Machete is a 2010 action-comedy film directed by Robert Rodriguez and Ethan Maniquis, and starring Danny Trejo as the titular character. Machete is an ex-Federale who has retired to Texas, and is hired by a shady businessman named Booth to assassin a senator named McLaughlin. Machete sets out to fulfill his task but is double-crossed by Booth and his men.
Machete survives the attempt on his life and embarks on a brutal rampage of revenge against Booth, his henchmen, and anyone else who gets in his way. Along the way, he teams up with a sexy immigration officer named Sartana Rivera (Jessica Alba) and a revolutionary named Luz (Michelle Rodriguez) to uncover a sinister conspiracy involving a drug lord named Torrez (Steven Seagal) and a corrupt senator named McLaughlin (Robert De Niro).
As Machete cuts his way through the ranks of Booth's organization, he unleashes a flurry of over-the-top violence that includes stabbings, beheadings, explosions, and a wide range of deadly weaponry. The film is filled with tongue-in-cheek humor and political commentary about immigration, corruption, and the U.S.-Mexico border.
Machete proved to be a moderate box office success and was praised by critics for its gritty action sequences, solid performances from its cast, and its ability to blend genres and tones. The film spawned a sequel, Machete Kills, in 2013, and plans for a third installment, Machete Kills Again...In Space!, are currently in development.