Machete Kills on Jan 21, 2014

[paustin]

release day buy for me. Can't wait to see Machete Kills in Space...lol

[BankytheHack]

It's so weird to me how much I disliked both of the MACHETE movies after having really enjoyed PLANET TERROR. I don't know if Rodriguez felt like he really had to bring his A Game to GRINDHOUSE since QT was on the project too. At any rate, I thought PLANET TERROR was a blast.

The saddest thing about the lack of quality in the MACHETE films is that the fake trailer than won the GRINDHOUSE contest back in 2007 (HOBO WITH A SHOTGUN) ended up with a better full-length feature than MACHETE did.

[willo007]

Originally Posted by bankythehack

it's so weird to me how much i disliked both of the machete movies after having really enjoyed planet terror. I don't know if rodriguez felt like he really had to bring his a game to grindhouse since qt was on the project too. At any rate, i thought planet terror was a blast.

The saddest thing about the lack of quality in the machete films is that the fake trailer than won the grindhouse contest back in 2007 (hobo with a shotgun) ended up with a better full-length feature than machete did.

+1.


:-)

[Batmon77]

Originally Posted by BankytheHack

I don't agree at all that MACHETE KILLS and BLACK DYNAMITE are anything alike.

Kung-Fu Island is just as silly and over the top as what Machete is doing.

Denying the similarities is crazy talk.

Both have "the Man" as the enemy.
But thats not the same?????

[BankytheHack]

Originally Posted by Batmon77

Kung-Fu Island is just as silly and over the top as what Machete is doing.

Denying the similarities is crazy talk.

Both have "the Man" as the enemy.
But thats not the same?????

Plot similarities are one thing, but all that really matters is the execution. IMO Rodriguez failed spectacularly.

[Pondosinatra]

Should have made this instead:

[klauswhereareyou]

I think the big problem with these sort of movies is that they just don't seem authentic. It's like someone going out of their way to try to make a bad movie, and in doing so, all the charm of the movies it's emulating is gone. Plus seems like this film is relying to heavy on celebrity stunt casting.

[motorheadache95]

Originally Posted by raven007

No I really enjoyed the films but I thought the sequel was gonna gonna be like the first one. I was really surprised that they decided to take the movie in the space route. I dont know if that was the original idea or a idea that happened before filming of the 2nd one happened. Well let's hope the 3rd one is good and they don't mess it up because as people sequels almost always suck

I loved Machete Kills, and the ending in space. What made it great, and the reason some people don't like it/criticized it is because it jumps the shark so bad. But that's the joke, and why I liked the movie so much-- that shot of Machete walking in his space-suit at the end perfectly sums up the whole thing. They're not just jumping the shark, they're orbiting over the shark in a freaking space shuttle!

Honestly, I can totally understand why it bombed and a lot of people hated it. But not me, thats for sure. I'm really hoping he shoot the third film, even if it ends up DTV.

[manunited1]

Originally Posted by Pondosinatra

Should have made this instead:

Agreed! This and thanksgiving should have been made full length...

As for Machete, I hated the first and have not watched the second. The first 39 mins were good but then it is stretched waaay too thin. I loved all the el Mariachi films, planet terror and from dusk till dawn btw.

I have been thinking about giving machete another chance though on merit alone.

Side note to the quoted user, check out Ilsa she wolf of the SS

[tylergfoster]

Originally Posted by motorheadache95

What made it great, and the reason some people don't like it/criticized it is because it jumps the shark so bad.

No, I just think its' brand of lunacy is executed without interest, style, or wit. Planet Terror appeared to have been shot on a number of practical sets, it's got sharp dialogue, well-crafted characters, is paced-well, and is goofy in a way that is fun. Machete Kills just does the first thing that comes to mind. It looks bland, is frequently boring, telegraphs all of its punchlines, and looks like it was shot in Rodriguez's garage and all the backgrounds composited in half an hour.

Even worse, go back to a film like Desperado. Most of the shots in that movie are dynamic and interesting, especially during the action sequences. One that really stands out is Banderas kicking the guy up toward the ceiling and shooting him as he flies backward through the air. Nothing like that in this.

[BankytheHack]

Originally Posted by tylergfoster

No, I just think its' brand of lunacy is executed without interest, style, or wit. Planet Terror appeared to have been shot on a number of practical sets, it's got sharp dialogue, well-crafted characters, is paced-well, and is goofy in a way that is fun. Machete Kills just does the first thing that comes to mind. It looks bland, is frequently boring, telegraphs all of its punchlines, and looks like it was shot in Rodriguez's garage and all the backgrounds composited in half an hour.

Even worse, go back to a film like Desperado. Most of the shots in that movie are dynamic and interesting, especially during the action sequences. One that really stands out is Banderas kicking the guy up toward the ceiling and shooting him as he flies backward through the air. Nothing like that in this.

