Death Wish 2
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Movie Reviews of Death Wish 2
Movie Review: A strange movie
Summary: 2 Stars
I mainly remember this film from playing on cable back in the early 80's when watching films at home shortly after their theatrical run was still a novelty. Recently I saw it again on TV and was surprised how different (and worse) it looked. For one thing it's dated even by 80's standards. The style of clothing, mannerisms, and general "look" seems more like the mid-70's, even though this was 1982. I know some cultural barrier didn't come down and say "this is the 80's, everyone now must have big hair and loud clothes," but still the retro look is unusual.
It's also decidedly low budget, it's obvious the guns are firing blanks, there's no big sets, and probably the most expensive scene was a car exploding. Kersey is armed with a small handgun (.32 Police Positive), but that still doesn't stop him from picking off the bad guys hundreds of feet away with enough force to send them flying.
But what is most odd about this movie is the plot. It starts out with almost a repeat of the brutal rape and assault of the first movie, this time involving Kersey's housekeeper and his now adult daughter. As with the first film the level of violence is shocking considering the tone of the rest of the movie. Kersey goes on the revenge warpath; the police know it's likely him but rather than confront Kersey they call in a New York cop from the first movie to keep tabs on him. (???) There's a romantic interest, but she's mainly there to date Kersey and the question is if she'll find out about his night job as a vigilante.
The first movie tapped into the idea of someone taking the law into their own hands and the ramifications of that. This movie veers more into comic book territory; Kersey is going to get the bad guys, the question is how. Death Wish 2 came out during a major recession, when people were dealing with rising crime and a frustration with the legal system, and this general feeling of helplessness was probably why it was made in the first place.
And then there's the bad guys. They are completely one dimensional, having neither any redeeming values nor any real characterization. They're quite literally villain #1 with the bad haircut, villain #2 with the boombox, and so on. When Kersey comes for them they don't seem to recognize him (?) and he doesn't bother telling them why he's out to get them, he just starts shooting on sight. I found that the strangest aspect of the movie, since if you'd missed the first part it would look like Kersey was a self-appointed hero tracking down random bad guys.
In general I'd say give this movie a miss, the only people who would really enjoy it are die hard Bronson fans.
Movie Review: A real Winner
Summary: 2 Stars
Not sure where to begin with Death Wish 2. Significantly, it was directed by Michael Winner, who directed the first and would go on to direct the amazing third entry in this series about 'bleeding heart liberal' architect Paul Kersey and his vigilante side job. Paul Kersey now lives in sunny Los Angeles, which like New York is depicted as a pit of human filth and depravity. The incredible cynicism of the filmmakers begins right away as Kersey's housemaid and daughter--who, remember, was violently raped in the original--are brutaly raped, with the maid murdered. Then Kersey's daughter is taken away, raped again, and decides to jump out a window rather than endure the rest of the film. Kersey then puts down his slide ruler and blueprints and takes up his old hobby of blowing away criminal scum.
The main difference between Part 2 and the original, besides an even deeper cynicism, a lower budget, and overall abysmal effort by all involved, is that Bronson actually hunts down the individuals responsible for these acts of malfeasance. His behavior now flat-out pathological, he rents a cheap office in a bad part of LA, using it as a home base for his vigilante operations. Donning ski cap and dark clothes and packing heat, he roams the streets of LA, looking for revenge.
Even the tagline is noteworthy:
Bronson's on the loose again! Seems to suggest that, in effect, it didn't matter who Bronson was playing, because 'he' was on the loose again!
Overall, it's bad. Very, very bad. Part 3 is bad, but it has other things going for it, namely that it cannot be taken seriously for a moment and it knows it, the tongue so firmly in cheek that it becomes an incredible guilty pleasure and one of the best bad movies of the 80s, perhaps ever. But Part 2, for the most part, is an exploitation movie. The film looks cheap, grimy, and rushed. It can't even succeed as a bad movie, which is pretty depressing. It feels seedy, right down to the very grainy film stock and washed out look to the picture. And to top it off, Jimmy Page contributes one of the most appalling scores I've heard in a movie of any genre. Not even his score for Part 3 was this embarassing. And yes, it is THE Jimmy Page.
As for Bronson, he's particularly wooden in this one. Which may be appropriate as at this point, Kersey is less than sane.
But alas! The Death Wish flicks finally reappeared on DVD, right around the time of Bronson's death in 2003. Obviously recommended if you like, well, Death Wish movies, the DVDs are capable, if pretty bare bones. I would love to hear Michael Winner do a commentary track to discuss his state of mind when he directed this one.
Movie Review: the DVD is a cut version
Summary: 2 Stars
This is the worst movie in the Death Wish series, without the relevance of the first movie or the sheer stupid-but-highly-entertaining mayhem of Part 3. Mostly, this film shot itself in the foot by going overboard on the rape scenes. But, to see exactly *how* overboard they went, you'll have to dig up an old version, because what's on the DVD is missing about 5 minutes. I haven't watched the entire DVD yet, but I noticed some things missing around the beginning and so I went back and checked the ancient videotape I made of a Cinemax showing years and years ago, and the running time on that was 94 minutes and 40 seconds (according to my VCR's counter, anyhow). The DVD clocks in at about 89 minutes.I'm usually strongly against anything being cut out of a movie, but considering that at least some of the stuff that's missing from this DVD consists of parts of the extremely repulsive and protracted rape scene at the beginning of the movie, I don't really mind so much, because I don't mind if I never see that stuff again. I'm not a big fan of rape scenes in general, but understand that sometimes you have to have them to advance the plot. But in its original form, that rape scene was so overboard that it was overkill, and nothing Charlie could do to those guys later on would be satisfactory payback. So, the film may actually be improved by a little "toning down" in that area - what's left more than does the job of making you hate these scumbags, and you'll still be happy to see 'em gunned down.
Still, even though I can't imagine even the sickest viewers getting much out of that scene and can't imagine anybody missing it, I still figured people should be made aware that the DVD is trimmed a bit. It's also a bit too dark as compared to my Cinemax tape, and I *really* wish people would quit putting things on DVD that aren't letterboxed (of all the Death Wish series on DVD, only part 1 is widescreen). Not the best treatment that MGM's ever given a DVD release - they usually take more care than that. Still, Bronson's gone (R.I.P.) and isn't going to be making any more films, so it's good to have whatever's out there available and immortalized on tinfoil. Bring on Death Hunt and Stone Killer, and re-release Red Sun already!
Movie Review: Winner's worst Wish
Summary: 2 Stars
After a brief spurt of competence in the late 60s and early 70s, Michael Winner's inherent laziness took over in the 80s to such a degree that Death Wish II doesn't even look like it was made by the same people who made the first Death Wish. Flat lighting, clumsy editing, a hilariously overwrought score from Jimmy Paige and a feeling that everyone got so bored during the first take they rarely bothered to go for another, it seems clearly aimed more at the lascivious street scum Charles Bronson polishes off than the frustrated citizens with handguns who get pushed too far (again) - Winner sure does love him a rape scene, even in a heavily censored version (in the uncensored version he almost plays it as comedy). With novelist Brian Garfield so unhappy with how the first film turned out that he refused to sell the rights to his sequel Death Sentence (later filmed as an unrelated Kevin Bacon film), Winner got round it by reworking the plot of the first film but moving the action from New York to LA (Kelsey would commute between the two cities for the subsequent sequels). Unfortunately adding the ever-insipid Jill Ireland to the mix, it still just about passes muster even if it delivers a particularly underwhelming finale, and gains some points for the scene where Bronson's vigilante and Vincent Gardenia as the cop following him find themselves both being shot at by street punks, but it's a fair bet Laurence Fishburne is deeply embarrassed by his excruciatingly stereotyped street scum. It's certainly no match for the hysterically over the top Death Wish 3.
Movie Review: What Happened To Chicago?
Summary: 2 Stars
Last we left off with our vigilante hero he had transplanted himself to CHICAGO after being kicked-out of NY. But, here in DEATH WISH II Bronson is firmly routed in LOS ANGELES! No explanation is given as to how or why he ended up in LA?? We quickly find out that the vigilante is up to the same tricks.
This is a leaner meaner Bronson in Death Wish II. He has traded in his trench coat for a Members Only jacket! As well as taken to hand-to-hand combat. The plot is the same as the first. His poor daughter from the first pic gets even more abuse! Mentally damaged by thugs in the first film. Now, she is again used to illicit blood thirsty vengeance from our hero after the vicious gang rapes her. This time he's battling 80's East LA hoodlums one of which is played by Lawrence Fishburn.
As in the first film Death Wish '74 the racial stereotypes continue. They abound everywhere from the gang members to his house maid. Of course the producers made sure there were token white males also in the gang. But, it is still a very heavy handed and obvious portrayal or racial stereotypes where minorities are either the criminals or are busy making tacos.