It’s Here!!! Rodriguez’ “MACHETE” hits theaters this weekend.

Remember this unforgettable teaser, briefly released on Cinco De Mayo as a filmic RPG against Arizona’s SB 1070, posted on this blog, and then quickly snatched back by the studio?   Well, here it is again, and you can go see the film tomorrow!  It looks like one for the ages:

 
Original Video – More videos at TinyPic

Now I’m gonna just go ahead and steal this article/review from Moviefone’s Gary Sussman. My excuse? I can’t have seen the film yet!

Will “Machete” Ignite a Firestorm Over its Immigration Stance?

He can’t pretend he didn’t know a battle was coming. After all, he fired the first shot.

No, not Machete, the blade-wielding, vengeance-minded hero of the action thriller that opens Friday. Rather, the provocateur and co-writer/co-director of ‘Machete,’ Robert Rodriguez, who has infused his tongue-in-cheek exploitation film with an angry political polemic about immigration policy.

Rodriguez made a point of promoting the film a few months ago with a trailer that called out the state of Arizona for its controversial new immigration-policing law, stoking fears among anti-illegal immigration hardliners that the finished movie would be even more inflammatory than it is. It also prompted the state of Texas to consider withholding filmmaker tax incentives from Rodriguez, a move that could have a devastating impact on movie production in a state that has become a haven for independent filmmaking thanks largely to Rodriguez himself. And it could well stir up an anti-immigrant fervor that could hurt the film at the box office or even impact this fall’s Congressional elections. That’s a lot of backlash for one little movie full of laughably over-the-top violence and sexuality, but then, Rodriguez and his crew have hardwired outrage into ‘Machete,’ so they can’t be too surprised if it riles people.

Machete‘Machete,’ of course, began as a mock trailer in ‘Grindhouse,’ Rodriguez’ 2007 collaboration with Quentin Tarantino, but anyone who saw that clip and goes to see the film expecting just a Friday night B-movie romp about a limb-lopping antihero is going to find Rodriguez’ bloody stew served up with a hefty helping of firebrand politics. (Warning: The next two paragraphs are full of spoilers.)

Machete (Danny Trejo) is an incorruptible Mexican cop who goes up against a druglord named Torrez (Steven Seagal), who kills Machete’s wife while he watches helplessly and leaves him for dead. Having escaped across the border, Machete is living as a day laborer in Austin when he’s recruited to assassinate John McLaughlin (Robert De Niro), a Texas state senator running for re-election on a promise to crack down on illegal immigration. Turns out the assassination plot is a false-flag operation, meant to boost McLaughlin’s re-election odds by making him a wounded martyr and Machete an immigrant patsy. The double-crossed Machete uncovers a conspiracy that ties together McLaughlin, a tycoon named Booth (Jeff Fahey), Von (the violent leader of a Minutemen-like militia, played by Don Johnson), and Torrez. Helping Machete are Luz (Michelle Rodriguez), who runs a network that helps illegal immigrants cross the border and find jobs, and Sartana (Jessica Alba), an immigration officer who decides to help her own people after she learns of the conspiracy.

The climax is an all-out war between Von’s militia and an army of illegal immigrants who’ll no longer sit idly and be exploited by criminals like Torrez, businessmen like Booth, or politicians like McLaughlin, much less killed by violent racists like Von.

The movie isn’t necessarily arguing for open borders or laxness in law enforcement; nor is it suggesting that current immigration policy is driven entirely by racism (though all the villains in the movie, even Mexican druglord Torrez, are played by white actors). Rather, ‘Machete’ is saying that powerful interests (business, politics, even organized crime) are depending on illegal immigration (as a source of cheap labor, or as a way to stoke the fears of voters) to boost profits or shore up political power, all the while cynically exploiting illegal immigration as an issue and illegal immigrants themselves as pawns. The carpetbagging senator likens illegal immigrants to terrorists and makes a campaign ad that compares them to maggots and parasites, but the real parasites in the film are the wealthy and powerful who prey on both immigrants fleeing to America and citizens who already live here.

