It's really that he's been in so many films that people remember his name now. The only roles I've seen him in that I even liked were Heat, Anchorman, and Fanboys.
Machete was the only horrible role to me, but it's really just the racist tone of the film and not his "performance". I haven't seen the one where he's an old man vigilante(?) yet.
His bit parts are always ancillary though. He needs to try being under FX makeup like an ET or monster. Maybe he should try to be Frankenstein or the Wolfman sometime and maybe try another accent?
He's cool, but he's not like Depp or Pacino or Ledger. I like actors who can change their whole behavior and Trejo is JUST badass. One character trait in all his characters and based on his appearance alone. And he's real, I don't doubt that he's been through some shit, but can only portray one character so far.
Kind of like how Milla Jovovich is always the bad ass chick now. Or Arnold Schwarzenegger is always that same guy. lol Sorry Arnold. :{