Directed By: Michael Winner Written by: Dan Jakoby Based on characters created by: Brian Garfield Cinematography: John Stainer Editor: Arnold Crust
Cast: Charles Bronson, Ed Lauter, Martin Balsam, Deborah Raffin, Gavin O’Herlihy, Kirk Taylor, Alex Winter, Tony Spiridakis, Marina Sirtis
Architect/vigilante Paul Kersey arrives back in New York City and is forcibly recruited by a crooked police chief to fight street crime caused by a large gang terrorizing the neighborhoods.
This film doesn’t bother to put up any pretense; it cuts to the chase immediately. No real drama, just Charles Bronson's friend getting immediately killed when he is on his way to visit him in NYC. So he seeks revenge after being arrested as a suspect in his friend's murder. He is in the same holding cell as the film’s main villain. Definitely full pedal to the metal.
When I say things are kept simple I mean it when it comes to this film. As the villain is middle-aged and a gang leader. A gang that never leaves the neighborhood and he himself looks middle-aged with a bad haircut in his balding frame. There is no rhyme or reason for his or his gang's killing. Even when they say he has a clean arrest record. It seems like maybe because he is a trust fund kid or makes enough money to afford a good lawyer. Nope, he just has others do his crimes for him.
As soon as Charles Bronson comes into the neighborhood he defends it openly. While a detective supports it. You wonder if the cops are dirty after one of the older couples has their gun taken away by cops after a complaint from the criminals.
At least by the end, he gets to the neighborhood helping fight off the gang. This might be because the neighborhood has become a literal war zone. With explosions, guns, blades, and machine guns.
As usual, this film gives Bronson a love interest. So far in these movies, he must personally lose two people. The film opens with the death of his friend and then the death of a lawyer he was dating who was much younger than him. Her death is senseless, but it does provide the motivation to finally make him mad.
The film is ridiculous in itself, but it is more fine and entertaining than the last film. As this
The film really gives fans of this franchise what they want and gets to the action immediately. It also helped that the film capitalized on the vigilante shooting in New York by Bernard Goetz at the time. As the film shows that only violence will help cure bad violence.
The film still has its fate share of gruesome exploitive violence against women. Including a sexual assault and an attempted one in which the woman is stripped bare. These attacks happen even in the middle of a battle or war towards the end. Makes it even more over the top and distasteful. Many might blame director Michael Winner, this was the last time he directed frequent collaborator Charles Bronson or any of the DEATH WISH movies. Director Winner also seems to take particular glee in the violence and nude scenes.
The last two are forgettable and more basic. He brought the sleaze to these films that whole bad certainly helped them to stand out. So that this filled like his over-the-top opus.
The artillery certainly is used more and it’s more of a battle. Eye for an eye as most victims in the neighborhood are elderly. Which is disheartening to watch. The guns get bigger with Bronson seeming to have a signature gun like Clint Eastwood as Dirty Harry.
This film has a more recognizable cast. Though in the end, you are a fan of ridiculous action, give this film a try. As it is certainly entertaining with a disturbing dark side.
Grade: C
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