Those subtleties aren’t apparent from the two-minute trailer, posted at Ain’t It Cool News in May, that begins with Trejo calling the clip a Cinco de Mayo message for Airzona. With that ad, the movie injected itself squarely into the immigration debate recently inflamed by the passage of Arizona’s new law that (depending on your point of view) either made it easier for police to crack down on illegal immigration or permitted racial profiling and cynically exploited the racial fears of Arizona voters.

Orange County Showtimes, Friday Sept. 3

Century 20 Huntington Beach at Bella Terra (2.7 mi)7777 Edinger Avenue
Huntington Beach, CA 92647  (800) 326-3264
12:45pm | 1:50pm | 3:05pm 4:20pm | 5:35pm | 6:50pm 8:05pm | 9:20pm | 10:35pm
No Online Ticketing
No Passes

Often, passes are not accepted during the first few weeks of a film’s theatrical release. This is a policy movie studios set with the theaters, and each theater has its own “No Passes” policy. Please contact the theater directly if you have more questions about whether your pass can be used at this time.

|No Passes

Edwards Metro Pointe Stadium 12 (3.2 mi)901 South Coast Drive
Costa Mesa, CA 92626  (714) 428-0962
12:00pm | 1:50pm | 2:30pm 4:25pm | 5:05pm | 7:00pm 7:40pm | 9:40pm | 10:15pm
No Online Ticketing

Edwards Westminster 10 (4.6 mi)6727 Westminster Blvd.
Westminster, CA 92683  (800) 326-3264
12:00pm | 2:30pm | 5:00pm 7:30pm | 10:10pm
No Online Ticketing

Metropolitan Fiesta Twin (4.7 mi)305 E. 4th Street
Santa Ana, CA 92701  (714) 541-4351
3:05pm | 5:25pm | 7:40pm 9:45pm

Regal Cinemas Garden Grove 16 (5.1 mi)9741 Chapman Ave
Garden Grove, CA 92841  (800) 326-3264
12:15pm | 1:30pm | 2:45pm 4:30pm | 5:15pm | 7:00pm 7:45pm | 9:45pm | 10:30pm
No Online Ticketing

Starlight Triangle Square Cinemas (5.3 mi)1870 Harbor Blvd.
Costa Mesa, CA 92627  (949) 650-4300
11:50am | 2:15pm | 4:40pm 7:10pm | 9:35pm
No Online Ticketing
No Passes

Often, passes are not accepted during the first few weeks of a film’s theatrical release. This is a policy movie studios set with the theaters, and each theater has its own “No Passes” policy. Please contact the theater directly if you have more questions about whether your pass can be used at this time.

|No Passes

AMC 30 At the Block (5.4 mi)20 City Blvd. West, Building E
Orange, CA 92868  (888) 262-4386
10:00am | 10:50am | 11:40am 12:30pm | 1:20pm | 2:10pm 3:00pm | 3:50pm | 4:40pm 5:30pm | 6:20pm | 7:10pm 8:00pm | 8:50pm | 9:40pm 10:30pm | 11:20pm |
LATE NIGHT:

Late night showtimes play after midnight, meaning the following day — not the morning of your selected date

LATE NIGHT: 12:10am

No Passes

Often, passes are not accepted during the first few weeks of a film’s theatrical release. This is a policy movie studios set with the theaters, and each theater has its own “No Passes” policy. Please contact the theater directly if you have more questions about whether your pass can be used at this time.

|No Passes

AMC Theatres Tustin 14 at The District (6.4 mi)2457 Park Avenue
Tustin, CA 92782  (888)262-4386
11:10am | 2:10pm | 4:55pm 7:50pm | 10:45pm
No Passes

Often, passes are not accepted during the first few weeks of a film’s theatrical release. This is a policy movie studios set with the theaters, and each theater has its own “No Passes” policy. Please contact the theater directly if you have more questions about whether your pass can be used at this time.

|No Passes

AMC Theatres 12 Theatres Downtown Disney District (6.6 mi)1565 S Disneyland Dr
Anaheim, CA 92802  (888) 262-4386
10:00am | 12:30pm | 3:00pm 5:45pm | 8:10pm | 11:00pm
No Passes

Often, passes are not accepted during the first few weeks of a film’s theatrical release. This is a policy movie studios set with the theaters, and each theater has its own “No Passes” policy. Please contact the theater directly if you have more questions about whether your pass can be used at this time.

|No Passes

Century Stadium 25 (7.4 mi)1701 West Katella Avenue
Orange, CA 92868  (800)326-3264
11:45am | 1:05pm | 2:25pm 3:45pm | 5:05pm | 6:25pm 7:45pm | 9:05pm | 10:25pm
No Online Ticketing
Edwards Island 7/Fashion Island (7.7 mi)999 Newport Center
Newport Beach, CA 92660  (949) 640-1971
1:50pm | 4:50pm | 7:30pm 10:00pm
No Online Ticketing

Edwards Marketplace Stadium 10 (8.1 mi)13782 Jamboree Rd.
Irvine, CA 92602  (714)505-1126
2:00pm | 4:50pm | 8:00pm 10:30pm
No Online Ticketing

Krikorian Buena Park Metroplex 18 (9.3 mi)8290 La Palma Ave
Buena Park, CA 90620  (714) 826-7469
10:55am | 11:40am | 12:25pm 1:30pm | 2:15pm | 3:00pm 4:05pm | 4:50pm | 5:35pm 6:40pm | 7:25pm | 8:10pm 9:15pm | 10:00pm | 10:45pm

AMC Marina Pacifica 12 (9.4 mi)6346 East Pacific Coast Highway
Long Beach, CA 90803  (888) 262-4386
10:10am | 12:30pm | 3:00pm 5:30pm | 8:00pm | 10:30pm

AMC Theatres Fullerton (9.6 mi)1001 S Lemon St
Fullerton, CA 92832  (888) 262-4386
11:00am | 1:35pm | 4:10pm 7:00pm | 9:40pm |
LATE NIGHT:

Late night showtimes play after midnight, meaning the following day — not the morning of your selected date

LATE NIGHT: 12:20am

Theater Info
Edwards Long Beach Stadium 26 (10.7 mi)7501 Carson Blvd
Long Beach, CA 90808  (562) 429-3321
11:00am | 11:30am | 12:00pm 1:50pm | 2:20pm | 2:50pm 4:40pm | 5:10pm | 5:40pm 7:20pm | 7:50pm | 8:20pm 10:00pm | 10:30pm | 11:00pm 11:10pm
No Online Ticketing

Edwards Irvine Spectrum 21 & IMAX (11.4 mi)65 Fortune Dr
Irvine, CA 92618  (949) 450-4920
11:55am | 12:55pm | 2:20pm 3:20pm | 5:05pm | 6:00pm 7:45pm | 8:45pm | 10:20pm 11:15pm
No Online Ticketing

Edwards Cerritos Towne Center 10 Cinemas (12.3 mi)12761 Towne Center Drive
Cerritos, CA 90701  (562) 403-1147
12:00pm | 2:40pm | 5:20pm 8:00pm | 10:40pm
No Online Ticketing

Starlight Cinemas Cinema City Theatre (12.6 mi)5635 E. La Palma Ave
Anaheim Hills, CA 92807  (714) 970-6700
11:30am | 2:00pm | 4:30pm 7:00pm | 9:30pm
No Online Ticketing
No Passes

Often, passes are not accepted during the first few weeks of a film’s theatrical release. This is a policy movie studios set with the theaters, and each theater has its own “No Passes” policy. Please contact the theater directly if you have more questions about whether your pass can be used at this time.

|No Passes

UA Galaxy Theater At Los Cerritos Center (12.7 mi)435 Los Cerrritos Center
Cerritos, CA 90703  (800) 326-3264
11:50am | 2:30pm | 5:00pm 8:00pm | 10:30pm
No Online Ticketing

AMC Theatres Pine Square 16 (13.6 mi)245 Pine Ave
Long Beach, CA 90802  (888) 262-4386
11:45am | 2:25pm | 5:00pm 7:45pm | 10:35pm
No Passes

