User reviews

Well, we don't get the great Herbie Hancock score of the first movie, but we do get Jill Ireland, Mrs. Bronson, in one of her last films, directed as Death Wish I and III, by Michael Winner.

We also get what I feel is the biggest collection of scumbags ever assembled. Thomas F. Duffy as Nirvana, Kevyn Major Howard as Stomper, Stuart K. Robinson as Jiver, Laurence Fishburne as Cutter, and E. Lamont Johnson as Punkut. It was fitting that the first kill occurred in a rat- infested building, and the last was an electrocution.

Vincent Gardenia is back to track down Kersey after he starts again in Los Angeles.

Unlike the serious and tragic first film, this is more focused and revenge-oriented. A good film, nonetheless.

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!

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.

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 supposed correlation between violence/sexuality in art and violence in reality has been shoved to the forefront of our culture, especially in the past decade, when incidents such as the Columbine massacre confirmed politicians' fears of an unregulated entertainment industry in need of a spanking. In non-fanatical, everyday reality, however, I have come to disagree with the equation above. Some would argue that ugly, violent, nihilistic, and generally misanthropic films like "Death Wish" and its sequels do nothing but contribute to intensifying the more unsavory impulses that lay dormant in the viewer's id.

Yet therein lies the purpose of such rough-edged, unpleasant entertainment. It sparks the id, pummels it into submission, so that when the experience is over, a sigh of relief is uttered.

The original "Death Wish" was a well-done exploitation flick with the professional gloss of an A picture; despite its relatively shallow insight into the murky moral terrain of vigilante justice, it contained an intensely subdued performance by Charles Bronson, and confident direction by Michael Winner.

By comparison, "Death Wish 2" is a typical sequel, taking what the original had and dumbing it down to milk some cash for the franchise. In addition to Bronson (in the role of architect Paul Kersey), a few other characters return to provide at least a superficial connection to the original (Robin Sherwood as his daughter; Vincent Gardenia as the cop that uncovered his identity). The plot is as before: Paul Kersey has begun a new life (courting the cheerfully cardboard Jill Ireland) which is shattered when a gang of punks (including a young Laurence Fishburne) rape and murder his housekeeper and daughter. Unlike the original, no time is spent watching Kersey contemplate his actions; he simply goes to work, and in the process is rendered a stoic killing machine. The characterization/motivation for the punks is given even less thought--they exist for the sole purpose of showing how scummy the scummiest scum of society can be. The film moves from one random encounter to the next, wherein Kersey stumbles across gang members and kills them.

Of course this doesn't sound like highbrow film-making, but "Death Wish 2" never teases the audience with any notions of greatness. In spite of the meager attention given to Kersey's character, we root for him anyway; and in spite of the inexplicably-written punks, we hope for their demise. Michael Winner once again gives the film a gritty yet polished look, though he is clearly directing a flat-out B picture; the pacing is tight (the film runs just under 90 minutes), and the action is competently choreographed (though the romantic subplot provides a respite from the relentless violence, it is shallow and cloying). Jimmy Page's offbeat musical score only adds to the unusual charge this film packs.

In the best-case scenario, "Death Wish 2" is no masterpiece, but the perfect Novocaine to apply after a particularly rotten day. It will numb you into a state of apathy and wash your troubles away (that's a compliment).

Once again , Bronson/Kersey blows away baddies with lots of explicit , eerie and grisly violence . Extremely violent follow-up to the successful 1974 movie based on the characters written by Brian Garfield , whose novel the picture is based on . This sequel was made and released about eight years after Death Wish (1974) . Second entry in the original five film series in which Kersey takes the law on his own hands ; nowadays , he has a new sweetheart in his life , the beautiful Geri Nichols (Jill Ireland) , a radio anchor woman . When Kersey and family are mugged by some attackers , he , then , seeks vengeance . As Paul searching for vendetta against cutthroats when his daughter -who is still catatonic from the previous attack- is victimized again . The five-times-weary urban vigilant hits villains , this time , hard . Following to successful crime thriller that created the Vigilante genre with Bronson as the main star as architect Paul Kersey (wooding acting by Bronson who looks bored and tired with this rehash material) turned the one-man vigilante and he tries to find the five sadistic street punks who attacked his daughter and housekeeper , this time on the dark streets of Los Angeles . Meanwhile , being pursued by the astute Police Inspector Det. Frank Ochoa (Vincent Gardenia) , as usual .

