Danny Trejo BulletSeasoned actor Danny Trejo has reinvented himself as the titular role in the Machete franchise, a series of films that ridicule B-movie, action flicks. However, despite evidently aware of the flaws and limitations of the genre, he’s now turned up in Nick Lyon’s Bullet, a film that is identical to those of which are being mocked in the aforementioned parody series.

When a dangerous criminal is on the verge of being executed by the death penalty, his father Carlito Kane (Jonathan Banks) is determined to put a stop to it – and so sets his sights on the law enforcer who arrested his son in the first place, which happens to be Frank Marasco (Trejo), a tough, uncompromising cop affectionately known as Bullet. With his trusty henchman Kruger (Torsten Voges) by his side, Kane kidnaps Bullet’s grandson, in the attempt to blackmail the cop – who has other plans up his sleeve.

Lyon can certainly be commended for staying within his means, not attempting anything too ambitious or foolhardy, seemingly with an eye on his modest sized budget. That isn’t to say the director doesn’t stick to convention, as a film certainly archetypal of the genre at hand. However, thankfully any needless or superfluous romantic subplot is disregarded in this instance, which is somewhat refreshing to see. That being said, the tonal shift halfway through is detrimental to the picture, as the frivolous nature takes a somewhat dark turn, and a few out of character one-liners are introduced, as well as a misogynistic element that is entirely avoidable.

Trejo is a somewhat challenging protagonist to believe in too, seeming off the pace at times, and when faced in perilous situations, you never quite believe in his capability to escape unharmed, and to leave a pool of bodies behind him. Some of the acting performances are below-par to say the least, with disappointing showings from the likes of John Savage, Julia Dietze and Voges to name just three. The latter, who has impressed in comedic roles in the past, has only truly been cast as this evil henchman because he’s really tall, and that’s about it – he’s not intimidating in the slightest. Banks, on the other hand, is a brilliantly wicked and sinister villain, and the stand-out in this mediocre production.

Such mediocrity extends right up until the final moments, with a hugely anticlimactic finale. As with any film of this ilk, the final battle is built up towards, however this feels hurried and unfulfilling, with little intensity to be noted. But look, if you pay money to see Danny Trejo’s latest film called Bullet, you know exactly what’s in store for you, so in that case it’s somewhat difficult to leave disappointed, as a film that is almost exactly as you would expect for it to be.

[Rating:2/5]