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Post by Dramatic Look Gopher on Jun 26, 2017 2:51:47 GMT
Another one of the many collaborations Charles Bronson did with director J. Lee Thompson. The Evil That Men Do wasn't really the usual 80s action flick. What sets it part from other action thrillers of the era is the extremely grim tone and seriousness throughout. Not to mention some truly repellent and gory violence. The theme here is torture, so right there you know you're in for some unpleasant viewing. Bronson plays a retired hit man who is asked to come out of retirement to stop a British doctor who makes big bucks teaching torture lessons to dictators wanting to obtain information from political prisoners. Right at the beginning we get a demonstration of the The Doctor's teachings, as a man is tortured to death with electric shock (you will notice electrodes being planted on his testicles!). This is a very nasty scene and difficult to watch. Later on we are exposed to more ugliness as Bronson watches tapes of surviving victims describing horrible stuff they've either witnessed or experienced with The Doctor.
But in spite of all the unpleasantness this is a rewarding viewing experience for those who can stomach it. There are some exciting chases and shootouts expertly done by Thompson, as well as neat plot twists. And it all wraps up with a very satisfying (although somewhat rushed) conclusion. No great shakes in terms of offering any political insight with its theme; this is just pure exploitation. A must for Bronson fans.
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Post by FridayOnElmStreet on Jun 26, 2017 10:09:51 GMT
6/10 Decent flick.
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Post by taylorfirst1 on Jun 28, 2017 18:22:53 GMT
I saw it in the theater when it first came out. Back then I had to see everything Bronson did as soon as it came out. This was a pretty good movie with some unique aspects to it.
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Post by stefancrosscoe on Jul 3, 2017 8:55:18 GMT
Another one of the many collaborations Charles Bronson did with director J. Lee Thompson. The Evil That Men Do wasn't really the usual 80s action flick. What sets it part from other action thrillers of the era is the extremely grim tone and seriousness throughout. Not to mention some truly repellent and gory violence. The theme here is torture, so right there you know you're in for some unpleasant viewing. Bronson plays a retired hit man who is asked to come out of retirement to stop a British doctor who makes big bucks teaching torture lessons to dictators wanting to obtain information from political prisoners. Right at the beginning we get a demonstration of the The Doctor's teachings, as a man is tortured to death with electric shock (you will notice electrodes being planted on his testicles!). This is a very nasty scene and difficult to watch. Later on we are exposed to more ugliness as Bronson watches tapes of surviving victims describing horrible stuff they've either witnessed or experienced with The Doctor. But in spite of all the unpleasantness this is a rewarding viewing experience for those who can stomach it. There are some exciting chases and shootouts expertly done by Thompson, as well as neat plot twists. And it all wraps up with a very satisfying (although somewhat rushed) conclusion. No great shakes in terms of offering any political insight with its theme; this is just pure exploitation. A must for Bronson fans. Oh, man I had almost forgotten about this little Bronson gem. Thanks for bringing it up.  I remember buying the region 1 uncut version on DVD back in summer of 2006, and it did not disappoint me, and I was taken back at how nasty and at times brutal it was, specially compared to the "usual" b-movie vigilante stuff that Charlie did mostly make after Death Hunt (1981), and I remember reading somewhere the line that Cannon Pictures did not want to have anything to with the film, so I think MGM ended up with the rights to the movie. I really enjoyed some of the action/chases, which made me think of Bronson during his heyday in the 70s, specially Mr. Majestyk, or at least the action sequences which was tough as hell. |
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Post by stefancrosscoe on Jul 4, 2017 12:22:54 GMT
It is kind of strange seeing how cold and calculating Joseph Maher plays his evil role in this movie, as I was used to watching him far more light hearted and silly comedies, such as the little 80s gem, My Stepmother is an Alien (1988) where he plays, Dan Aykroyd's strict but goofy boss, and then to see him as this sadistic, almost unhuman Nazi doctor from hell, that was a bit of shock. Kind of like seeing the always likeable Robert Prosky in Thief (1981).
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Post by Dramatic Look Gopher on Jul 4, 2017 18:40:58 GMT
It is kind of strange seeing how cold and calculating Joseph Maher plays his evil role in this movie, as I was used to watching him far more light hearted and silly comedies, such as the little 80s gem, My Stepmother is an Alien (1988) where he plays, Dan Aykroyd's strict but goofy boss, and then to see him as this sadistic, almost unhuman Nazi doctor from hell, that was a bit of shock. Kind of like seeing the always likeable Robert Prosky in Thief (1981). Yes, Joseph Maher, a good actor he was. Some people often confused him with David White, who played Darren's boss on the 60s TV show Bewitched. And actually they do both look a lot like each other. |
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Post by lostinlimbo on Jul 10, 2017 9:55:54 GMT
Definitely my favourite of Bronson's 80s output. Can't forget that bar sequence. Pure ball-busting Bronson.
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Post by stefancrosscoe on Jul 11, 2017 11:09:25 GMT
Can't forget that bar sequence. Pure ball-busting Bronson.
I do not remember the actors name, but the guy that gets his manlyhood squeezed to death by Charlie, did star in some of the earliest The A-Team episodes, in fact he was one of very few that won a fight against B.A. or stood his ground. But going up against Bronson was obviously not a very bright idea.
I kind of feel real bad for the poor widow, who after learning that her late husband dies a horrible death, then she ends up having a giant sleazebag trying to hit on her the moment she sits down and then later on, we get another sleazy looking scumbag trying to score, as Charlie B uses her and himself as bait, and when our main hero see her stripping down in a scene where he hides under a bed, he imediately looks away, like he has just seen some godawful nightmarish creature from hell.
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