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Post by Vits on Jul 1, 2018 7:30:18 GMT
DEATH WISH 1974 5/10 DEATH WISH PART II 3/10 DEATH WISH PART 3 1/10 DEATH WISH PART 4: THE CRACKDOWN 2/10 DEATH WISH PART V: THE FACE OF DEATH 1/10 DEATH WISH 2018 is both an adaptation of a anti-vigilantism novel and a remake of a pro-vigilante movie, so I was ready to be flexible during the comparison. It was made after decades of other movies and TV shows talking about whether it's OK to take the law into one's hands, so I was also ready to be flexible when judging the debate. The problem isn't that we've heard it before; the problem is that some radio DJs (who aren't really connected to the plot) are the ones who discuss it, while the main characters don't. The debate feels like an afterthought. The 1st part of the movie is a very good drama (the melancholic music score stands out), but the scene where DR. PAUL KERSEY goes to buy a gun for the 1st time in his life feels like a satire. Then there's a montage set to BACK IN BLACK by AC/DC. So the character is supposed to be a cool hero? The song is used again for the end credits, like it was the theme song. Oh, and there's a torture sequence. I know it doesn't seem surprising since Eli Roth is the director. However, it feels out of place. This is an action movie; not a horror movie. What I'm trying to say is... What was this movie trying to be?! Something that bothered me in the first 2 installments was that PAUL seemed to be the only one who had a gun, while most criminals had knifes (the script writers' excuse to make sure this middle-aged man without experience would win every time). Here, killing criminals is a real challenge. PAUL's daughter JORDAN falls into a coma. When she wakes up after a while, she asks where her mom is and PAUL feels bad. For some reason, the movie skips the moment where he tells her that her mom died, which would've made the movie work as a drama even more. Not only that but, from that point on, she acts like someone who's recovering from an accident instead of someone who was shot and almost raped. Someone who survived while someone she loves didn't. She doesn't have to be in a catatonic state (like CAROL (her counterpart) in DEATH WISH 1974), but why so alarmingly calmed? The original movie ended with PAUL moving away (to escape from the police) and start over but, when he sees some criminals, he points at them with a finger gun. What's important is that he did it subtly and that it was something that he felt in the moment. This movie ends with PAUL doing the same thing after dropping off his daughter at her college. Not only it seems like he was never willing to stop, but he yells "Hey!" at the criminal before doing the finger gun! In the middle of the street! 5/10 ------------------------------------- You can read comments of other movies in my blog (in English, in Spanish or in Italian). |
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Post by stefancrosscoe on Jul 1, 2018 10:48:20 GMT
Death Wish (1974) - 8,5/10
Death Wish 2 (1982) - 5/10
Death Wish 3 (1985) - 10/10
Death Wish 4: The Crackdown (1987) - 6,5/10
Death Wish 5: The Face of Death (1994) - 4,5/10
Still not seen the remake, and for now I have very little plans on spending more of my money nor time wasted on the trashy films that Bruce Willis seems to be far too occupied of making, for sadly far too long.
However, if I one day "stumbles" upon a dirt cheap DVD or Blu-ray, I might give it a chance, but for now I think not.
I love most of the original films, and while the first one is an classic crime-thriller where Bronson is "human", I felt his change from a vulnerable and broken man turned into a cold and ruthless killing machine went a little too far, too early in the rushed and at times very nasty sequel which sure did have some very memorable moments but for me stands as a not all that enjoyable movie.
The third one, yeah I know the 10/10 rating comes out of my love for this hilarious and over-the-top action b-movie cult-classic and not because it is better (quality wise) than the first one. however it surely do make up for it by being one of the most entertaining action films made in the 80s and for me I put it up there with Commando (1985) and Invasion USA (1985), just to name a few of the highly enjoyable but silly in all the right ways 80s one-man-army movie genre.
It is almost like an parody of the whole 1980s larger than life action genre but what makes it so fun is that from what I have read, is that it was made out to be taken seriously, which later on caused some heated strain on the relationship between Michael Winner and Charles Bronson, who no longer would work together again after this film.
Part four was when I first saw it, a bit of a letdown. It felt much cheaper both in use of locations and action scenes, but most noticable the acting/actors, but somehow with a few re-watches, it have grown on me and while not as explosive or memorable as part 3, Crackdown still offers lots of classic 80s b-movie cheese and Bronson kicks some serious ass as well.
Part 5 I have not seen for a long while, and I think it might climb up to a very generous 5/10 but is surely the weakest of the bunch.
Some of the scenes were more sad or just pathetic, reminded me more of a bad action films attempt of doing an "adult" Home Alone movie, in some scenes that is.
