious, with all ideas—no matter how dumb they must have looked on paper—making their way into the final film. Thus, we have a Bond-style baddie in the form of megalomaniac Luther Voz (Mel Gibson), our hero killing numerous henchmen in a variety of creative ways, some innovative sci-fi weaponry, plenty of cool in-jokes for us movie geeks (I loved the visual reference to Mad Max II) and a bevy of lovely latino babes in sexy gear (including Alexa Vega in PVC and Michelle Rodriguez in tight, cleavage enhancing top). Hell, Rodriguez is having so much fun that he doesn't even care about the quality of his CGI, which only adds to the gleefully gaudy vibe.

It all gets very silly, and with the next sequel featuring Machete in space, it's set to get a whole lot sillier; I for one will make sure I've booked my seat for the ride.

7.5 out of 10, rounded up to 8 for being marginally more fun than the first one.

Details

Official Sites:

Official Facebook

Country:

USA Russia

Language:

English Spanish

Release Date:

11 October 2013 (USA)

Also Known As:

Machete 2

Filming Locations:

Troublemaker Studios - 4900 Old Manor Road, Austin, Texas, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$20,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$3,837,183, 13 October 2013

Gross USA:

$8,008,161

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$17,496,820

Company Credits

Production Co:

AR Films, Aldamisa Entertainment, 1821 Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

107 min

Sound Mix:

Datasat Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1