“Machete” is a spin-off of one of the fake trailers featured in the movie “Grindhouse”. Like its spawn point “Machete” is made to look like an old-fashioned exploitation film with tons of violence and nudity but has the budget of a modern big picture.

“Machete” begins with grainy video quality like “Grindhouse” but sadly, it loses that after the first scene. We are introduced to Machete, who is played by regular collaborator with the director Robert Rodriguez: Danny Trejo (the two worked on several films including “From Dusk Till Dawn”). Machete is betrayed when he’s told he’s helping Mexicans have an easier time crossing the border into America so therefore decides to go to war with them.

Danny Trejo to me has always been quite good but he’s hardly ever given a decent role. The trailer in “Grindhouse” starring him was a taster of how great he’d been as an action star and “Machete” provides some evidence; it’s interesting note that the Machete he plays here is the same as he does in “Spy Kids”. Both Jessica Alba (“Fantastic Four”) and Michelle Rodriguez (“Resident Evil”) are good as the women who Machete of course gets. I wish we’d see more of Robert De Niro (“Goodfellas”, “Cape Feare”) because he’s excellent here. Steven Seagal (“Under Siege”) is average but this is easily the best film he’s ever done.

“Machete” isn’t superb and hopefully the two sequels it promises will improve on it but for what it is, I found it to fit the bill. It crams a lot of over the top gore and a lot of nudity in it but that’s what it is supposed to do. I like some of the cheesy lines, I like its creativeness with the violence and I definitely like Danny Trejo, we only need more of this for it to be better.