Streetfighters

I saw this for the first time recently n was pleasantly surprised. It is a good entertaining movie with a solid director n solid star cast. The film has bloody shootouts, a chase sequence much before the parkour craze, a car chase sequence, prison rape threats and a courtroom scene portraying the decay of the legal system. Law Abiding Citizen borrowed a lil bit from this movie too, the other one being Max Sydow's Night Visitor.

Vigilante is a gritty, violent, and controversial revenge flick. Vigilante gets compared to Death Wish often, but vigilante is the more fulfilling and entertaining film. Robert Forster stars as a father and husband who gets driven to the point of vigilantism after his son is killed and his wife deformed. Forster performance is deep and fascinating. Director William Lustig (who also directed the trashy and gory Maniac) adds a sense of realism and desperation to the film and the violence seems very authentic. Fred Williamson is GREAT as the leader of the nieghborhood vigilante group. The son's death is quite disturbing and the ending is satisfying (unlike the death wish ending). You really hate the criminal scumbags and cheer on their demise. There are some great one-liners too. Vigilante is the ultimate revenge exploitation flick.

Directed by William Lustig (of Maniac fame), this thriller is quite good. Fred Williamson is magnificent as the leader of a group of vigilantes, and Jackie Brown star Robert Forster also stars. The version i watched suffered badly from a 'pan-and-scan' transfer, which is a shame because the movie is quite well made. Loads of running about, shooting and vengeance for dead family members. Seems run of the mill now, but worth watching none the less.

Released in the UK on Intervision Video

I always loved movies about revenge and taking justice into your hands. Vigilante is one of these movie, and it is a lovely one. In the beginning of 80s we have seen many movies with similliar themes, especially set in New York. I suppose that hard reality of living in New York city at end of the 70s and beginning of 80s had big influence, but the message from Vigilante is still active. Corrupted Police and Justice, bad health care, Criminals who say for themselves in the media that they are fair businessmans, it is like i am watching the daily life situation in my homecountry. The main charachter Eddie Marino (Played by Robert Forster) was ordinary citizen, who believed in justice and never had touch wih police and crime through his whole life till the moment when the local gang kill his son and injured his wife, and than he sees that for ordinary citizen the system is not functioning, and that he must take justice in his hands, with the help from his work mates who are doing that kind of things for long time. The main leader of Vigilantes is Nick (Fred Williamson). Fred Williamson is definetely the main star in this movie, this role for him is perfect, i really loved Fred in some Italian B-Movies and other exploitation stuff but in this one he takes the show, he is just fighting for the rights of ordinary people, i would really like to have one Fred in my neighboorhood to clean the streets of scum. Other cast is also solid, and yes how not to mention great synth driven music in the background, how i love that 80s synths. I really recommend this one to all lovers of revenge flicks and 80s cinema, you will enjoy for sure.

My grade: 7.5/10

Vigilante (1983) is a revenge flick in the style of 70's Italian Crime films (He even shot it in Scope). Robert Forester plays Marino, an average working joe who's family is attacked by an inner city street gang. When the justice system fails him, Marino can't take it anymore and with the help of his co-workers takes revenge on the street scum. Sophisticated trash from William Lustig (It looks and feels sleazy). The film has an all star cult film line up. Featuring Fred "The Hammer" Williamson, Joe Spinell, Woody Strode, Carol Lynley, Frank Pesce and Rutyana Alda.

Highly Recommended.

Old school ultra violence, Lustig style.