All of this, especially the bit about the action. DESPERADO and FROM DUSK TILL DAWN both have some truly great action sequences in there. I think that's one of the most frustrating aspects of ONCE UPON A TIME IN MEXICO for me: the bland, lazy action sequences.

[Member-222782]

I think the main problem with these Machete films is they're trying too hard to homage one-man-army movies from the 80's. Their hearts are in the right place, it's the execution where the problems are. It's like they're playing everything for laughs, but not really. What's wrong with making a straight action flick without fancy editing, impossible stunts and lots of fake backgrounds? And I love cameos from past action stars but only if they contribute to the story - not if they're just winking at us as they pass by the camera.

[Pondosinatra]

Originally Posted by manunited1

...
Side note to the quoted user, check out Ilsa she wolf of the SS

I own all three on DVD

[sancho]

This movie has plenty of hot women and was fun to watch IMO.

[Brian81]

Originally Posted by motorheadache95

I loved Machete Kills, and the ending in space. What made it great, and the reason some people don't like it/criticized it is because it jumps the shark so bad. But that's the joke, and why I liked the movie so much-- that shot of Machete walking in his space-suit at the end perfectly sums up the whole thing. They're not just jumping the shark, they're orbiting over the shark in a freaking space shuttle!

Honestly, I can totally understand why it bombed and a lot of people hated it. But not me, thats for sure. I'm really hoping he shoot the third film, even if it ends up DTV.

Didn't MACHETE have announce MACHETE KILLS and MACHETE KILLS...AGAIN??? I swear I remember something along those lines. Then with MACHETE KILLS, the third film was renamed to IN SPACE.

[motorheadache95]

Originally Posted by tylergfoster

No, I just think its' brand of lunacy is executed without interest, style, or wit. Planet Terror appeared to have been shot on a number of practical sets, it's got sharp dialogue, well-crafted characters, is paced-well, and is goofy in a way that is fun. Machete Kills just does the first thing that comes to mind. It looks bland, is frequently boring, telegraphs all of its punchlines, and looks like it was shot in Rodriguez's garage and all the backgrounds composited in half an hour.

Even worse, go back to a film like Desperado. Most of the shots in that movie are dynamic and interesting, especially during the action sequences. One that really stands out is Banderas kicking the guy up toward the ceiling and shooting him as he flies backward through the air. Nothing like that in this.

Fair enough, I didn't mean to imply that was the sole reason people didn't like it-- but "jumped the shark" is a common criticism of the movie when I think that was what made it such a riot. I don't actually disagree with you that it looked like a cheap, rushed film, but I definitely didn't find it boring or dull. Interestingly, I didn't really care for Planet Terror. It was okay, but both of those "Grindhouse" films I found less memorable than the Machete films.

[motorheadache95]

Originally Posted by Brian81

Didn't MACHETE have announce MACHETE KILLS and MACHETE KILLS...AGAIN??? I swear I remember something along those lines. Then with MACHETE KILLS, the third film was renamed to IN SPACE.

Yes, Machete Kills...Again was originally mentioned in a trailer on the first film. I'm just guessing but I assume while working on the second film, Rodriguez wanted to do the third film as a sort of a space opera/Moonraker parody and wrote the second film to develop into that.

[HeavyHitter]

I liked Machete, but it sounds like Machete Kills is a huge drop off. I was going to rent it this weekend, but having second thoughts now.

[raven007]

Originally Posted by motorheadache95

I loved Machete Kills, and the ending in space. What made it great, and the reason some people don't like it/criticized it is because it jumps the shark so bad. But that's the joke, and why I liked the movie so much-- that shot of Machete walking in his space-suit at the end perfectly sums up the whole thing. They're not just jumping the shark, they're orbiting over the shark in a freaking space shuttle!

Honestly, I can totally understand why it bombed and a lot of people hated it. But not me, thats for sure. I'm really hoping he shoot the third film, even if it ends up DTV.

I like the first one I did but the 2nd seemed it was made just to be made. Originally there was to be no sequels with that being said by the director himself in the bonus features of the machete kills blu ray. I feel that this 2 sequel were made just to be made and collect the money.

[Yojimbo68]

Originally Posted by BankytheHack

Made the mistake of blind-buying this last week. What a mess. What a bore. What a complete, and utter, piece of garbage.

I'll go to bat for Rodriguez any day when talking about EL MARIACHI, DESPERADO, and FROM DUSK TILL DAWN, but the man has seriously lost his edge in a major way. It was all down-hill after he started shooting digital and became his own DP and production designer. Even though his movies are shot cheap, they shouldn't look cheap.

Rodriguez is suffering from a massive case of Lucas-itis. Too preoccupied with the "toys" of filmmaking and not enough attention paid towards the script. I get it, MACHETE KILLS was never going to be a movie that needed a Tarantinoesque script, but that doesn't mean the movie should be incoherent and lazy.

I agree 100 percent. Rodriguez needs to work harder on his screenplays. I loved Sin City but after Machete Kills, I'm going to proceed with caution as far as the sequel is concerned.