Death Wish V: The Face of Death ½ (1994, Charles Bronson, Lesley-Anne Down, Michael Parks, Saul Rubinek) – Classic Movie Review 5052

Writer-director Allan A Goldstein takes over for the 1994 final episode of Death Wish, with a physically much changed Charles Bronson (then 73) back as the wrinkled urban vigilante Paul Kersey. The revenge vigilante action thriller is a slow-moving, pedestrian and ugly-looking movie, but Goldstein inserts a little welcome humour and some black comedy elements.

This time it is not produced by produced by The Cannon Group, which collapsed. Instead, it is made by 21st Century Film Corporation, the company formed by ex-Canon boss Menahem Golan after falling out with partner Yoram Globus.

This time, in Goldstein’s screenplay, the excuse for Kersey going on the vigilante justice trail comes when his designer fiancée Olivia (Lesley-Anne Down), has her business threatened by her slimy mobster former husband (Michael Parks).

Despite the weariness of trying to revive and prolong a worn-out formula, the movie finally delivers the tawdry goods in the worrying form of merciless retribution. Director Goldstein puts most of his energy and imagination into the sadistic, gory violence. Bronson gives a tired, bored-seeming performance. Kersey’s body count is his lowest in the series.

Also in the cast are Saul Rubinek, Kenneth Walsh, Chuck Shamata, Kevin Lund, Robert Joy, Miguel Sandoval, Kenneth Welsh and teenager Erica Lancaster [Fairfield]. Rubinek plays a punk wearing an American flag-embossed motorcycle jacket in Death Wish (1974) but here he is promoted to a NYPD detective.

It is lensed by cinematographer Curtis Petersen in Toronto, standing in for New York City, with many Canadian actors for tax reasons, including Joy, Rubinek, Welsh and Lancaster. There is much studio work.

It went straight to video in GB and Australia after a limited US cinema release.

Bronson’s salary took care of most of the $5 million budget.

Bronson died on 30 August 2003, aged 81.

Bruce Willis stars as vigilante Paul Kersey in Eli Roth’s 2017 remake of the 1974 Death Wish.

© Derek Winnert 2017 Classic Movie Review 5052

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