Blu Review – Death Wish 4: The Crackdown & Death Wish 5: The Face of Death

Death Wish 4: The Crackdown

Director – J. Lee Thompson (Widow, Firewalker)
Starring – Charles Bronson (House of Wax, Death Wish), Kay Lenz (Murder She Wrote, Lois and Clark), and John P. Ryan (Class of 1999, Three O’clock High)
Release Date – 1987
Rating – 3.5/5

Here we go again. The last few days I’ve been working hard to knock out the Death Wish films. More specifically the second, third, fourth, and fifth film in the series. Death Wish was always a series of films I had heard about but never had the opportunity to check out.

That changed when Umbrella Entertainment sent over the Death Wish II and 3 double feature along with Death Wish 4 and 5 double feature. I had owned the first film on DVD for sometime but never had a chance to check it out until now. I enjoyed it but the sequel was more of the same. Things changed with the third film. I absolutely loved the third film. In fact, I can easily say it is one of my favorite exploitation films now. After watching the third film I was excited to toss in the next double feature!

**Spoiler AlertThe film once again follows Paul Kersey (Bronson) who has now put the events of the first three films behind him. He has a new love interest who has a teenage daughter with a blow problem. One night she overdoses and dies. Kersey suspects her boyfriend is responsible and follows him where he finds him confronting her drug dealer over her overdose.

The drug dealer kills her boyfriend before Kersey steps in to take him out. Soon a rich and mysterious man hears about Kersey’s work and uses him to stomp out the drug trade in the area after he tells Kersey how he lost his daughter to drugs. Kersey wipes out the two biggest drug pushers in the city before the mysterious man’s true intentions are revealed. **Spoiler Alert**

had high hopes for this installment. The third film in the series is fantastic. It reminded me of the post-apocalyptic gang films like 1990: Bronx Warrior and so on. Sadly, Death Wish 4 abandoned the look and story of the third film and returned to the original formula. It’s not a bad installment but it is repetitive.

The acting in this one is the same quality as the other films. Bronson, once again, shows no emotions. He is an emotionless killing machine and does not show any sort of remorse. The supporting cast is solid as well. In fact, I really enjoyed John P. Ryan’s performance as the man who plays Kersey. He did a fantastic job and made the film as fun as it is.

The story for this one is more of the same but rape was replaced with drugs. In the first two films every Kersey loves is raped or murdered. In this film the rape is replaced with drugs which triggers Kersey’s killing spree. It did mix it up some but in the end we are given the same film.

Finally, the kills in this one are more of the same established in the first three films. The effects are minimal and work for the film but they are easily forgettable. Overall, Death Wish 4: The Crackdown nothing new but it still hits the spot. Check it out with a few beers and enjoy yourself.

Death Wish 5: The Face of Death

Director – Allan A. Goldstein (2001: A Space Travesty, Memory Run)
Starring – Charles Bronson (Apache, Machine Gun Kelly), Lesley-Anne Down (From Beyond the Grave, Munchie Strikes Back), and Michael Parks (From Dusk till Dawn, Red State)
Release Date – 1994
Rating – 3/5

The time has finally come. For the last week or so I’ve been reviewing the entire Death Wish series and now I finish the series with the fifth film. By this point I am very burnt out with Bronson and the whole vigilante angle. The films are very entertaining but you can only watch the same story so many times before getting sick.

The fourth installment had its moments but was still the same recycled story so I was worried part 5 would be more of the same. Lucky for me it was but it was still more entertaining than the fourth film.

**Spoiler Alert**The film follows Kersey once more who is now living New York City again and dating a fashion designer who was once married to a crime lord. She has since left him and took their teenage daughter where she created her own fashion line but he has found a way to infiltrate her business where he uses it to launder cash.

After an incident at their factory Kersey steps in and gets the police involved. What Kersey doesn’t know is that her ex has people on the force in his back pocket and when he discovers they went to the police he has her beaten. The sparks Kersey to go back to his vigilante way to stop him.**Spoiler Alert**

Death Wish 5: The Face of Deathmay not have changed the formula much from the other films but it dials up the cast with some amazing performances and a few fun scenes.

The acting in this one is leagues better than the previous installments. Bronson delivers the same lowbrow performance with no emotional range but Michael Parks fucking sizzles. I’ve never seen him deliver a bad performance and this film is no exception. He steals every scene he is in and makes the movie his own. Honestly, I think the film would have been perfect if it was told from his perspective.

The story for this one is more of what we got in the other films, especially the fourth. Rape is removed from the story and drugs is added. Kersey is once again wronged and someone he loves suffers from loving him. Nothing new there.

Finally, the film has several kills that are exactly the same as the other film. They are easily forgettable with minimal effects. Overall, Death Wish V: The Face of Death may not deliver a new story but the cast makes it worth it. Fans of the series will love it. Check it out.