Danny Trejo Dead in Tombstone
Danny Trejo’s received a lot of attention for the over-the-top (and financially disappointing) Machete Kills. But he’s actually at his action-best in a direct-to-video supernatural Western you probably haven’t noticed…yet
No question, it’s been a big year for Danny Trejo, and the recognition is long overdue. This craggy action-man has been cranking out movies and TV shows for decades now, and only recently have people begun to recognize his name.
All the more reason that you should invest $3.99 in Amazon’s Instant Video service and watch the recently release Dead in Tombstone. Because not only is Danny the star–not just a bad guy who gets what’s coming to him in the first reel–but it’s also a little bit amazing.
Sure, it’s ‘just’ another action picture. But there are some remarkable things about it. For one, it’s a western, set in the decaying town of Tombstone in the 1880’s. When was the last time you saw a new one of those? Second, there’s a pretty remarkable cast: Mickey Rourke as a Western-style Satan called “The Blacksmith,” Dina Meyer of Birds of Prey and Starship Troopers as the toughest lady since Sharon Stone in The Quick and the Dead, and Anthony Michael Hall as a really, really bad guy. (Skip the fact that Hall is scarcely recognizable and it’s pretty clear they had to dub Rourke’s voice). And best of all, it’s not a zombie movie, despite the title. In fact, screenwriters Brendan Cowles and Shane Kuhn and director Roel Reiné have deliver a pretty straightforward “revenge” story, where the tough-as-hell leader of a gang (Trejo) is betrayed and murdered by his right hand (Hall), and given a chance by the Devil himself (Rourke) to return to Earth for a day and save his soul…by killing the rest of his traitorous team.
All in all, not bad at all, and Trejo gives ones of his best (and actually most understated) performances amidst all the blood and bullets. He also looks totally badass in that hat.
Dead in Tombstone is available here, on Amazon’s Watch Instantly, for $3.99. Or you Trejo completists can buy the DVD for $14.99.
Check out the most recent trailer to get a taste of the mayhem:
