Avis des utilisateurs

The massively cool anti-hero of this legendary movie franchise was about 65 years of age when he filmed "Death Wish 4". In these present times and around the world – and most definitely in the year 1987 – this is a more than respectable age to enjoy retirement, but not of course is your name is Charles "Charlie" Bronson! While the vast majority of guys his age are planning Wednesday afternoon fishing trips and watching reruns of "The Little House on the Prairie", Bronson is still too busy sweeping the filth off the big city streets in his very own and inimitable style. The fourth in the series didn't have good old Michael Winner in the director's seat for the very first time, but with J. Lee Thompson as his replacement, Charlie could nevertheless depend on one of his best action movie buddies. The two already made numerous and similarly themed movies together, including "Murphy's Law", "The Evil that Men Do" and "10 to Midnight". Once again, honorable architect by day and angel of vengeance by night Paul Kersey loses a loved one (the teenage daughter of his new girlfriend) to a crime related incident. He not-so-inconspicuously kills the pusher who sold the girl her last and fatal dose of drugs and hereby catches the attention of millionaire Nathan White. He also lost his daughter to a drug overdose and wants to hire Kersey to clean the Los Angeles streets once and for all. Can Charles Bronson single-handedly eliminate the two main cartels that are together responsible for 90% of the LA drug-traffic? Well, he sure can! In good old "Death Wish" tradition, you shouldn't look for logic or plausibility in script but merely enjoy the spectacular action sequences and the giant bad-guys body count! There hardly are any cars or buildings that Charlie doesn't blow up, and even though he's up against two – supposedly – professional and well-organized crime networks, he even finds the time to squeeze off a handful of dry humorous one-liners ("I was making a sandwich" he says to a hired killer who catches him hiding out in the kitchen). You particularly got to love how Bronson goes straight to his target without much of a plan and a minimum of preparation. It's rather questionable that anyone could just infiltrate a major drug lord's private mansion simply disguised as a waiter during a birthday party, or as a factory worker in the top-secret merchandise shipping lair, but if you're only interested in waterproof preparation plan you should watch "Ocean's Eleven" instead of the "Death Wish" series. It also helps Charlie that apparently none of his opponents can shoot a gun properly and that they all underestimate the bare-knuckle fighting talents of a 65-year-old. The script, from the hand of Gail Morgan Hickman, attempts to bring a couple of admirable – but nevertheless predictable – abrupt twists near the climax and there's a quintessential 80's sequence set inside a roller blade disco. Ah, good times! Personally I don't understand why so many people around here claim it's one of the worst movies ever made. Do you honestly expect to see a masterpiece of plotting and/or suspense when you settle yourself down in front of something called "Death Wish 4: The Crackdown"? All of Charles Bronson's eighties flicks deliver exactly the same: brainless and violent entertainment. This one isn't an exception at all.

Charles Bronson, back again as vigilante / architect Paul Kersey, goes back to the L.A. setting in this fourth "Death Wish" movie, the first not directed by Michael Winner (that honour goes to J. Lee Thompson, another frequent collaborator). Kersey is dating reporter Karen Sheldon (Kay Lenz), whose teen daughter Erica (Dana Barron, a.k.a. the original Audrey Griswold) overdoses on cocaine. He then takes up a stranger (John P. Ryan) on his proposal: get the city's competing drug empires to go to war with each other. This Kersey does in his inimitable style, with the body count hitting very respectable numbers.

The story (by Gail Morgan Hickman) is patently nonsensical, with holes in the plot to match the many bullet holes in the onslaught of expendable henchmen. That said, it IS entertaining, straightforward stuff: action-packed, gleefully violent nonsense with an anti-drug message to justify itself. At least by having Bronson take on entire gangs (in part 3) and these criminal organizations here provides enough of a spin on the standard "Death Wish" formula. You have to wonder why Kersey would ever get close to anybody, though, since from that day on they seem to grow targets on their backs.

At the end of the day, there are enough amusing moments to make the thing worth watching, such as Bronson's response to a thug inquiring why Bronson is in his kitchen. And there is absolutely no shortage of utterly scummy bad guys whose demises we can cherish. But none of it can quite match the opening credit sequence in a parking garage: it provides a punchline that's more interesting than anything that follows.

An ageing Bronson is still a potent hero here, and he receives capable support from much of the cast. Lenz is sorely under-utilized, but Ryan, Soon-Tek Oh (as a police detective), and Perry Lopez (as one of the drug kingpins) are all good. You can also play "spot the familiar face", because there's a bunch of them: George Dickerson, Danny Trejo, Mike Moroff, Tom Everett, Irwin Keyes, Tim Russ, Mark Pellegrino, and Mitch Pileggi. Trejo exits the picture in hilarious fashion.

Fairly good fun overall, the movie is best recommended to undiscriminating action fans.

Six out of 10.

Death Wish 4 (1987)

** 1/2 (out of 4)

Paul Kersey (Charles Bronson) is now living with a new woman and her teenage daughter. Everything is going fine until they're called to the hospital one night and the daughter dies of a drug overdose. Soon, another man who lost his daughter to drugs asks Kersey to take out not only the dealers but the Mafia guys at the top who are supplying the cocaine. Soon a gang war breaks out with Kersey killing members from both sides.

The DEATH WISH series is one of the most interesting in the history of cinema because all of them are just so different. The first one was a very serious political movie that asked a lot of serious questions. It's easy to see why it was so controversial and its subject is still a hot topic. Part two was an extremely violent exploitation movie that was also controversial due to how brutal and graphic it was. The third film in the series was like a live action cartoon with the over-the-top characters and bizarre gun battles. This fourth film in the series actually contains the most believable story of all the sequels but at the same time it might have worked better as its own film and not lumped in with the series. After all, how many people can Kersey constantly be losing?

Director J. Lee Thompson once again takes a low-budget movie and adds some life to it. This is certainly true during the opening sequence, which is quite effective and especially how Bronson is introduced. The entire story is actually very well-written and it plays out rather nicely until a switch that happens towards the end, which drags the running time out even more. I thought the idea of going after drug dealers was rather good and especially playing the mob against one another. Obviously Cannon wanted to use the popular DEATH WISH title but at the same time I think the film works better on its own and not being connected.

Bronson turns in a rather energetic performance as he certainly has no problem playing the tough guy. The supporting players, for the most part, are all good in their roles. Once again we're treated to some nice cinematography, a good score and plenty of very good action scenes including one large shoot out in an oil field. The biggest problem with DEATH WISH 4 is that it gets a bit long-winded as it plays on. I think the film would have benefited had around ten minutes been taken out. Still, overall it's a fairly good entry in the series.

Anyone who loved parts 2 and 3 will probably love the opening to the fourth entry in the DEATH WISH series. You are just praying for Charles Bronson to show up to stop the terror being inflicted on the innocent victim. And arrive he does.

In this entry the daughter Erica (Dana Barron) of Paul Kerseys (Bronson) girlfriend and newspaper writer Karen Sheldon (Kay Lenz) dies of a cocaine overdose. So, Kersey goes out to look for revenge on the drug pusher. Before long Nathan White (John P. Ryan) sets up a deal with Kersey to kill the drug dealers that are killing all the kids.

The problem I had with the DEATH WISH entries 2 through 4 (have yet to see part 5) is the messages were very foggy. Here you have a nice message about not doing drugs, but that does not mean you should become a hired killer to deal with it.

I commend Charles Bronson though, because he was 66 when he made this film. 66 and kicking ass left and right. It actually is quite believable, too. At the end of the film as well there is a priceless killing that makes you understand you do NOT mess with Charlie!

In the end liked better than part 3, but can not recommend it. Still violent and still trashy. Also starring Perry Lopez as drug kingpin Ed Zacharias, Soon-Teck Oh as Detective Phil Nozaki and Danny Trejo as one of Zacharias dirty underlings.

After death wish 2 and 3 came out, the series seemed, to well, have a death wish. 2 was unremarkable, and 3 cared more about a very high body count then anything. Unlike in 3, the relationship between Kay Lenz's character and Kersey doesn't seemed forced, doesn't seem like ti was tacked on like the third entry. the fourth entry seemed to be a better level then the previous. Not as good as the first, face it, hardly any action flick with a vigilanty storyline as been as good as the first death wish, the 4th one makes kersey a little more human. You want him to find those responsible for the death of his girlfriends's teen daughter. You cheer when he gets the bad guy. Personally, I would to have loved to have seen a little more interaction between Bronson and Soon Tek-oh, perhaps one of the most underrated supporting actors in movie history. Overall a decent little flick that doesn't try to outsmart itself.

In Charles Bronson's fourth outing as vigilante killer Paul Kersey in Death Wish 4: The Crackdown, he's hired by mysterious millionaire John P. Ryan for his professional services. The daughter of female companion Kay Lenz just died from an overdose and Bronson killed the person responsible.

Ryan tells Bronson he's had a similar tragedy in his family, but with his connections and Bronson's skill he can really do a lot of damage to the drug trafficking in Los Angeles. So Bronson is off to do his thing. But all is definitely not as it seems. Especially since he's now taking on a higher level of crinals than just street punks as he did in the previous three Death Wish movies.

In the three previous Death Wish films Bronson has gone up the scale in terms of ingenuity in his public service homicides. He's not just a guy with a large gun any longer. You would definitely think that Bronson did this full time instead of just a sideline with his real job being an architect.

But let's just say the wool is truly pulled over his eyes in Death Wish 4: The Crackdown in a way I certainly couldn't believe. It makes the film quite unreal and down right dumb at times.

It's the weakest of the Death Wish series and let's let it go at that.

This is a good fun movie. The story is basically Charles Bronson killing gangsters! Imagine Grand Theft Auto 3 as a movie, and you got The Crack Down! The ending to the film is even somewhat of a remake of Yojimbo! I definetely recommend this movie to action lovers! This will not let you down! For God's sake, there's a roller rink shootout!!!! 5/5 STARS

Sequel to successful crime thriller that created the Vigilante genre with Bronson as the main star as architect Paul Kersey turned the one-man vigilante when his family is attacked by furious band formed by some ominous punks , as his wife is murdered and daughter reduced to living vegetable ; he then stalks the slums of N.Y. and searching crooks , hoodlums , muggers , pimps making the neighborhood safer and bumping off delinquents and street scum . This fourth entry with excessive violence concerns about Paul Kersey (Charles Bronson was about sixty-five years of age when he appeared in this one), a middle-age New York architect and become again into vigilante . Nowadays , he lives in Los Angeles along with his girlfriend (Kay Lenz) and her daughter . Paul takes on the members of a vicious Los Angeles drug cartel led by Ed Zacharias (Perry Lopez) to stop the flow of crack after his girlfriend's daughter (Dana Barron , though Kay Lenz is only 13 years older than Dana) dies from an overdose. Then Paul Kersey wiping out the bands suppling drugs .

This fourth outing from the novel ¨Death wish¨ by Brian Garfield in which an architect taking the law into his own hands and acting as judge , jury and executioner ; it contains suspense, noisy action-packed , intrigue , thrills and lots of violence . Bronson with his usual stoic acting displays efficiently his weapons such as ¨Harry the Dirty¨ and killing mercilessly nasties . Screenwriter Gail Morgan Hickman re-wrote the entire script while filming but Charles Bronson constantly had problems with the dialog . It's certainly thrilling , though the morality may be questionable , even in this time, as the spectators were clearly on the Kersey-Bronson's side . This movie represents the seventh of nine teamings of director J. Lee Thompson with star actor Charles Bronson . Both of whom worked together nine times , this sequel was the only 'Death Wish' movie of the five film series that they made together . The two first collaborated on St Ives (1976), White Buffalo (1977), Cabo Blanco (1980), Ten to midnight (1983) , The Evil That Men Do (1984) Murphy Law (1986). After this movie, they made Messenger of Death (1988) and Kinjite (1989). Furthermore , it appears a nice secondary cast , as George Dickerson , Soon-Tek Oh as obstinate cops , John P Ryan , Danny Barron , Danny Tejo , Mark Pellegrino and as heinous drug baron , Perry Lopez . It packs a screeching musical score composed, orchestrated and performed by John Bisharat , Paul McCallum and Valentine McCallum ; the studio, Cannon : Yoram Globus, Menahem Golan along with executive producer Pancho Kohner wanted a more muscular sounding score for the action scenes and decided to re-use much of the music from their past action efforts Missing in action (1984) and Invasion USA (1985).

The original film ¨Death wish¨ had great commercial hit , it was followed by various extremely violent sequels to this successful 1974 movie , that's , of course , the best from the series . This first big hit motion picture was middling directed by Michael Winner such as the successive films with his main star, Charles Bronson , usually giving wooden performance . In the mid-70 Winner , in need to other hit smashes attempted with the sequels , but both , Bronson and Winner , looked increasingly passionless and mechanical in the later years of their partnership in this cheap as well as worn-out final series. The worst sequels in which Kersey goes on to torture robbers , all of them inferior and the violence could be deemed exaggerated , they are the followings : ¨Death wish II¨ by Michael Winner with Jill Ireland , Anthony Franciosa , JD Cannon and Vincent Gardenia , ¨Death Wish III¨ by Winner with Ed Lauter , Martin Balsam and Deborah Raffin . However , Michael Winner showed no interest in directing Death Wish 4 because he had heard that Charles Bronson had a terrible experience filming Death Wish III (1985). And this ¨Death Wish 4 : The crackdown¨(1987) with Kay Lenz directed by J.Lee Thompson and finally ¨Death Wish : The face of death¨(1994)that would be the last and it was then not made for about another seven years , being starred by with Leslie Anne Down , Michael Parks , Chuck Shamata and poorly directed by Allan Goldstein . In addition , an intended but unfilmed sixth movie was also to have a subtitle: 'Death Wish 6: The New Vigilante'.

Death Wish 4: The Crackdown the fourth movie in Death Wish franchise is criminally underrated and misunderstood action flick from The Cannon Group, Inc. of the 80s. It is a good movie it is not the best or great but it is a decent good movie. Paul Kersey avenges all the children that have died an over dose from drugs that is why I love this film to death! It is my favorite action film the movie that grow on me. This movie has special place in my heart it is my favorite Charles Bronson film of all time. J. Lee Thompson beautiful directed this film it arguably his good film.

This is the original Punisher not Frank Castle Jon Bernthal but Paul Kersey is The Punisher. You watch Jon Bernthal as The Punisher (2017) I watch Charles Bronson Death Wish 4: The Crackdown film. It is arguably my favorite and so underrated action flick I really miss movies like are this one today I miss action movies like are this one. I am a huge fan of Charles Bronson I have been watching his movies since I was a kid and Death Wish series are my favorite film series. Death Wish 1,2,3 and 4 were really good misunderstood action movies.

"DEATH!"

Death Wish 4: The Crackdown it is my favorite Charles Bronson action film in the 80's. Michael Winner, who directed the first three films in the series, was replaced by J. Lee Thompson. Death Wish 4: The Crackdown had a substantially lower budget and a more limited release than its predecessors. Even with a low budget the film for me works I really miss the 80's. The movie and the character Paul Kersey.

Paul Kersey kill's the bad guys drug dealers for all the children and that's all the movie tells you. Charles Bronson acts brilliant and does a fine solid job. John P. Ryan is a perfectly bad guy. Soon-Tek Oh plays a corrupt cop he plays decent the bad guy. Kay Lenz was beautiful and decent perfectly as the new girlfriend of Paul Kersey. Perry Lopez as the bad guy was also excellent. George Dickerson as detective Reiner was excellent cop i have seen and a real good guy. Almost everyone who played in this movie is dead and it is no longer with us anymore. This movie has my respect.

The movie has tons of action and explosions Paul (Charles Bronson) uses a M16 with M203 grenade launcher to go after Nathan White (John Ryan) and his men at the roller rink. He shoots the bad guys and he blows Nathan White with grenade launcher to pieces. I miss action movies like this, this were real practical effects real actions no CGI crap all real actions. Is it just me or this is just my action movie? I love Paul Kersey he kills all the bad guys with machine gun MAC-10 and kills all the drug dealers.

The movie has a beautiful score that I love from John Bisharat, Paul McCallum and Valentine McCallum.

Death Wish 4: The Crackdown is an American 1987 action crime film, and the fourth installment in the Death Wish film series. The film was directed by J. Lee Thompson, and features Charles Bronson, who reprises his leading role as Paul Kersey.

