Danny Trejo Movies
With his intimidating, tattooed, muscle-bound appearance, character actor Danny Trejo has formed a successful career as the all-purpose hard case over his curious and enduring cinematic career. Beating the odds of repeat offender syndrome after being released from prison, Trejo has risen through the ranks to find himself in high demand as an actor, and has even expanded his talents to include a producer credit to his resumé. His life story is just about as pristine an example of rehabilitation as one could ask for.Raised in the mean streets of East L.A., Trejo spent many of his early years incarcerated in such legendary prisons as Folsom and San Quentin on drug and robbery convictions. Channeling his intense energy into the boxing ring and winning numerous lightweight and welterweight titles, Trejo was released as a new man after completing a life-changing 12-step rehabilitation program to overcome his addictions. Applying the ideas that changed his life in an attempt to help others headed down a similar path, upon release Trejo became involved with numerous rehabilitation and counseling programs. A chance meeting with a young man who asked for his support at a Cocaine Anonymous meeting in 1985 later found the sympathetic ex-con meeting the struggling addict on the set of Runaway Train, and Trejo was quickly offered a role as a convict presumably based on his threatening appearance. Chance piled upon chance found an old prison buddy/screenwriter who remembered Trejo's hard-hitting boxing skills on the same set, and Trejo was then offered a chance to train Eric Roberts for a film, and was eventually offered the role as his opponent in the ring. Following with roles in The Hidden (1987), and later Lock-Up (1989), Marked for Death (1990), Mi Vida Loca (1993), and Heat (1995), Trejo formed an alliance with director Robert Rodriguez with Desperado in 1995, and soon graduated to such bigger-budget films as Con Air (1997) and The Replacement Killers (1998) in the latter 1990s. The Rodriguez-Trejo twosome found the actor taking on the role of Uncle Isadore "Machete" Cortez in the director's 2001 smash hit Spy Kids, and was later cast in both the film's sequel and Rodriguez's Once Upon a Time in Mexico (2002). ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- 2010
Robert Rodriguez makes good on expanding his Grindhouse fake trailer Machete into a feature film with this Overnight Productions picture. Danny Trejo will once again star as the knife-wielding vigilante who nearly dies in an assassination conspiracy, only to return later on and seek vengeance against those who wronged him. Robert De Niro, Lindsay Lohan, Jessica Alba, Steven Seagal, Don Johnson, and Jeff Fahey fill out the supporting cast. ~ Jeremy Wheeler, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Danny Trejo
The Grand Prize winner of the 2004 WriteMovies.com International Screenwriting Contest, Valley of Angels follows a twenty-something drug dealer who falls into the dark side of the underworld after realizing that the City of Angels has lost its soul. Zachary "Zeus" Andrews is a Chicago transplant who moved to Los Angeles as a young boy, and quickly realized that he would never fit in there. A stranger in a hostile plastic landscape, Zues quickly became the go-to guy for rich kids in search of chemical kicks. One day, after meeting a girl who appears to transcend the materialistic culture they both inhabit, the small-time drug dealer receives a tantalizing glimpse of his true destiny. Now, just as Zeus becomes convinced that he is finally on the path to enlightenment and begins preparing to leave his old life behind, the harsh reality of his grim existence strikes back with deadly vengeance. George Katt and Danny Trejo star in a crime drama from first-time writer/producer/editor/director Jon Rosten. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Danny Trejo, George Katt, (more)
Dominic Swain, Master P, Tom Sizemore, and Danny Trejo star in this flashy action thriller about a beautiful mental patient who embarks on a violent killing spree after learning that her own father has put a bounty on her head. Anyone who gets in this lethal lady's way is sure to pay with their lives, whether it be the nightclub owner, the bartender, the call girl, or even the exotic dancer. Who will be alive when her violent rampage has ended, and what will be left of them but a fleshy bag of broken bones? ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Susan Ward, Corey Large, (more)
