BAD ASS (2012) ***

The world needs more Mexploitation action flicks starring Danny Trejo beyond the Machete series.  Bad Ass fills that void nicely.  It sometimes feels like a throwback to an ‘80s Charles Bronson actioner with a decidedly Latin flavor (there’s often mariachi music on the soundtrack).  Other times, it feels like one of those ‘90s DTV thrillers that shamelessly recycle action scenes from other movies.  (It steals the bus chase from Red Heat for its climax.)  

The world also needs more geriatric-centered action movies.  I mean we cannot get by on Gran Torino and Bubba Ho-Tep alone.  That’s another reason why Bad Ass works so well.

At the center of everything is another great performance by Trejo.  He’s playing a character that’s older than himself, but there’s still enough of that badass swagger here that’s made him such a cinematic legend.  If you’re a fan of the man, you’ll won’t want to miss this one.

Trejo stars as an elderly Nam vet whose life seems to have slowly slipped by him.  One day, while riding a bus, he notices two skinheads harassing an old man and he interjects.  They provoke him, and he beats their ass in record time.  A passenger captures the fight on their phone and it quickly becomes an internet sensation.  People start looking up to him and he even earns the nickname “Bad Ass”.  When his friend is killed, Bad Ass soon realizes that the system doesn’t work, so he goes out on the street seeking his own brand of justice.

Sporting a beard, a baseball hat, and a fanny pack, Trejo is miles away from his usual screen persona.  At least on the outside.  Even though the dude is rocking the fanny pack, the movie never makes fun of him.  If anything, it is a reminder to respect your elders because they can surely kick your ass anytime they want.

The first half feels like it’s going to be more of a comedy.  Things switch gears in the second half when it becomes a decent Death Wish variation.  Director Craig Moss handles the switch seamlessly as there are plenty of laughs and legitimate badass moments to be had in both sections.

The supporting cast is solid.  Ron Perlman makes for a suitably evil villain as the crooked politician who ordered the hit on Trejo’s buddy.  Charles S. Dutton also puts in a good turn as Perlman’s enforcer.  The movie really belongs to Trejo though.  He’s a lot of fun to watch and I surely hope he continues making more of these (I plan on watching the sequels very soon) because the world needs more Mexican (and elderly) action heroes.