9/10 Grade: A

By this time, Cannon Films' overspending and multiple box office flops were rapidly catching up with them, which promptly resulted in the slashing of their film budgets - most famously with SUPERMAN 4, but also with this one. It's extremely cheap-looking; apparently not that much more was spent than B movie companies still in the theatrical business were spending around this time. It leads to a lot of shoddy moments, like an explosion in a restaurant that is clearly superimposed instead of actually filming an explosion taking place there.

There are other goofs, like how you can see the squib-firing cables trailing out of the pantlegs of characters who get shot. Or how a window shatters a second before someone actually runs into it. Clearly, veteran director J. Lee Thompson's heart was not into this movie, possibly because of his advanced age at this point of his career. The action scenes are pretty lifeless, not helped by them being incredibly inept in their editing (by Thompson's son) at times. It's too bad Michael Winner didn't stay with the series. Even given the sometimes questionable decisions in his career (including in this series), he almost certainly would have pumped up the energy here. The only bright spots come from a few unintentional humorous moments - "It's those damn drugs!", a bomb exploding SEVERAL times, or how Cannon relentlessly promoted itself in the video store scene.

Bronson himself doesn't seem very energetic. The screenplay really doesn't give a lot of extraordinary things for him to do or say here. Curiously, the screenplay was written by a woman, and in fact this female touch sets things up in the beginning that actually have a lot of potential. However, the screenplay abruptly changes track and ignores further exploration of these things to become a dumb shoot-up. I wonder if this was actually how it was written, or things during the production resulted in last-minute rewrites or reedits - it would certainly explain how Kay Lenz's character suddenly disappears early on, and doesn't show up again until the last few minutes!

For a while--up until the film meets its absurd climax in a roller rink--"Death Wish 4" is a fairly entertaining rebound from the abysmal third installment in the series, primarily because director J. Lee Thompson (who also collaborated with Bronson on "10 to Midnight") keeps the action moving at a tight clip, and the story--while derivative and straightforward--is a somewhat intriguing departure from the norm. Paul Kersey is going on Attempt #4 in his efforts to lead a normal life, but is thwarted when his girlfriend's daughter dies from an overdose; after killing the pusher who sold her the drugs, Kersey is drafted by a Los Angeles millionaire to wipe out two gangs of drug traffickers. From a reality standpoint, this plot is no more ridiculous than Harrison Ford taking on the cartels in "Clear and Present Danger." As in other films, director Thompson isn't interested in exploring the nature of victimhood more than eye-for-an-eye justice hammered down on the stereotypical villains of society, and his Right-wing political ambitions somewhat obscure the low-grade thrill of the movie. To its credit, "Death Wish 4" has a strong first hour, some eccentric supporting performances of varying quality (George Dickerson, from "Blue Velvet," acts like a boy afraid to board a school bus), and a third-act twist that should have been obvious but caught me off guard. Bronson is fairly animated and brandishes heavy artillery as he blazes a path into the considerably better "Death Wish 5."

With the "D W" complete body of work being shown on consecutive nights on the cable AMC Channel -- I was able to see the original and this one a couple of evenings apart, both for the first time in several years.

Again, I found myself drawn to a couple of distractions, namely, an unimportant and curious one: Why entitle II and V with Roman Numerals, and 3 and 4 with Arabic ones? Just wondered. Also, couldn't help but ponder from reading Puzo's book and seeing the movies: Who lost more close friends, family, etc., to murder, Don Corleone, or mild-mannered architect/conscientious objector, Paul Kersey?

The original gave a plausible reason for Paul's ability with guns, although he had eschewed them following his gun collector/father's death in a hunting accident.

But as these series installments proceeded, and you look at them anew now, there are other fascinations: Charlie performed these roles beginning in his 50's to a period where he had been eligibile for early social security payments for over a decade.

Further, he rotated between both coasts, having no trouble becoming ensconced comfortably every time, with successful business activity, a host of friends (many of whom met their demise), and a dual schedule which would keep either a full-time businessman or a full-time mob button man busy at his singular profession -- but Paul handled both with little detraction from either by the other.

And his affinity for hand guns (and undoubtedly rifles) as previously explained aside -- Paul also seems to have had the ability to acquire capabilities with regard a wide variety of heavy weaponry and ordnance exceeding a level reached by, say, even General Patton.