An emotionally stunted ex-convict whose recent release from prison finds her attempting to form a relationship with her young daughter finds that redemption doesn't come easy in this emotional family drama, the feature debut of award-winning documentary filmmaker Laurie Collyer. When Sherry Swanson (Maggie Gyllenhaal) was sentenced to three years in prison on a drug-related robbery conviction at the age of 22, she had just given birth to a daughter named Alexis (Ryan Simpkins). Placed in the care of Sherry's brother, Bobby (Brad William Henke), and sister-in-law, Lynette (Bridget Barkan), while her mother was behind bars, young Alexis has grown into an affectionate young girl eager to reconnect with the mother she has never met. Though Sherry at first seems determined to stay on the straight and narrow, increasingly infrequent visits to Alexis and a troubling revelation about her family past soon begin to lead the protective Lynette to take a stand in protecting the vulnerable youngster. Later, when compassionate 12-step veteran Dean (Danny Trejo) makes an effort to help Sherry become the mother she longs to be, the troubled ex-con is faced with the choice of truly living up to her word or potentially losing her daughter forever. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Maggie Gyllenhaal, Brad William Henke, (more)
- 2006
Their lives going nowhere fast, two middle-aged friends from Los Angeles start up their own business in a bid to gain the respect of their friends and colleagues. As young children, Brenda (Sean Young) and her immigrant friend Jonathan (Christian Schoyen) were bullied mercilessly. Now they're adults, and not much has changed. In an attempt to get their lives on track, they take a shot at the American Dream. But while owning your own business is easy, getting to the top in a city like L.A. is nearly impossible. Seduced by the prospect of success and caught up dreams of fast cars and fat bank accounts, Brenda and Jonathan quickly realize that they don't know the first thing about running their own business. When their latest client Chuck (Danny Trejo) discovers they've been living the dream on his dime, the two friends are in for a rude awakening. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- 2006
A crew of documentary filmmakers exploring an abandoned prison which was shut down in the wake of a deadly riot discovers that sometimes the horrors of the past have a way of bleeding into the present. It was years ago when the inmates at Isla del Roca penitentiary rose up against the guards in a brutal display of violent rebellion, and now the condemned building sets as a silent reminder of archaic brutality. Upon learning of Ilsa del Roca's dark history, a group of ambitious documentary filmmakers determine that the penitentiary would make an ideal subject for the film that could serve as their calling card to greatness. Their plans for the film are quickly sidetracked, however, when the crew discovers that a band of desperate fugitives have taken up residence in the vast complex. While the criminals who currently call the prison home may be dangerous, the victims of the notorious riots who still haunt the cold concrete corridors of Ilsa del Roca are not only terrifying, but downright deadly. Jake Busey, Stacey Keach, and Danny Trejo star in a gore-drenched shocker from Slayer director Kevin VanHook. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- 2006
In his 1961 speech to the National Association of Broadcasters Newton Minnow claimed that television had become a "vast wasteland," and with this comedy the warped folks at National Lampoon prove that Minnow's so-called "vast wasteland" has since been flooded by a festering cesspool of filth and depravity. Absolutely nothing is sacred as Jackass stars Steve-O, Chris Pontius, Preston Lacy, and Jason "Wee Man" Acuna skewer small screen conventions by targeting everything from reality television to talk shows. For viewers looking to find out just how far the bar has been lowered, who better to turn to than the satirical minds at National Lampoon? ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Steve-O, Jason "Wee Man" Acuna, (more)
- 2006
Michael Paré, Danny Trejo, Ja Rule, and Tom Sizemore star in this nightmarish tale of a maximum security prison overtaken by a malevolent supernatural force. Upon entering into a notorious penitentiary to explore a gruesome series of deaths, Detective Michael Turner (Paré) discovers that his latest case may not be as cut and dry as he initially suspected. It seems that these cold concrete halls are home to not only some of the world's most dangerous criminals, but also a force beyond human comprehension. Now, as this vengeful entity lashes out and the body count begins to rise, the hardened inmates struggle desperately to stay alive and the tireless detective works around the clock to reverse this deadly curse. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Ja Rule, Michael Paré, (more)
Mummies stars Danny Trejo, Max Perlich, and Billy Worth as members of a group of criminals who set out to find a cache of gold hidden in Mexico. The group soon discovers that mummies are in charge of protecting the valuable commodity. ~ Perry Seibert, All Movie Guide
- 2005
The horror film All Souls Day concerns a man and woman who can't seem to escape from Santa Bonita, Mexico. They would like to leave seeing as the town is filled with ghosts. In order to resolve the situation, the pair must face the feared criminal Vargaz Diaz, who apparently is almost 200 years old. ~ Perry Seibert, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jeffrey Combs, Marisa Ramirez, (more)
When a weary detective on the verge of retirement begins receiving ominous messages from a sadistic serial killer determined to stir up the past, the stage is set for a deadly confrontation in an all-star crime drama featuring Michael Madsen, Gary Busey, Meat Loaf, and Michael Rooker. Years on the job have shown Detective Harrison (Michael Madsen) more horror than most normal folks would experience in two lifetimes. As Detective Harrison prepares to pass the baton on to the up-and-coming rookie poised to take his place in the police force, the murder of numerous underworld heavies leave the befuddled veteran and his younger protégé grasping for clues. When the killer begins taunting Detective Harrison with a variety of stealthy clues and grisly photographs left behind at the crime scenes, an unsolved case from the past threatens to bring the sins of the past out of the shadows and into the light of the present. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Michael Madsen
The vengeful curse of a 19th Century Mexican land baron reaches through time to place the grip of death on a contemporary college student in director Rich Ragsdale's tale of a love most gruesome. It was a long time ago that wealthy land baron El Charro lusted after the most beautiful woman in the land, but his motives were impure and the woman's firm rejection is simply more than his fragile psyche can take. Driven to psychosis by his unrequited love, the unhinged baron embarks on a brutal killing spree before placing a curse on the unattainable beauty's entire bloodline. Flash forward to modern times, and a young college girl begins to experience terrifying dreams of death. When she and her hard partying group of friends hit the road for a wild trip down to Mexico for a much-needed vacation, the discovery of El Charro's reanimated corpse leads the nightmare-plagued college student to realize that she is a direct descendent of the beauty who once spurned the determined land baron. Now the baron is back to claim the one love who refused to take his hand in life, and he isn't above dispatching a few of her closest friends in order to accomplish his nefarious goal. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- 2004
Death Row inmate Ray Kaspo (David Meunier) is poisoned to death--45 minutes before his execution. While investigating this curious turn of events, Monk (Tony Shalhoub) is approached by another inmate, former billionaire Dale "The Whale" Biederbeck, whom Monk sent away for murder in the series' fourth episode (formerly played by Adam Arkin, Dale the Whale is now portrayed by Tim Curry). This time out, Dale is suspected of killing Ray, but insists that he's innocent and wants Monk to prove it. This requires our hero to suppress his million-and-one phobias and go undercover as a convict--whereupon he is immediately befriended by the dangerously sociopathic Spyder Rudner (Danny Trejo). This final episode of Monk's second season ends on a cliffhanger, with Monk seemingly poised to solve the long-ago murder of his beloved wife Trudy. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
A man in the middle of nowhere finds his past catching up with him in this independent thriller. Jeremy Stanton (Dean Cain) is a businessman who is driving from Santa Barbara, CA, to his new home in a small town in Nevada. However, as Stanton makes his way through the desert, he loses his bearings, and before long, thanks to a few road closings, detours, out-of-date map listings, and faulty directions from an auto-club operator, he hasn't the foggiest notion of where he is. But when an angry man with a gun begins pursuing Stanton, it becomes evident that there's more to his story than just a few wrong turns. Also featuring Danny Trejo and Ashley Scott, Lost marked the directorial debut of screenwriter Darren Lemke. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Dean Cain, Ashley Scott, (more)