This second routine entry with excessive violence concerns about Paul Kersey , an ageing architect who becomes again into vigilante and wiping out the band of mobsters . The main amusement results to be to guess the kinds of deaths that Bronson executes against the villains , as he carries out retribution and vendetta . This is 2ª outing from the novel ¨Death wish¨ by Brian Garfield in which an architect taking the law into his own revengeful hands and acting as judge , jury and executioner . It contains suspense, noisy action-packed , intrigue , thrills and lots of violence . Initial excitement at the welter of violence son palls into boredom , only intermittently relieved by the preposterousness . Mediocre screenplay manages a couple of nice twists , but it's too formulary to pursue the ambiguities it reveals . Here filmmaker emphasising a hostile , nightmare terrain and relying his virtually sympathies with the confused , violent Paul Kersey . Bronson with his ordinary stoic acting displays efficiently his weapons such as ¨Harry the Dirty¨ and killing mercilessly nasties . Screenwriter 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 . Furthermore , it benefits from some good support actors , as here appears a nice secondary cast , such as : Vincent Gardenia , J.D. Cannon , Anthony Franciosa , Robin Sherwood , Thomas Duffy , Robert F. Lyons , and a young Larry Fishburne as ominous hoodlum , among others . It packs a screeching musical score composed, orchestrated and performed by guitarist Jimmy Page from Led Zeppelin . Atmospheric cinematography by two great cameramen : Thomas Del Ruth and Richard H. Kline .

The studio , Cannon : Yoram Globus, Menahem Golam , produced this one in enough budget . This was the first film that both star Charles Bronson and director Michael Winner made with Cannon Films and producers Menahem Golan and Yoram Globus . The two would make a number of movies with them throughout the 1980s, including one more together, Death Wish III (1985). The motion picture was poorly directed by Michael Winner and the production shoot on this movie went for forty-four days . Michael Winner career was failed , alternating some hit as ¨the sentinel¨ and various flops as ¨Firepower¨, ¨The big sleep¨, ¨The wicked lady¨, ¨Appointed with death¨, ¨A chorus of disapproval¨, ¨Bullseye¨ and ¨The stone killer¨. Although he also achieved some important successes as the ¨Death Wish¨ series .

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 , being starred by Hope Lange , Stuart Margolin , William Redfield and Jeff Goldblum . 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 , Gavan O'Herlihy and Deborah Raffin . Death Wish 3 that would be the last and it was then not made for about another seven years . 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). Following ¨Death Wish 4 : The crackdown¨(1987) with Kay Lenz , John P Ryan , Perry López , Soon-Teck-Oh directed by J.Lee Thompson . And ¨Death Wish , the face of the death¨ by Allan A. Goldstein being starred by with Leslie Anne Down , Michael Parks , Chuck Shamata , Saul Rubinek , Kenneth Welsh and Miguel Sandoval . In addition , an intended but unfilmed sixth movie was also to have a subtitle: 'Death Wish 6: The New Vigilante'.

Architect Paul Kersey (Charles Bronson) once again becomes a vigilante when he tries to find the five street punks who murdered his daughter and housekeeper, this time on the dark streets of Los Angeles.

Early on, we have a nasty rape scene with Larry Fishburne. I mean really, really nasty. So much so that this film goes above and beyond the darkness from the first film.

That aside, I would say this is every bit as good as the original, and now with more of the 1980s feel (for good reason). We have Bronson kicking more butt, and even with more of a focus (and less moral ambiguity) than before... and Mr. Gardenia returns to really cap off the pure awesome of this series.

The first sequel to the legendary 1974 vigilante film Death Wish is not an easy film to watch. The film is dark and grainy, the characters are too broadly drawn, and there are some disgusting acts of violence. There are a couple good shootouts however, and it's always nice to see Bronson dish out his own brand of justice.

Our story picks up a few years after the events of part one. Bronson has relocated in Los Angeles and is working as an architect and currently redesigning a radio station building. His daughter is living close by in an institution. She is still greatly disturbed by her traumatic rape in the last film. She can venture out in public under the supervision of her father, but she still cannot speak. On one such trip, Bronson, his daughter, and his girlfriend (Ireland) get into an altercation with a gang of five muggers. The muggers steal Bronson's wallet and find out where he lives. They then show up at his place and... help the maid prepare dinner.

Well, that isn't quite what happens. This is a Michael Winner film, and nobody does rape scenes like Michael Winner. In one of the most shocking scenes ever found in a mainstream film, the house keeper is repeatedly raped be these creeps. Depending on the version you see, the rape lasts from only a couple minutes to nearly fifteen minutes! This film has been cut to ribbons by editors over the years as each station has their own idea of just how much of it they want to show you. Anyway, Bronson and his daughter eventually show up at the house where he is beaten and left for dead while his daughter is kidnapped by the punks. In another tasteless scene, his mute and helpless daughter is also raped and then jumps to a gruesome death from a window. I think that scene is really a lot worse than the housekeeper scene.

Of course you know where we're headed. Bronson goes on the war path and tracks these five creeps and their associates down and blows them away. Not only are there some neat shootouts, but also a few good one-liners along the way. If you can get through the brutality of the first half hour, you will enjoy seeing Bronson do what he does best.

Bronson's performance is calm and dignified like always. There are two outstanding supporting performances by Vincent Gardenia and Jill Ireland. They share a wonderful scene together as Gardenia (hot on Bronson's trail like in part one) questions Ireland about Bronson's whereabouts at night. He also informs her of Bronson's history of killing muggers in the Big Apple which leads to a hilarious scene between Bronson and Ireland later on. And YES... that is THE Laurence Fishburne as one of the muggers. He's the one Bronson shoots in the head through a radio. You'll have to see it to understand what I'm referring to.

One may be tempted to defend this film by saying that "yeah, it's pretty nasty, but so is real life crime!" I won't deny that, but I don't buy the argument here. This film with its broad caricatures of street hoods, and no less than three sexual assaults is really just a piece of exploitation. The film does have its good moments, and apparently enough of them for it to gross 16 million dollars and spawn several more sequels. But Death Wish II is really not going to impress anyone who isn't a rabid fan of Charles Bronson. I would strongly urge anyone and everyone to take a look at part 3, though! That film is an absolute blast! 5 of 10 for Death Wish II. So sayeth the Hound.

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.

Charles Bronson is back as Paul Kersey. After some punks (including a young Morpheus, Laurence Fishburne) get away with his wallet, they find his house. He's not home so they rape and kill the housekeeper. When Kersey and his daughter return, they knock him out and kidnap her. After raping her back at an abandoned warehouse, she jumps out the window, killing herself. Bronson being Bronson, it's time once again for revenge, while hiding it from his new girlfriend.Not as good as the original. As sequels rarely are. But I enjoyed it. Bronson as an actor just kicked so much ass.

My Grade: B

Eye Candy: Silvana Gallardo and Robin Sherwood show much flesh, but due to the subject matter, it's not really eye candy. Leslie Graves and Melody Santangello's topless scenes are more palatable.

Death Wish 2 is a nasty piece of work, and I mean that in the nicest possible way. There is no pretence about this film, whereas the original Death Wish painstakingly presented Paul Kersey as a victim of violence who had been pushed to breaking point, Death Wish 2 finds him in John Rambo territory, as a borderline crazy person bent on revenge. Unlike the original, Death Wish 2 has no political message and never waivers in its approval of Paul's vigilantism. While this is by no means as good as the original, which I consider to be a minor classic, Death Wish 2 is a great example of the short lived early 80s embrace of ultra violent entertainment before these kind of movies were labelled "video nasties" and expelled from the mainstream.

