By Mila Pantovich

Photo Credit: moviecarpet.com

Robert Rodriguez is clearly doing what he loves to do most in “Machete,” his most recent homage to the B-films of the 1960s and 1970s. Derived from a fake trailer that he created for the “Grindhouse” double-feature released with friend Quentin Tarantino, Rodriguez took full advantage of every Mexican stereotype he could think of, surrounding them with needless nudity and absurdly comical violence. The film is crude, disgusting, campy and immensely entertaining.

Machete (Danny Trejo) is an ex-Federale who vows vengeance on the drug lord, Torrez (Steven Seagal), who brutally killed his wife and daughter. Until he can get to Torrez, Machete spends his time roaming a parking lot in Texas looking for work with other illegal immigrants from Mexico. He finds himself hired by the nasty and conniving Booth (Jeff Fahey of “Lost”) to assassinate the bigoted Texan Senator, McLaughlin (Robert De Niro). However, when Machete realizes that he has been used as a political pawn to further Senator McLaughlin’s re-election campaign, his need for retribution is kicked into overdrive and Machete is joined by freedom fighter Luz (Michelle Rodriguez), Padre the priest who knows how to wield 12-gauge shotguns (Cheech Marin), ICE agent (Jessica Alba) and Booth’s junkie, internet porn star daughter (Lindsay Lohan).

Instead of relying on plot or character development, which are two elements completely ignored in this film, “Machete” depends upon the exploitive humor of using Mexican stereotypes as a running joke. With decapitated heads flying, weed-whackers as weapons and cell phones being hidden within orifices of the female body, the only thing needed to know about this film is that the plot is irrelevant and the humor is worth the ticket price.