Review of Machete

I expected the violence, the lewdness, the irreverence, the humor, and the over-the-top, tongue-in-cheek, self-indulgent style. What I did not expect and only dared hope for was a nearly Great film. Machete is a very nearly great piece of cinema. The only things holding it back from 9 or 10 star territory are a couple of clumsy, forced, exposition-heavy scenes that interrupt the frantic flow of action and otherwise gracefully self-sufficient story-telling, as well as a couple of mundane performances in an ensemble cast that for the most part delivers. At certain points Machete falls dangerously close to becoming a straight parody of itself but Rodriguez and Co. somehow manage to elude this common pitfall. Overall, even at its most ridiculous, Machete manages to entertain us and suck audiences further into the experience rather than trip over itself and alienate us from the viewing experience. Looking beyond the exploitation, grind-house material it is obvious that there is some real talent behind this film with a discerning sense of what works and what doesn't, what the audience can accept and what they can't. That's not to mention the nearly palpable love for cinema that this film's directors exude with almost every shot. When Machete is at its best this passion is purely contagious. Know what you're in for here. Machete is dirty, gritty, bloody bloody bloody, and carnal. But if none of that puts you off it's also one of the best times to be had in the theater all year.