The main reason why the Death Wish series became increasingly ridiculous is the improbability of one man suffering so much bad luck. This time around a group of thugs break into Paul's home and gang rape his Latina maid. This scene is truly grim and more detailed than most of the more infamous "rape & revenge" movies of the 80s. The scene is particularly distasteful as poor Rosario gets roughed up so much worse than any other female victim in the series - all of whom happen to be white. Unfortunately, I don't think that it is a coincidence, as the entire Death Wish series had dubious racial undertones.

The action becomes increasing twisted when Paul's daughter, Carol, still traumatised from the attack in the original film, is kidnapped and raped. The nastiness of this act stems mostly from the creepy smile on Carol's face. When Carol is subsequently impaled on an iron gate, the transformation from the socially aware film of the 1970s to the sleazy, pure action of the 80s sequel is complete. This time around Paul doesn't even bother with the police, choosing instead to take all of the thugs out himself.

The second half of the film is fairly predictable and a bit slow in comparison with the downright nastiness of the opening half an hour. Paul walks around the streets of LA (he definitely gets around), shooting muggers, rapists and his daughter's attackers. This time around Paul doesn't hesitate shooting anyone and the conflict he demonstrated in the first film is nowhere to be seen. Instead, everyone from civilians to the police comment approvingly on his particular approach to crime control. Needless to say, Death Wish 2 is about as politically incorrect as they come and yet, endearingly of its time.

Michael Winner does a good job of capturing the atmosphere of early 80s LA, with amusing glimpses of religious fanatics, coke dealers and general crazies. The 80s fashion on display is pretty funny and the scene where the thugs dance to their "ghettoblaster" makes me laugh every time. The acting is highlighted by Jill Ireland's extraordinarily wooden turn as Paul's new girlfriend. Her ability to lower the tone of any Charles Bronson movie borders on the supernatural. Lastly, Jimmy Page's soundtrack deserves a mention, it is different to say the least.

If you are looking for cheap, nasty, morally corrupt entertainment, then you should enjoy Death Wish 2. I certainly did.

This Death Wish, the second in the franchise, where Michael Winner himself directs the sequel, is impressive to say the least. For its two opening sequences that each involve a rape, with quite few ellipses, extremely unpleasant, and well shown on camera. So our architect finds himself with good motives to take justice into his own hands.

The locations and settings are always interesting in Michael Winner's work (his past as a documentary filmmaker may have something to do with it). This is the case here: the city is awful, with dilapidated and abandoned buildings and streets, filled with garbage, trash cans and abandoned buildings. This helps to reinforce the climate of the film and give it a very misanthropic tone.

The music of Jimmy Page also contributes to texturing the film and enriching its dark climate, even horror film at times. Which is what the film is finally, within the framework of a detective film.

Michael Winner directs his actors perfectly, which contributes to make the film effective.

