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MEXICAN BADASS
THE GREAT ROLES OF DANNY TREJO

Danny Trejo

Written by Matthew Pejkovic

With almost 200 credits to his name, actor Danny Trejo has to be the busiest man in Hollywood.

Now headlining his own film, the Robert Rodriguez directed Machete, it is time to look back and pay tribute to Trejo’s most memorable bad ass roles.

Enjoy!

 

GERONIMO (BLOOD IN BLOOD OUT, 1993)

Blood In Blood Out

 

Trejo played his fair share of prisoners, having himself done time for the majority of his teen and early adult years. His bit role as Geronimo in the epic crime drama Blood In, Blood Out was the most memorable.  

Bad Ass Rating
***1/2

 

 

NAVAJAS (DESPERADO, 1995)

Danny Trejo Desperado

 

Trejo first made himself known to mainstream audiences as Navajas, the knife wielding assassin sent to kill Antonio Banderas in Desperado. It would be the first of many collaborations with director Robert Rodriguez, who is also his cousin.

Bad Ass Rating
****

 

 

 

TREJO (HEAT, 1995)

Heat image

 

Michael Mann has always had a fascination with real life criminals, often casting them in his movies. That trend continued when Mann picked Trejo to play the driver in De Niro’s crew of thieves in Heat. It was a new direction for Trejo, since it did not require him to play a thug or show off his impressive assortment of tattoos.  

Bad Ass Rating
***1/2

 

RAZOR CHARLIE (FROM DUSK TILL DAWN, 1996)

Danny Trejo From Dusk Till Dawn

 

Trejo once again teamed up with his cousin Robert Rodriguez in From Dusk Till Dawn, this time playing the role of Tittie Twister barman-turned-vampire Razor Charlie, in the process taking on the likes of George Clooney, Quentin Tarantino and Tom Salvini.

Bad Ass Rating
***1/2

 

 

JOHNNY “JOHNNY-23” BACCA (CON AIR, 1997)

Danny Trejo in Con Air

 

Trejo’s filmography is filled with colourful villains, yet none are as memorable or imposing as his killer/ rapist “Johnny-23” Bacca in Con Air. His "exchange" of words with John Malkovich still stands as one of his best screen moments.

Bad Ass Rating
***1/2

 

 

MACHETE (MACHETE, 2010)

Machete image

 

After decades of playing supporting roles, Trejo will now play the lead in the appropriately cheesy exploitation riff Machete. Trejo will lead a cast which includes Robert De Niro, Jessica Alba, and Steven Segal, promising much in the way of over the top violence in his role as an ex-Federale hell bent for revenge.   

Bad Ass Rating
****

 

 

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Created and Edited by Matthew Pejkovic / Contact: mattsm@mattsmoviereviews.net
Logo created by Colony Graphic Design / Copyright © Matthew Pejkovic

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Matthew Pejkovic is a member of the following organizations:
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