Hazing Arizona

Writer/director Robert Rodriguez (Desperado, Sin City, Predators, etc.) has expanded his and longtime collaborator Quentin Tarantino's Grindhouse franchise with an epic piece of campy agitprop.

Set near the Texas/Mexico border, this tale of a murderous Mexican superhero waging war against an army of bigoted vigilantes, corrupt politicians and Mexican drug lords was originally conceived as a fake trailer in 2007's Death Proof and Planet Terror. But Rodriguez' relationship with cousin and actor Danny Trejo resulted in the expansion of the concept into a feature-length film.

The result is fair to middling at best, but the timeliness of the subject matter and the commitment Rodriguez exhibits in adhering to his peculiar aesthetic go some distance toward justifying the excessive violence and sloppy storyline.

The plot is simple: an incorruptible Mexican Federale (Trejo) turns renegade when his wife and daughter are murdered by a ruthless drug lord (none other than Steven Seagal) in response to his unwillingness to take bribes. Years pass, and Machete (a moniker that once functioned as his codename) finds himself as an illegal immigrant in Texas, down on his luck and looking for work. He is soon approached - and promptly double-crossed - by a criminal conspiracy that involves everyone from ambitious politicians, low-level gangsters, rednecks and, at the top, the very man responsible for the death of his loved ones.

Aided by Michelle Rodriguez as Luz/Shé, an improbably sexy taco-truck driver and aspiring revolutionary, and Jessica Alba as Sartana Rivera, a beautiful Immigrations Officer disillusioned by prejudice and cruelty, Machete goes on the offensive. He hacks and stabs his way through countless bad guys as he attempts to bring down the organization. Needless to say, the subsequent footage features rivers of blood and guts, and, like other films in this small but budding genre, intentionally awful production values.

Rodriguez' cast is a mixed bag. Trejo is perfect for the title role, but then, the role was almost certainly created with him in mind. Robert De Niro is unremarkable as a senator on the campaign trail, stirring up hatred of immigrants in order to gain votes. Seagal is fun to watch, but a smug smirk of aloof amusement at appearing in the film never leaves his face. Don Johnson is unrecognizable as a bloated bigot bent on patrolling the border and Lindsay Lohan is way out of her depth as a spoiled rich girl prone to drug abuse and promiscuity.

Trejo recently addressed a special edition of the promotional trailer for Machete to the state of Arizona in response to anti-immigration legislation. This amusing attempt at viral marketing is in keeping with the anti-racist sentiments in the film. However, it's difficult to applaud Machete's apparent attempt to lampoon racism and xenophobia when characters babble lines like, "Go ahead, Poncho, I'll grease your chips all over this fucking alley."

By making a joke of racist attitudes and activities, the film also makes light of the plight of the powerless immigrants it ostensibly sets out to champion, and most of the political punch the film might have contained is squandered. Considering the absurd characterization of both immigrants and naturalized citizens alike, one wonders if Rodriguez really had much of an agenda.

It may be that the whole project of resurrecting the cult of B-movies and exploitation films is an ill-conceived mistake, replete as they are with one-dimensional characters, farcical plots and ghastly cinematography. In any case, Machete is part and parcel with many of the director's recent films. It has been hotly anticipated and largely disappoints.

James Walling can be reached at
jwalling@praguepost.com