It's really hard to understand all the hate, critically for this film, like, Ebert's review or Maltins, who actually rates the third one better than than this. Maltin's a bit of a weird cat. You could actually say, it's, what I refer to as a stereotypical sequel, where there's a plain blatant excuse to make it, that having Bronson's traumatized daughter raped, and his maid killed (very familiar setting to the one in the first) after getting on the wrong side of this gang, who after clubbing Bronson on the head, kidnap his precious girl.This ultimately leads to a much worse fate, where another close soul is taken from him, where this catalyst, propels him back into gun firing, vigilante action. You can very much tell, the early rape scenes, have been cut heaps for the Aussie version, especially the one, involving the maid. The movie does has ordinary, uninspiring dialogue. I've seen much better in short film scripts. Who hired this writer? The film indeed has it's problems, with some unintentionally funny moments, one involving a kooky and confused psychiatrist, near the end, who's forgotten which way the men's room is. The hoods are very real, an early Laurence Fishburne being one of them, while the standout was Kevin Major Howard, a very underused actor, who at times, looked like he forgot his blocking. The line involving Jesus, where Bronson confronts him, is the one I'll remember. Jill Ireland is very good as Bronson's new love, adding a warmth to the film, while Gardenia (the old fogy detective from the first) visit's L.A. as pretty much knowing who this new hero/vigilante is, taking down the population number. With a bit of a comedown ending, relationship wise, this second Death Wish installment, is very lively, colorfully entertaining (popcorn fodder) and isn't a bad sequel, with some good plotting, the story going some places you don't expect. It's very 80's too, with it's share of violence, some of it a bit nasty and sickening. Hey, this is Death Wish, we're talking' about. One line in it, poses the "mulling over" question. "Is killing people who have killed people, right?" I don't have to mull it over. In my opinion: "Yes". Another opinion, is this movie has been wrongly vindicated. It is not a bad movie, despite this wrongful opinion from a majority of critics. Put that in your pipe and smoke it.

David Engelbach's screenplay for the second, and easily the most gratuitously offensive and downright depraved of the occasionally entertaining DEATH WISH series, is full of gruesome little gems like that. Whilst Engelbach's ear for realism and naturalistic dialogue is a little lacking, he does come up with some one-liners that are memorable for all the wrong reasons. When my parents rented this video back in the eighties, they wouldn't let me see the rape scene, and when I finally got to see the forbidden sequence years later, I could understand why. In its uncut form - briefly available in Britain when videos didn't have to get past the censors - it's as nasty, prurient and sadistic as anything I've seen before or since, and that includes the notorious Last House On The Left and I Spit On Your Grave. If you thought Johnny and Matthew and the rest of the hicks gave Jennifer Hills a hard time in Meir Zarchi's zero-budget sleaze-fest, wait until you see what Laurence Fishburne (yes, THE Laurence Fishburne) and his screeching geeks put Bronson's Spanish maid through here. Similarly, if you thought Michael Winner did a professional job on movies like THE MECHANIC and the prequel to this mean-spirited potboiler, then his cack-handed, hit-and-miss approach here will make your head spin. Add to this a thoroughly amateurish score by one of the world's greatest rock guitarists, and you have a movie that brought out the worst in everyone concerned. On the up side, there are a few unintentional laughs and it did at least pave the way for DEATH WISH 3, which must be the single greatest fascist fantasy-made-flesh ever to make it onto the silver screen. So give this one a miss and go straight from the first movie to the third. You won't be missing anything, unless you like vomiting.