But again, I just cannot help enjoy watching Bronson dish out some true justice against the creeps he so often encounters in these films but here it was sadly very clear that the great man did not have much long within the movie business and seemed just tired and it got worse as I remember watching the bad Family Cops films which came out not long after, but still I have those in my collection, because you know I am a fan of Charlie Bronson and tries to have as much of his films as I can.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 26, 2018 13:19:48 GMT
Death Wish (1974) 5/10 Death Wish II (1982) 4/10 Death Wish 3 (1985) 4/10 Death Wish 4: The Crackdown (1987) 4/10 Death Wish V: The Face of Death (1994) 3/10 Death Wish (2018) 6/10
Death Sentence (2007) 9/10
Those are my IMDb ratings. For some reason I forgot there were 5 original movies. Thought there were 4. I'm kind of surprised by the low ratings of the first and 3rd though. Thinking back, they seemed pretty fun. II and V i know for a fact I didn't like much, and 4 was the one I forgot existed. (I thought V was the 4th)
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Post by stefancrosscoe on Jul 26, 2018 14:58:11 GMT
Nice to see the love for Part 3. This over-the-top and full on, colorful, violent, urban assault movie is a one of a kind. Yes, it was a parody of the first 2, but it still works and also delivered. I don't recall seeing anything quite like it at the time. Yes, Part 4 was a let down and Winner wasn't on board as director. Change of tone. Part 5 is hardly worth mentioning. The other 2 you have mentioned, Commando and Invasion USA are both goodies too, in a similar vein, if not quite as exploitative as DW3. They were all released within about a month of each other in US near the end of 85, DW3 being the last of them. I think we are surely not alone with the love for part 3, as I remember the old IMDb board for Death Wish 3 was a riot back in the day, with lots of hilarious and very amusing information and stories from people who had seen it over and over and everytime found something new to discuss and have fun with.
1985 was an awesome year for action films: RAMBO: FIRST BLOOD PART 2 - (Which takes the cake according to my tastes. My favorite straight forward action film) DEATH WISH 3 A VIEW TO A KILL ROCKY IV THE LAST DRAGON THE NEW KIDS aka: STRIKING BACK SILVERADO FLESH & BLOOD PALE RIDER TO LIVE AND DIE IN LA INTO THE NIGHT RUNAWAY TRAIN TUFF TURF COMMANDO INVASION USA REMO JEWEL OF THE NILE AMERICAN NINJA MAD MAX BEYOND THUNDERDOME RED SONJA 1985 really was the year of the one man army hero, and there were just so damn many enjoyable and classic action movies released that year, I cannot think of any other which comes close of coming up with so many greats within 12 months of time.
A few other solid action films released that year was:
The Protector - I had mostly heard negative things about this very action filled and enjoyable Jackie Chan movie, directed by James Glickenhaus but it ended up as one of my few favorite films of Chan.
Code of Silence - For me, this was Chuck Norris finest hour. More serious and gritty than his usual b-movie one man army jungle POV b-movies. Here we got much better actors, director (Andrew Davis) and Norris himself ended up putting in some solid acting as well. Wished he would do more of this kind of inner city cop movies instead but I guess Davis later on turned to Steven Seagal.
Year of the Dragon - Might be remembered as a box office flop but I have always liked this fastpaced and unpredictable action-thriller starring Mickey Rourke.
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Post by Vits on Jul 26, 2018 17:28:52 GMT
Death Sentence (2007) 9/10 I've seen it (I gave it a 5/10), but I don't think it counts as part of this franchise. |
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Post by King Conan on Jul 29, 2018 19:47:41 GMT
Death Wish 10/10
Death Wish 2 8/10
Death Wish 3 10/10
Death Wish 4 8/10
Death Wish 5 7/10
Death Wish (2018) 1/10
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Post by Primemovermithrax Pejorative on Jul 29, 2018 21:15:11 GMT
Death Wish (1974) 6/10
Death Wish II (1982) 6/10
Death Wish 3 (1985) 7/10
Death Wish 4: The Crackdown (1987) 8/10
Death Wish V: The Face of Death (1994) 7/10
Not really a fan of these--and I think the second one is especially disturbing for what happens to his daughter. It's a very ugly film sequence and no mount of revenge can erase the tragedy--and since Bronson never really shows much emotion, it's all the more weird.
The 3-5 are more comic book nonsense but work better IMO for what they do.
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Post by Primemovermithrax Pejorative on Jul 29, 2018 23:55:16 GMT
Good point about the second, but the ugly and disturbing tragedy near the beginning, makes the revenge resonate stronger and even sweeter and that was it's point. That is also a disturbing way to look at it, but those 'punks' and the vile manner in which they were portrayed, makes Bronson's vengeance applaudable. We shouldn't really be on his side either, but we are.
I have the uncut version of 2 on dvd. Well I suppose it is actually the problem--I saw the uncut version--which is not the official version-so the scene seems much more gratuitous--however, I think even in a reduced version, that she ends up attacked and raped a second time, would be extremely negative (not sure if I have ever seen the theatrical version). As a revenge fantasy, I think it fails because to me, the victimization outweighs the retaliation. With the other sequels, because the victims are not as close to him, his lack of emotional reaction isn't so bad, and he does catch up with them. It's more of a standard revenge film.
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