Often, passes are not accepted during the first few weeks of a film’s theatrical release. This is a policy movie studios set with the theaters, and each theater has its own “No Passes” policy. Please contact the theater directly if you have more questions about whether your pass can be used at this time.

|No Passes

Cinemark at The Pike (13.7 mi)99 South Pine Ave
Long Beach, CA 90802  (800) 326-3264
12:15pm | 1:00pm | 3:50pm 5:35pm | 7:20pm | 10:15pm 10:45pm
No Online Ticketing
No Passes

Often, passes are not accepted during the first few weeks of a film’s theatrical release. This is a policy movie studios set with the theaters, and each theater has its own “No Passes” policy. Please contact the theater directly if you have more questions about whether your pass can be used at this time.

|No Passes

Pacific’s Lakewood Center Stadium16 (13.8 mi)5200 Faculty Ave, at Candlewood
Lakewood, CA 90712  (562) 531-9580
10:55am | 11:55am | 1:40pm 2:40pm | 4:20pm | 5:20pm 7:00pm | 8:00pm | 9:35pm 10:35pm

Regal La Habra 16 (13.9 mi)1351 West Imperial Highway
La Habra, CA 90631  (562) 690-7469
11:35am | 2:10pm | 4:55pm 7:40pm | 10:25pm
No Online Ticketing

Edwards Brea Stadium 12 – East (14.1 mi)155 West Birch Street
Brea, CA 92821  (714) 672-1012
12:15pm | 1:15pm | 3:00pm 4:40pm | 7:15pm | 7:50pm 10:00pm | 10:30pm
No Online Ticketing

Edwards Anaheim Hills 14 (14.7 mi)8030 E. Santa Ana Canyon Rd
Anaheim, CA 92808  (800)326-3264
12:00pm | 2:30pm | 5:10pm 7:40pm | 10:10pm
No Online Ticketing

Regal Cinemas Foothill Towne Center 22 (14.8 mi)26602 Towne Centre Dr
Foothill Ranch, CA 92610  (949) 588-9402
12:20pm | 1:00pm | 2:45pm 3:25pm | 5:10pm | 5:50pm 7:35pm | 8:15pm | 10:00pm 10:45pm
No Online Ticketing

AMC Theatres Norwalk 20 (15.2 mi)12300 Civic Center Dr
Norwalk, CA 90651  (888) 262-4386
10:00am | 11:30am | 12:35pm 2:00pm | 3:10pm | 4:30pm 5:45pm | 7:15pm | 8:30pm 10:00pm | 11:15pm |
LATE NIGHT:

Late night showtimes play after midnight, meaning the following day — not the morning of your selected date

LATE NIGHT: 12:35am

Edwards Aliso Viejo Stadium 20 (15.3 mi)26701 Aliso Creek Road
Aliso Viejo, CA 92656  (800)326-3264
11:05am | 11:30am | 1:35pm 1:55pm | 4:05pm | 4:55pm 7:10pm | 7:55pm | 9:40pm 10:25pm
No Online Ticketing

Edwards Kaleidoscope Stadium 10 (18.1 mi)27741 Crown Valley Parkway
Mission Viejo, CA 92691  (949)582-4078
3:25pm | 5:40pm | 8:00pm 10:25pm
No Online Ticketing

Edwards Ocean Ranch 7 Cinemas (20.3 mi)32401 Golden Lantern Street
Laguna Niguel, CA 92656  (949)443-1968
1:10pm | 4:20pm | 7:20pm 9:50pm
No Online Ticketing

Krikorian San Clemente Cinema 6 (24.3 mi)641 B Camino de los Mares
San Clemente, CA 92673  (949) 661-7469
11:30am | 2:10pm | 4:55pm 7:50pm | 10:25pm

About Vern Nelson

Greatest pianist/composer in Orange County, and official political troubadour of Anaheim and most other OC towns. Regularly makes solo performances, sometimes with his savage-jazz band The Vern Nelson Problem. Reach at vernpnelson@gmail.com, or 714-235-VERN.