Michael Winner has never been known for his subtlety, and never has his lack of restraint or taste been more apparent than it is in this belated (and, to be honest, quite unnecessary) sequel to his 1974 breakthrough hit DEATH WISH. Whatever the restaurant critic, boulevardier and occasional film-maker spent the eight year interim doing, he certainly can't have been brainstorming, because this is little more than a rehash of the first movie, with a couple of twists. Firstly, this one takes place in Los Angeles rather than New York, which hurts the atmosphere somewhat. Secondly, because this is a sequel and has a Roman numeral after the title, someone has decided that it makes sense to have twice as much on-screen unpleasantness. And you know where this review is heading, right? THAT scene in which Bronson - the only man alive who could have the bad luck to get mugged whilst queueing for a Cornetto - finds that the horror that befell his family in the Big Apple has followed him to the City of Angels. I have a soft spot for trash cinema and exploitative sleaze in general - I grew up during the video boom in England, and a lot of the first films I saw were entertainingly dreadful, so you could say I acquired the taste early - but the gang rape scene is so lurid, prurient and revolting, especially in its uncut form (I found a precert copy of this film in a thrift shop), that it's well-nigh unwatchable. Not only that, there's absolutely no reason for its inclusion in the film other than to make the bad guys even badder and to rub the audience's nose in the grime. It's horribly out of kilter with the outrageous (bordering on ridiculous) shoot-'em-up carnage that follows, as is a similarly disturbing scene in which Bronson's mute daughter is raped (again - remember the first film?) before jumping through a (closed) window to her death, a messy and graphic impaling on metal railings. This is Winner going for broke, playing naughty boy games with the censors, and the fact that the BBFC cut three minutes out of the cinema release couldn't have hurt the publicity drive one bit. Video was uncensored in England until 1984, so the first home release wasn't subject to such officious meddling, and I can only wonder how the 'lucky punters' who bought this thing after seeing it in the cinemas reacted. I'm guessing, however, that they didn't just mutter "I didn't see that bit at the ABC" and leave it at that! Once you get past the opening salvo of misogynist sleaze, however, DEATH WISH II turns out to be (whisper it) pretty good fun, in a mindless, hideous, crowd-pleasing way. The violent thugs are lined up and shot down in the manner of an arcade game, Bronson is his reassuringly hard-faced, hard-assed self and it's all unrealistic enough to put a decent amount of distance between the on-screen carnage and the viewer. There's also a goodly amount of cheese for connoisseurs, such as the hilarious 'street' dance moves from the ghetto blaster-toting freaks, drug dealers straight from central casting, a FACES OF DEATH-style electrocution, rubbish dialogue from all and sundry and Jimmy Page's bizarre score which alternates between faux-classical passages, ear-splitting string-bending and weird electronic swoops...hang on, it's Spinal Tap! Let's hear it for Derek Smalls, he wrote this! In all seriousness, DEATH WISH II is a hard film to like. The rape scenes make it objectionable almost from the get-go, and the set-up for Bronson's second bite at the revenge apple is revoltingly overdone by anyone's standards. Technically, it's about average, with Winner's restless direction taking in some bizarre set-ups and disorientating editing along the way, and most of the performances are flat enough to be medically classed as comatose. But if you're in the mood to see predatory hooligans wasted in various nasty ways, the final hour may be diverting enough to give you a few chuckles on a slow night. Just don't say I didn't warn you.

Death Wish II (1982) is arguably the best masterpiece sequel of all time! It is my personal favorite action sequel from the 80's. Since a month away in March 2nd Death Wish remake is coming out with Bruce Willis, I am reviewing all Death Wish films. I am a huge Death Wish fan and Charles Bronson - "Die Hard" fan. This is a sequel to the original classic 1974 film Death Wish. It was brilliantly directed by Michael Winner who once again teamed up with Charles Bronson. This film is very entertaining, fast paced, not boring not dramatic real action movie. I love this film to death I grew up watching it. It is long only 1 hr and 28 mins. it is not that long. It is my third favorite "Death Wish" film in the series I always enjoy it.

This is an action packed stylish revenge flick in the 80's. this movie was filmed in 1981 and come out in 1982, the same year that First Blood come out. The first Rambo film is my all time favorite action film alongside with death Wish II. This sequel in my opinion is better than the original because it has more action and it is styled on a revenge. Charles Bronson is back as Paul Kersey the original vigilante. The film was filmed in Los Angeles, California in which the plot was set. Charles Bronson's wife Jill Ireland was in here and she played Kersey's girlfriend. In all Death Wish films Jill Ireland's character Geri Nichols was the only one who wasn't killed off. Charles Bronson refused that his real wife is assaulted and brutalized so she did come on in this movie and she was brilliant, not only gorgeous but she arguably acted brilliantly well.

Charles Bronson is fantastic as Architect Paul Kersey getting revenge on a muggers who raped and killed his house keeper and his daughter. It is time to settle the score. He is excellent and it is his best performance in here. Paul kersey is his best role in my opinion.

