The Valeyard

That's a lot of fat to cut through.

dex14

The production value of this makes it look like one of his Spy Kids movies.

Troy Stiffler

Rodriguez shoots cheap, so that he can shoot with freedom. He got all of that money to handle Predators, and it didn't turn out too good. I'd rather see a cheap film, made with his cheeky style, than having to convince studios to give him $100M to make something bigger. For better or worse, he doesn't have to answer to many people when he shoots like that.

I think it's fun to spot where he keeps reusing the Troublemaker parking lot/yard in all of his movies.

Why So Blu?

RR has never shot a $100 million dollar film ever. Predators was budgeted at 42 million and RR shot it for $38 million.

Troy Stiffler

Whatever. Point was that Rodriguez shoots cheap for the freedom.

Also, the cheap shooting is generally ingrained in style and plot. Kind of like Woody Allen. He is very smart and/or lucky to be able to do it like that. I always think that he's making the movies he wants to make, how he wants to make them.

It's much harder (and often stonewall impossible) when you have an idea that you want to finance for $100M+.

dex14

I've never had a problem with the way his stuff has looked, and admire what he does. I like the first Machete, but that didn't look like Spy Kids. This does.

Solid Snake

Yeah. This does look like a bit on the SK side in the visual. Is cuz it's a bit shiny looking?

RocShemp

Since when did Robert Rodriguez shoot Predators? Wasn't Nimrod Antal the director of that movie?

dex14

Correct.

Troy Stiffler

The film was more-or-less sat in the lap of Troublemaker Studios.

Dr. DVD

While RR's movies are certainly not high class affairs of cinema, they never really seem to be striving for that level. In fact, Machete and this seem to revel in their low class looks and nature. There is no way anyone could look at the preview for Machete Kills and think it's anything more than a B-movie.

Why So Blu?

Produced by him and his studio. He's the boss.

dex14

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ruddiger_718

Thanks to a buddy of mine, I was able to go to the premier of Machete last night. Sure, there were some issues, and it's shot cheap and CG filled like the last couple of Rodriguez films, but overall, I had more fun with this Machete film than the last one.

They sort of embraced the comedy aspect of the film, opposed to trying to make it a grindhouse throwback, so it felt goofy, but I dug it. Mel Gibson and Damien Bachier steal the movie because they have no problem letting go with their characters. I'll be happy to see a third film, and am considering going to a midnight screening when it comes out.

There was...


I wish I had gotten to see more of the cast at the screening, but did see Trejo, who is about the size of my grandfather, but an amazingly awesome dude. In the lobby after the movie I saw Eli Roth, Edgar Wright, Doug Benson, Gary and Jake Busey, Gene Simmons and Shannon Tweed, so that was kind of mind-blowing.

dex14

Thanks for the review. Anyone else see this last night?

Yavin

I saw a mid-week advanced screening and posted my review here this morning.

The film was completely over-the-top, I think more than anything Rodriguez has ever done, almost like the kids films he's been making but geared for adults. There was also a ton of film references thrown in, which made me feel like he was channeling Kevin Smith at times.

Overall, a totally enjoyable film, but only if you're willing to toss logic completely out the window.

Guru Askew

Yeah he basically pulled a Lucas and ran Machete and Predators like television productions. The directors on those films were still answering to him and he basically made two movies at once.

Matthew Chmiel

While there were some great moments that had me laughing my ass off (i.e. any scene involving Carlos Estevez and Mel Gibson who act as if they're having the time of their lives), I felt disappointed by the entire thing. It's just not fun. A lot of the Grindhouse gimmicks are gone and the film feels too long.

I also didn't like how they set the entire thing up for a sequel which will probably never happen considering there were less than ten people in my 10:30PM showing last night. My friends and I consisted of 40% of the theater.

E Unit

I'm checking out, I can no longer hang with the level of stupidity he's bringing.

Dr. DVD

Going tonight. I have a feeling this is a movie where 95% of those interested in seeing it will have done so by tomorrow morning.

A-aron

Once again ... why do people buy tickets and chat through the entire movie ... this time it was a latino group so the talking was in espanol. Wonderful.

Other than that, I was underwhelmed by this one. Trejo is fine, but the film just never really had me overly interested. It seemed like lots of little ideas crammed into a movie just for the sake of using the ideas. Hey, lets get Sophia Vergara and have her wear a gun bra or I know! We can have a hitman who keeps taking off his face revealing another face Someone get me Lady Gaga's phone number...

Maybe they should have taken the "In Space" plot and made it part of this film. Cut this one in half and then put him in space. Might have made for a more enjoyable film.

2 stars

Oh, and not to be all negative .. I did laugh during the pre-film trailer for "In Space" where they say That did have me laugh.

Dr. DVD

Saw it. Three star movie at best, and that's only because it's so self aware. I really do wish Rodriguez would have tried to grow as a filmmaker like QT, instead of staying with the low budget same stuff over and over fare. What's sad is that it looked like he had the capability with his "Misbehavors" short in Four Rooms, which was the best of the lot.
That said, I got a kick out of it. I do feel they

Does an actress have to be at least a "D" cup to work in a Robert Rodriguez movie? Seems that way.

Matthew Chmiel

Machete Kills is looking to pull in about $4M this weekend. For comparison, Machete grossed $10M its opening weekend... in 300 less locations.

Well, uh, there goes Machete Kills In Space getting made unless Rodriguez can keep the budget to under $10 million (Machete cost $11M, Machete Kills cost $20M.)

Troy Stiffler

It was to be expected. I think that Planet Terror, Machete and Machete Kills are great fun. They're funny, energetic, giddy movies. I thought that Planet Terror/Grindhouse was going to be a big hit. After it wasn't, I was convinced that people don't get excited about these movies like I do.

Dr. DVD

They can really play up the "actors subject to change" aspect. There's also the straight to video option, which this one should have been.

Let me also add that it probably didn't help that they chose to open it when there a LOT more movies people would be better off seeing that are getting rave reviews like Captain Phillips and Gravity. I don't know why they didn't keep their original date of September 6th or 13th when there was little to no competition. (Actually, try the 6th. Insidious 2 would have destroyed Machete more than it's getting killed now.) I doubt The Family would have been that much of a factor.