Director: Michael Winner
Starring: Charles Bronson, Jill Ireland, Vincent Gardenia, Anthony Franciosa, Laurence Fishburne
Running Time: 88 minutes
Synopsis: In Los Angeles, crime rates are out of control. Architect Paul Kersey (Charles Bronson) is victimized by a group muggers who kill his housekeeper and cause the death of his daughter. He decides to pursue vigilante justice by tracking down and killing the assailants on his own. He keeps his revenge activities secret from his radio journalist girlfriend Geri (Jill Ireland), but New York City Police Lieutenant Frank Ochoa (Vincent Gardenia) is familiar with Kersey's previous vigilante exploits, and travels to Los Angeles to try and stop the new wave of killings.
What Works Well: Producers Menahem Golan and Yoram Globus dust off one of Charles Bronson's best-known roles from a previous decade, and relaunch the series along the same formula. The objective of satisfying the primordial lust for process-free revenge is achieved, and director Michael Winner is also patient enough to give Paul Kersey a career and a love life. The action scenes are preceded by admirable preparation, reconnaissance, and selective targeting, while the bad guys (including an early role for Laurence Fishburne) are suitably despicable.
What Does Not Work As Well: This is a limited budget production with grimy aesthetics, unimaginative staging, creaky dialogue, cringey acting, excessive violence (including rape), gratuitous nudity, and of course unrealistic shootouts.
Key Quote:
Kersey (spotting a crucifix on a thug's necklace): You believe in Jesus?
Thug: Yes, I do.
Kersey: Well, you're gonna meet him.
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