Der Mann ohne Gnade

Charles Bronson picks up where he left off in the famous "Death Wish" movie of 1976, going after punks and eliminating them. The only differences: he's moved from New York to Los Angeles and the violence is more graphic.

Despite the B-movie feel to this (produced by the kings of the cheapo movies of that era (70s and early 80s) : Golan/Globus, it still is very enjoyable and satisfying - if revenge is your thing. Here, Bronson revenges the death of his daughter. At least her death is quick and bloodless, unlike the unpleasant rape-and-murder scene in the first film.

Also, unlike the first film there is no need for a long setup. Bronson gets back in his vigilante mode in a hurry here and never lets up. If you want a short dose (an hour and a half) of action, this is your movie. One of the gang members in here, by the way, is a young Laurence Fishburne.

The negatives are (1) sub-par acting performances by Bronson and his real-life wife, Jill Ireland; (2) some blatant credibility problems with the story ( such as how Bronson could get across town all bloody but never be noticed;) and (3) not exactly the most intelligent dialog!

Yet, this is still an appealing movie to our conditioned satisfaction for instant revenge. So, if you've had a bad day and need a release of your hostilities, this is a good remedy!

It's hard to believe that anyone who didn't like the first one wouldn't like this one. Bronson is back, this time avenging the death of his daughter and he's angrier than he's ever been. This one takes more of a action hero approach than the first one, but that's okay, you see, Bronson is a bad ass and that's all that matters. Movies like this aren't made to win best picture or best screenplay, they're made to be entertaining and filled with action, and that's what this is. Bronson has a great line he give to a punk just before he blows him away; he asks the punk if he believes in Jesus as the punk clutches a cross around his neck. The punk says "yes sir" so Bronson pauses and then tells him "you're going to meet him." Then he shoots him twice, it's great. Classic. I found no insight in this film, all I found was an awesome character who you can't get enough of that gets away with killing pieces of trash that rape, mug, and murder civilians. This formula is timeless, and the whole Death Wish series should be appreciated for proving so, because I'd watch one of these films before I watch any action film that may be produced today.

Of all the Death Wish sequels, this was the best. I think once they got to up part 3 with all the machine guns and rocket launchers, then it started to get a little stupid. The story almost has an identical plot outline as the first one and the action is just as good, if not, then even better. The shootout at San Pedro park was awesome!!! The only difference is that they make Paul Kersey have more emotional interaction with the creeps he kills which makes it seem to be more "Hollywood". In the first Death Wish, Kersey would just kill them stone cold without having a conversation. That's why the original was so good as so realistic.

The second Death Wish film has a very strange concatenation of qualities. It can come dangerously close to running off the rails altogether, but overall, I think it's a more successful film than the first Death Wish.

The first peculiarity is that much more strongly than the first film, Death Wish II's urban crime-ridden backdrop is exaggerated to a point of caricature. Of course, there was plenty of crime in Los Angeles during this era, but not as depicted here. This is almost Broadway-style crime, with choreographed gaggles of hoodlums running out of control in designer gang-wear, making spectacles of themselves. It's over the top but serious in a way that feels uncomfortable at first, but then, that's just the point, and it helps anchor the plot developments that follow.

And that plot should be no surprise to anyone who first watches Death Wish I. Death Wish II follows the plot of its predecessor as if it were a fairly rigid template. Even the events that cause Paul Kersey (Charles Bronson) to take charge and clean up society's scum by his lonesome are very similar. I don't see this as a flaw here (as I don't in many other sequels that use a template approach, including series like Friday the 13th). This is a direct continuation of the story of the first film, and the similarity gives Death Wish II both a natural, logical flow and a nice symmetrical structure.

Although Death Wish I had its brutal moments, Death Wish II amplifies that atmosphere and sustains it through its length. Like the films that best display gritty 1970s New York City--such as Taxi Driver (1976) and Basket Case (1982)--Death Wish II makes you feel almost dirty (in the grimy despair way, not a sexual way) while watching it. It's ironic, maybe, that Death Wish II does this so well when the setting is Los Angeles as opposed to actually being New York City, as in the first film. That director Michael Winner is able to perpetuate that atmosphere, whether by accident or design, results in the viewer being sucked into the setting and vicariously experiencing the range of unpleasant emotions felt by both the protagonists and the antagonists.

Also helping on that end is the score, provided by Led Zeppelin guitarist Jimmy Page. Although Winner sometimes incorporates Page's music in a discordant, jarring way--over the opening credits when it fights for volume with radio banter, for example--more often than not the score gives Death Wish II a sublime, otherworldly and eerie edge. It's too bad that Page didn't go on to score many more films.

This is certainly not a film to show during family time, and it's not particularly uplifting or overflowing with positive messages or socially redeeming values. But it's not trying to be any of those things. It's just a visceral (especially on an emotional level), disturbing revenge flick, and at that, it meets its goals well.

Be grateful for Michael Winner's sledgehammer sensitivity because it produced this classic.

None of Paul Kersey's (Charles Bronson) remaining family and friends get off lightly in this twisted nightmare of domestic violence, anal rape, vigilante justice and simplistic politics.

For fans of rough justice, the rape of Bronson's Mexican housemaid is truly amazing and eroticized like crazy by Winner's leering direction.

Thomas F. Duffy as Nirvana, the film's lead thug, is really horrible and a joy to behold (in a perverse way).

Led Zeppelin's Jimmy Page provides a rock score that scorches the L.A. imagery and Vincent Gardenia returns as the cop who prefers to look the other way.

A Cannon-backed sleazefest that brings home the groceries if you like eating trash.

Screw GONE WITH THE WIND. This is much more entertaining.