- 2003
- Add Turned Out: Sexual Assault Behind Bars to QueueAdd Turned Out: Sexual Assault Behind Bars to top of Queue
Documentary filmmaker Jonathan Schwartz broaches the taboo subject of homosexuality behind bars with this frank and unflinching look at the sexual hierarchy in prison narrated by Danny Trejo. In 2003, there were more than two million Americans serving time in the nation's prisons. Over the course of their time served, one in five of those inmates will be "turned out," sodomized by their fellow prisoners and forced into sexual slavery. The vast majority of those victims will be non-violent drug offenders, a prison population that has nearly doubled since 1993. In addition to discussing the relationships between the "boys" and "sissies" designated as the females in the relationships to the "men" who often form "families" by developing relationships with several "boys" at once, inmates at correctional facilities all across the country reveal the secrets of their underground economy, and the sociology of power and lust as it relates to prisoners in need of companionship or protection. Additional conversations concerning the sexual exploitation of inmates by prison guards and the culture of silence that allows it to go on unchecked offers fascinating insight into a world that more and more Americans experience as prison populations continue to skyrocket. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- 2003
Marshall (Kevin Weisman) explains the full significance of the Rambaldi manuscripts, thereby revealing a 500-year-old prophecy of the Apocalypse. To prevent this, Sydney (Jennifer Garner) and Dixon (Carl Lumbly) must track down a Panamanian named Di Regno (James Carraway) -- but Dixon, determined to avenge the murder of his wife, Diane, at the hands of Sloane (Ron Rifkin), may not be up to this crucial assignment. The outcome of the story -- and the fate of the world -- may hinge upon a startling confession made to Sloane by a repentant monk named Conrad (David Carradine). And in a less somber development, new NSA special ops agent Carrie Bowman (Amanda Foreman) develops a crush on Marshall. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Actor-turned-director Steve Buscemi follows up on his restrained 1996 directorial debut Trees Lounge (1996) with this gritty, understated prison drama. Twenty-one-year-old suburban kid Ron (Edward Furlong) got busted for dealing drugs and slapped with an especially severe jail sentence. Though he tries to keep a low profile at prison, he soon attracts unsavory attention of various sex-starved goons. Fearing rape, he appeals directly to Earl (Willem Dafoe), a fellow prisoner who runs the place like it was his own fiefdom. Though Ron's request is strictly against this rarified culture's baroque rules, Earl takes him under his wing, and soon he is a part of Earl's inner circle. Slowly Ron learns the breadth of Earl's power, ranging from the easy procurement of drugs to the violent dispatching of a prisoner who gets out of line. As Ron grows increasingly indebted to Earl, he wonders how he is expected to repay him. Yet Earl, who shows his fondness for the lad with fatherly tenderness counterbalanced with repressed yearning, never pushes his advantage. Other members of the cast include Tom Arnold as a salivating hill-billy and an almost unrecognizable Mickey Rourke as a cross-dressing prison queen. This film was highly praised at the 2000 Sundance Film Festival. ~ Jonathan Crow, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Willem Dafoe, Edward Furlong, (more)
- 1998
Andy Sipowicz (Dennis Franz) is edgier than usual as his ailing partner, Bobby Simone (Jimmy Smits), goes in for more medical tests. Back on the job, the squad investigates the murder of a Pakistani in Central Park. The sole eyewitness is distressingly inconsistent in her testimony -- not because she herself is guilty, but because she fears reprisals from the well-connected killer. Later, as his wife, Diane (Kim Delaney), waits nervously, Bobby is told that he needs a heart transplant. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Steven Widi Ho directed this drama about sound mixer Igby Walters (Wayne Pere), who's working on a western-style Hamlet titled Dead Cowboys. After Igby encounters young violinist Juliet (Eliane Chappuis), he attempts to score with a promise of film score work. Can he deliver on this promise? Shown in competition at the 1998 Montreal World Film Festival. ~ Bhob Stewart, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Wayne Pere, Eliane Chappuis, (more)
