Death Wish II

 



Director - Michael Winner (The Sentinel, The Mechanic)
Charles Bronson (Breakout, St. Ives), Jill Ireland (Star Trek, Hard Times), and Vincent Gardenia (Little Shop of Horrors, The Twilight Zone)
Release Date - 1982
Genre - Action/Crime
Tagline - "He's planning to clean up the city.  His way!"
Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):



     I watch a several horror movies during my week.  No one can argue that I don't love the genre.  My whole life has been dedicated to horror but I do find myself burnt out on my beloved genre from time to time.  Some of you may notice that I review five to ten horror films and then take a break for a few days where I often check out some sort of exploitation flick.  I have a special place in my heart for 80s action films especially those made famous by Cannon.  Not long ago the Australian company Umbrella Entertainment sent of Death Wish 2 & 3 in a double feature blu set.  I had never seen these films before and used this as an opportunity to check out this classic series.  Thank you Umbrella for sending this one my way!
     The film follows Paul Kersey (Bronson) who has put the past behind him and has moved to L.A. to rebuild his life with his daughter who is still recovering from the gang rape she endured years earlier.  Kersey loses his wallet after a gang pickpockets him and decide to pay his house a visit.  They find the maid inside and they gangrape her while they wait for Kersey to arrive.  When Kersey and his daughter arrive at their home they are confronted and Kersey is knocked out.  They kidnap his daughter and rape her.  Once they have finished she jumps through the window and kills herself.  When Kersey comes to he finds the news and he returns to his killing ways.
     I really enjoyed the first Death Wish.  It wasn't as amazing as what people had lead me to believe but it was worth my time.  I was curious where the sequel would take me.  It does rehash most of the plot from the first film but it still entertained which is all I can ask for.  The acting is exactly what you got in the first film.  The supporting cast tries their best to deliver memorable characters while moving the story along whine Bronson shambles through every scene emotionless.  He has a right to be emotionless given the story but he never changes facial expressions throughout the entire film.  The story for this one is more of the original film.  We once again follow a gang who rape and murder leaving Kersey in an emotional spot.  Very little in way of plot changes but we do get a little more in the way of murder which is perfect for the action and horror fan with a soft spot for exploitation.  Finally, this one has several on screen kills that are brutal in nature but nothing original that we haven't seen before.  The kills are once again gun shots which required very little effects and some blood.  Overall, Death Wish II may not deliver something different but it does entertain.  Check it out.