Violent Movie Declares War on Arizona for Immigration Law

[alienlovechild 75]

A violent new film from cult director Robert Rodriguez is declaring war on Arizona with a "special Cinco De Mayo message" in the wake of the state's controversial illegal immigration law.

That message is: "They just f---ed with the wrong Mexican."

"Machete," which features a knife-wielding Mexican assassin out for revenge against double-crossing gringos, won't be in theaters until September, but it is already sparking a political melee over Wednesday's stab at the Grand Canyon State.

In the trailer for the film, the title character is hired to assassinate an anti-immigration U.S. senator played by Robert De Niro. Protesters are seen waving nationalist signs as the senator speaks to a charged-up rally: "We are at war," he booms. "Every time an illegal dances across our border, it is an act of aggression against this sovereign state — an overt act of terrorism."

But before the trailer even begins, the battle-scarred title character stares out from the screen as he tells viewers that what's about to unfold — an immigration-laced slasher grindhouse flick — is about the current border battle in Arizona.

The trailer was released Wednesday, just 24 hours after an envelope filled with a still-undetermined white powder was sent to Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer, temporarily closing the State Capitol in Phoenix. The powder spilled out when a staffer opened it Tuesday morning, sending Hazmat teams scrambling through the governor's offices. No one was sickened, but state police and the FBI are investigating the incident.

Tancredo, who served in the House from 1999-2009, said he received "tons of death threats" while in office and frequently wore a bulletproof vest during public speeches. Though the language of the film is nothing new to him, he said he still finds it offensive.

"The racists who made that trailer, they are as racist as anything I have ever seen" from either side of the immigration debate, Tancredo said.

But, he added, "these guys are 'politically correct' racists, so you cannot heap indignities upon them."

In "Machete," the protagonist, played by Danny Trejo, is a former Mexican Federale now looking for work as a day laborer in Texas. He charges $70 a day for yard work, but an oily businessman makes him an offer he can't refuse: $150,000 to take out a senator bent on deporting illegal immigrants.

"As you know, illegal Americans are being forced out of our country at an alarming rate," says the contractor. "For the good of both our people, the senator must die."

The film, which is set to be released Sept. 3, is produced by 20th Century Fox, a production company owned by Fox News' parent company, News Corp.

20th Century Fox said that Rodriguez speaks for himself on political issues. The studio was comfortable with the release of the movie trailer on Cinco De Mayo, but says it has no political stake in the immigration debate.

He and Trejo are joined by a number of stars: Cheech Marin plays a shotgun-shooting warrior priest, Lindsay Lohan plays the senator's Patty Hearst-like daughter and Don Johnson, as a sheriff, growls that "there's nothing I'd like more than to see more than that Mexican dance the bolero at the end of a rope."

Jessica Alba, a border patrol agent, rallies a group of laborers while crying, "We didn't cross the border — the border crossed us!"

Tancredo, who argued that the film should not be distributed at all, said he wasn't worried the movie would incite any violence, but that its political message was clear.

"I think it is a true reflection of exactly who these people are and what they think about America," he said.

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2010/05/06/violent-movie-declares-war-arizona-immigration-law/

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

If this article describes this movie accurately, I have a big problem with it. In fact, I would prefer to see all major movie theaters and all major rental companies refuse to carry it.

[Heracles 417]

Pick up any paper in that region and look at the names and photos of the those arrested. End of story.

Edited May 6, 2010 by Booyah!

[The_Dude 1,142]

If this article describes this movie accurately, I have a big problem with it. In fact, I would prefer to see all major movie theaters and all major rental companies refuse to carry it.

I'd agree to that, but only if they would include a lifetime ban on ALL M. Night Shamylan movies too.

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

I'd agree to that, but only if they would include a lifetime ban on ALL M. Night Shamylan movies too.

I liked the Sixth Sense and the Village.

[The_Dude 1,142]

I liked the Sixth Sense and the Village.

The sixth sense was ok. But the village was beyond retarded. Have you seen any of his other movies? Seriously, they are that bad.

[Obama 2012 1,714]

I love Rodriguez's movies, but this might be taking it a bit far.

You can't beat movies like:

El Mariachi

Desperado

From Dusk 'Til Dawn

Deathproof

etc..

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

The sixth sense was ok. But the village was beyond retarded. Have you seen any of his other movies? Seriously, they are that bad.

I saw lady in the water and hated it.

But I did like the village.

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

If this article describes this movie accurately, I have a big problem with it. In fact, I would prefer to see all major movie theaters and all major rental companies refuse to carry it.

This movie started life as one of the fake trailers in that Grindhouse movie from a few years ago - it was greenlit not long after that out of popular demand.

It was not made as a result of the Arizona immigration law.

If you've seen any of Rodriguez' other movies, expect it to be somewhat tongue in cheek. Rodriguez' movies are never played straight. Of course a post-modern spin is not something that will come across in an article describing the film, especially when some jerk politician is involved and starts harping on it.

Besides, if anyone thinks this is offensive, you should rewatch some 80's action movies (Rambo 2, 3) or more recent stuff like Tears of the Sun. The political point of view espoused in those movies is far more broadly insulting and offensive than this Rodriguez flick.

The sixth sense was ok. But the village was beyond retarded. Have you seen any of his other movies? Seriously, they are that bad.

I thought all his films were $hit except for the Sixth Sense, but that was a one-horse trick anyway.

Apparently he's doing a mainstream anime adaptation next - perhaps because the studios don't have the patience (or the money) anymore for his writer/director flops.

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

This movie started life as one of the fake trailers in that Grindhouse movie from a few years ago - it was greenlit not long after that out of popular demand.

It was not made as a result of the Arizona immigration law.

Interesting. I guess this is just another attempt at manufactured outrage.

[Fandango 1,439]

I saw lady in the water and hated it.

But I did like the village.

I liked the village too!

Back to topic: this is just beyond ridiculous.

[alienlovechild 75]

Besides, if anyone thinks this is offensive, you should rewatch some 80's action movies (Rambo 2, 3) or more recent stuff like Tears of the Sun. The political point of view espoused in those movies is far more broadly insulting and offensive than this Rodriguez flick.

Political POV in Rambo II and III? I haven't seen them in years but didn't they take place in Vietnam and Afghanistan? How did they significantly affect our policies toward towards those countries? Which groups were broadly insulted?

You read too much into some action movies which about beating up on some bad guys or trying to win a lost war or a war that that didn't actively have troops involved in at the time.

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

Interesting. I guess this is just another attempt at manufactured outrage.

Of course it is. The only reason it's coming up now is because a trailer has been released around the same time that media attention was on the AZ immigration law.

Politicians always look like idiots when they start lambasting movies and video-games. Just look at the furore Hillary Clinton kicked up about alleged sex scenes in a mature rated Grand Theft Auto game.

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

Political POV in Rambo II and III? I haven't seen them in years but didn't they take place in Vietnam and Afghanistan? How did they significantly affect our policies toward towards those countries? Which groups were broadly insulted?

You read too much into some action movies which about beating up on some bad guys or trying to win a lost war or a war that that didn't actively have troops involved in at the time.

Yes Dave, there is a political POV in Rambo 2 and 3 whether you choose to recognise it or not.

In any case, I think you're reading too much into my post. I never said that they were or should be taken seriously, only that the point of view they espouse could be interpreted to be offensive - if you're in the mood to be offended.

I'm just pointing out the difference between movies which in which the fictional world is Realist (the new Rambo movie for instance) and movies in which the fictional world is Post-Modern (more or less all of Quentin Tarantino's movies) and which have a formalism that tells you "this is theatre".

[Obama 2012 1,714]

Rocky IV