Machete Kills (2013)

"Machete happens.", 8 July 2015

Plot summary - Machete is hired by the U.S. government to find a madman in Mexico bent on launching weapons into space. Sounds crazy, huh? It is. As with the original Machete, the plot isn't as important as the action on the screen. 

If you've seen Machete, then you pretty much know what to expect from Machete Kills. It's more of the same with added fighting, explosions, and general mayhem. There are a couple of new things and characters in this one that I really enjoyed. I'll start with Mel Gibson. What a blast! He's so over-the-top, it's impossible not to enjoy every minute he's on screen. The same goes for Amber Heard and Charlie Sheen's (or Carlos Estevez) characters - Miss San Antonio and the President of the U.S. Awesome stuff!

But, while I rated the first movie a 9/10, I'm only giving Machete Kills a 7/10. Obviously, there are some things that didn't work for me as well in this movie. First, Machete Kills would have benefited with more Michelle Rodriguez. She disappears for too long a stretch of the movie. Second, and more seriously, Machete Kills is really hurt by the lack of an ending. I understand exactly what Robert Rodriguez was trying to do, but it didn't go over well with me. Still, I'm looking forward to the next installment.

7/10