At the press conference for Machete (2010), co-director Robert Rodriguez was asked the inevitable question about the film’s political subtext. For those of you unfamiliar with the film, it tells the story of a Mexican illegal immigrant (Danny Trejo) turned assassin who avenges the wrongs visited upon his race via violent acts that eventually spiral into a social revolution. Given the subject matter, the journalist inquired if Rodriguez had specifically intended to make a statement regarding the controversial steps Arizona had taken in dealing with illegal immigration. Rodriguez responded that “There are real issues going on in any movie…[Immigration is a] real issue and people want real answers….It’s just a backdrop.” Rodriguez’s answer, both in the form of the press conference and in the form of the film, is disappointing. As an homage to exploitation filmmaking, Rodriguez and co-director Ethan Maniquis’s film takes the form of a scratchy, blood soaked negative and attempts to critique the anti-immigration sentiment that has grown to define much of America which has a great deal of potential in theory. Unfortunately for the film, the filmmakers, and the audience, the film does not nail the landing as its critique and ability to provide visceral thrills quickly dissipate by the end of its first hour.