Finally, while I've always lived several hundred miles from each coast, my best friend is in L.A., and I have friends in New York City, and have spent regular extended periods in both. In these flicks, unlike any experience my friends (or I) have had, or know of anyone who has -- Paul keeps a dual schedule in both his lives whereby he seems never to be impeded by traffic jams or any big city delays - whether engaged in architectural duties, dispatching hosts of villains, and evading detection just about every time. {He also seems to have the time also (along with the cleverness of a CIA/FBI operative), to infiltrate when and where necessary to further his objectives of vengeance.}

A fascinating "body of work," even more so decades after original release. Among them, though, this one has more intricacy and some essence of plot/some twists/etc., not much evident in the others.

Can a single man wipe out all the drug lords and stop all the drug-trafficking operations of L.A? Well, yes, he can, but only IF those drug lords have security systems so lax that a man can get into their mansions and tap their phones disguised simply as a waiter(!), and IF those operations consist of men who are lousy shots, or warn enemies before they shoot them, or stop to take their coats off in the middle of a fight - when they have the upper hand. (*1/2)

No home invasion for the first time in these. Although I guess drugs entering ones system, can be viewed as an invasion too, yes? I'll leave that up to you. The movies and Charles Bronson hit a nerve, with cracking down on criminals. Now I assume many things will not sit well with people and their views today and maybe further in the future, but it is what it is.

When Bronson has someone near to him being harmed, he goes ballistic. Though as we know from the first movie, he does not have any love left for the people he would consider scum. This mixes a bit of what made westerns succesful. So after being inspired by Dirty Harry, this has also elements of the Man with No name trilogy by ... Clint Eastwood. At least that is what you can call Bronson playing two sides of crime families ... nice touch overall if you are not too sensitive

Death Wish is a violent film that has a lot to say about violence. It really ticked off the ultra-liberal do-gooders, but was a brilliant film. Unfortunately, it is films like this that make these doom and gloom leftists seem right! This film is not about an ordinary guy pushed to do extraordinary things as in Death Wish. No, he's sort of like the Terminator--using firebombs and shoulder launched missile to take out the bad guys! So, there is no subtlety--just mindless violence and trashy special effects designed to appeal to the lowest common denominator. This movie was deliberately written to attract and please dumb people who don't want to be bothered with good writing or intelligent plots. Avoid it like the plague and stick to the original great film.

Here's a far different Death Wish, to the former three. Yes, crack has claimed the life of another person, Bronson's close to, that being the daughter (Vacation's Barron) of his new girlfriend (Lenz). So Charlie goes undercover to bust the bastards, after being enlisted by a guy (John P Ryan) who lost his son to crack. Of course, much more realistic to bubblegum pic, number 3 (my favorite) this entry, sees a wearied Bronson, doing what he does best, playing Mr Cliché tough guy, where the movie really goes into the drug problem, but more so just has Charlie, kicking arse. He masquerades as a bartender to a playboy drug kingpin, who became his cop partner, in J Lee Thompson's next flick, Kinjite, where later Charlie is played for a sucker. Just watching the party scene, we can patently see, Charlie would rather be somewhere else, but if you're a desperate or more so is the case here, typecast actor, you have to take what you can get. Too this Death Wish has a nice twist near the end, I liked, something you never would of expected in this, though this film is far from the superior original. I think with watching this forth one, here's a good time for Charlie to hang up his boots and be done with this franchise, in what is an interesting and not badly made pic. Sadly it wasn't, with the desperate and final entry six years later, the sickest Death Wish yet. Death wish fans will still be content here, especially when Charlie brings out the big guns, reprising his role, as Mr Vigilante Paul Kersey, one of his greatest acting performances, ever.

(Spoiler Alert) Charles Bronson as the Vigilante Killer Paul Kersey. In this forth installment of the "Death Wish" movies Paul Kersey not only takes out the local street hoods but has him using and manipulating the top organize crime gangs, that are dealing in illegal narcotics in L.A. Kersey get them kill each other off without them ever knowing about it! This whole plan was hatched by very wealthy businessman and "distraught father" Nathen White, John P. Ryan.

Seeing that he and Kersey both have something in common, their daughter were crime victims, White supplies Kersey with information and guns and explosives to do in both L.A drug gangs, the Zacharias & Romano, and thus stop the flow on the streets of dangerous and illegal drugs. Kersey reluctantly goes along with White's plan; he already did in the sleaze ball drug dealer JoJo (Hector Mercado) who was responsible for his girlfriend's daughters, Erica Dana Barron.

