A sublime slice of trashy, punky, post-modern exploitation cinema which shows director Robert Rodriguez in his element – exalting the dubious virtues of his favourite schlocky B-movies while simultaneously making a wry, almost satirical point about the rise of neo-fascism, political corruption, and the plight of minorities in America. He creates an everyday hero for the underclass living in the border towns between Mexico and the USA, and that hero goes by the name ‘Machete’ (Danny Trejo, in his first lead role) – the sort of hero who can beat a guy up while eating a taco. He’s a former cop who lost everything to Steven Seagal (no, seriously). Seagal plays an above-the-law fixer – and maybe also a pimp? – with ties to a Mexican drug cartel involved in the funding of a campaign for a rightwing senator on a strong anti-immigration ticket. The senator is played by none other than Robert De Niro, who worked with Trejo on Heat. The exceptional cast seem to be appearing in a show of solidarity for the long-serving character actor Danny Trejo, who first worked with Rodriguez on Desperado, which is when the two conspired to make this film together. The concept was first introduced via a fake trailer created for Rodriguez’s Grindhouse project with Quentin Tarantino, and it’s nothing short of a miracle that the idea manages to sustain interest for a full length feature film. The cast help things along, with tongue placed firmly in cheek: Michelle Rodriguez as an undercover vigilante; Lindsay Lohan as a nun with a gun; Jessica Alba as an immigration officer and love interest; Tom Savini as a gunman for hire. The action is full of hilariously exaggerated gore, with heads and limbs being lopped off, adding to the film’s carnival of craziness. With his gruff delivery and iconic features, Trejo is made for the role; a throwback to the heavy-set, hard-drinking, anti-establishment, no-bullshit action heroes of old, and – to get serious for one moment – a defiant, powerful voice for a community which has been poorly served by Hollywood for decades.