Coming up with a proposal, as well as threatening to go to the police and exposing him, White has Kersey take the bait and methodically wipe out, with their help, the Zacharias and Romono gangs. Paul does it his usual way by blasting shooting and it one case dropping one of Zacharias' men off the balcony of a high-rise building where he landed on the hood his waiting limousine.

Kersey to his surprise later finds out that he was actually working for another mob drug kingpin, White the so-called distraught dad! Kersey was doing his dirty work by taking out his, White's, competition. Kersey also does a little cleaning up of the corrupt LAPD by blasting dirty cop Let. Nozaki, Soon-Tek Oh, who found out who he really was and keeping it quite until he, Let. Nozaki, did the job himself in killing Kersey, them breaking the good news to his boss, not the LA Chief of Police, drug kingpin Eddie Zacharias.

After what looked like the "Battle of the Mobsters" the Zacharias and Romono mobs were wiped out in a free-fire fight outside L.A at a deserted oil field. We're treated then to still another bloody shoot-out between vigilante Paul Kersey and the surviving Nathen White Mob, in and out of a local skating rink. In that shootout Kersey's girlfriend newspaper reporter Karen Sheldon, Kay Lenz, gets shot to pieces by White who then Kersey blasted clean out of existence with his combination machine gun/rocket launcher.

After offing JoJo at the start of the film "Death Wish 4" it seemed that Paul Kersey was ready to go back to his peaceful and serene life as an architect and living with Karen, after burying and mourning her daughter Erica. It''s then that Paul was recruited by a higher power to do, like the saying goes, what's a dirty job but somebody has to do it and nobody is better at doing it then Charles Bronson/Paul Kersey.

"Death Wish 4" is easily my favorite of the DW series, even though I really like most of the first entry. But you see, I find graphic, luridly depicted rape in films distasteful. I could take it in the first film, because there was at least some thematic and emotional need for it (though I still think it was overboard and gratuitous). Parts 2 and 3 escalated the rape and humiliation sequences and writer/director Michael Winner actually seemed to be trying to get us to enjoy the sight of tortured, crying, beaten, naked woman as much as he obviously did; combine this with zero plot, zero character development, and inept action, and you had some really, really bad flicks. Number four was directed by J. Lee Thompson, a frequent collaborator with Bronson since 1976's "St. Ives." Thompson took the usual DW revenge formula, eliminated the obligatory rape sequence, and ratcheted up the action. So what we have is a Death Wish picture more similar to "Murphy's Law" than any of the other films in the series. Of course Bronson's 80s films are often the butt of jokes (to those who remember them at all, that is) but I happen to enjoy them immensely--there's just something I dig about this charismatic, elderly guy running around shooting bad guys; I can't even explain it. If you dig the salt and pepper Bronson as well, then give DW4 a try.

Now if you expect to watch some Academy Award material here, stop reading and buy and rent something else. But if you want action-book material on the telly, this might just be the right stuff. Kersey is back, this time fighting two cocaine-gangs. Lee Thompson's directing is much more adequate than with several other Bronson-vehicles, the picture has a story to tell (whereas part 3 was just video game material) and fortunately it brings in Kay Lenz in a supporting role instead of trying to fit in Mrs Bronson (Jill Ireland) again. With nasty villains and one or two dumb police-officers we have an evening with some nice twists, shoot outs and a really good and original opening scene. Production values must have been up as well. Apart from the original this one outranks # 2.3 & 5 by far. Recommended.

one can usually rely on charles bronson to give a deadpan performance as the iconic vigilante paul kersey now synonymous with the death wish series that rocketed him to stardom in the late seventies up to the eighties. since the sequels have always done well at the box office, you wonder how many more the studios were going to churn out. it's always nice to see veteran actors like bronson kicking ass and shooting them up at the ripe old age of 60+. here, bronson is dealing with drug lords and turf wars between two rival mafia gangs, all the while romancing a reporter whose covering the story. as usual, there's plenty of violence and hackneyed dialogue to carry the story along. it's just another death wish sequel which shows bronson waging a one man war against the evil-doers poisoning and corrupting the city. entertaining but it does get tiring after you've seen all the sequels.