I love this film to death, I saw it as a kid I watched the trilogy. Death Wish 1,2 and 3 were all directed by Michael Winner which he did a brilliant job as the director. The film has a lot of action real bloody squibs it is rated R. It has rape, explosions, great gun fights and great shootouts. Paul kersey is looking for 5 rapist and killers who brutalized his daughter. I love how Paul tracks the first killer down and shoots him right in the chest. "You believe in Jesus? ,Yes, I do. Well, you're gonna meet him." bang he shoot's him dead. Paul Kersey saves an older men and his wife from been raped again and he kills most of the rapists and save the couple before they would be killed. He shoots down the second mugger in a final attempt he shoots' him dead. I love how Paul Kersey is tracking down the killers one by one like a Predator. I love the idea that actor Vincent Gardenia as Det. Frank Ochoa returned from the original film to be in this sequel. He stood up from Paul, he saved Paul's life, he killed the sniper aiming on Paul and sacrifice him self. Vincent Gardenia's brilliant performance too bad he is no longer with us anymore.

In the final shoot out with a lot of automatic weapons, Paul kill's two out of three muggers one get's away. He kill's their friends too who are arm's dealers. He shoot's with his Beretta 84 one shooter trough window glass of the car and the mugger Jiver (Laurence Fishburne) in the head of radio when he tried to flee and he killed him. I love the final fight between Paul and Nirvana (Thomas F. Duffy). Charles Bronson did his own stunts, but in which Nirvana pushes Paul in the wall you can see that was Bronson's stuntman. All the actors in this movie does a fine job. No CGI or shaky cam, real actions, real guns and automatic weapons all made for real. I love action movies like this. Jimmy Page makes a music score for the Death Wish that I love specially in the beginning of the credits. Jimmy Page replaced Herbie Hancock. Actress Robin Sherwood replaced actress Kathleen Tolan who was playing Carol Kersey, Paul's daughter. It was never explained what happened to Steven Keats character Jack Toby from the first film. The muggers in this movie are: Thomas F. Duffy, Kevyn Major Howard, Stuart K. Robinson, Laurence Fishburne (as Laurence Fishburne III), E. Lamont Johnson and they are believable. In this movie one of the muggers was also Laurence Fishburne who was called that time in the 80's Larry he also played in Red Heat and A Nightmare On Elm Street Part 3: Dream Warriors and he acted well in this movie.

Michael Winner brilliantly directs this stylish action masterpiece and David Engelbach writes an excellent script that delivers. I always enjoy this film and it is one of the best sequels in the Death Wish series. My all time number 1 favorite is Death Wish 3 this is my third favorite "Death Wish" film.

Death Wish II is a 1982 crime thriller action film directed by Michael Winner. It is the first of four sequels to the 1974 film Death Wish.

10/10 it is my favorite action film in "Death Wish" series. Today all action movies are wrong in Hollywood they don't make em' like this anymore. Charles Bronson was the best actor.

This sequel to the first "Death Wish" was promising, but the right version must suit the liking. Yes, Paul Kersey (Charles Bronson) is back along with his daughter, Carol (Robin Sherwood) and a new love name Geri(Jill Ireland, 1936-90) who lives in Los Angeles. They have an outing when a group of muggers grabs Paul's wallet, tracks down his address, rapes and kill the housekeeper, and grabs the daughter. It's more disturbing when the daughter is so sedated, one of the muggers has his way with her. That scene was sick! When she throws herself out the window and onto a fence., the old Paul is back! With a new gun in hand, the killings are very swift. His actions draws out someone from his past. But this time, he was more sympathetic. No holding back! However, this movie has been given a lot of negative feedback. My own feedback is how it was presented on TV. The movie still could have more action, it would have improved it more. It was a little too tame in some parts. But Bronson knows how to bring it on. Still good to me, I'm not letting the critics bring this movie down! 2 out of 5 stars

I found the story in Death Wish 2 to simular to the original. Maybe, if I saw 2 first I would give it a higher rating. This film is brutal, but crime is brutal; I think the director did this, as in the original, not as a selling point but too show the brutality of crime on the victim, and the remorselessness of the criminal. This make me understand why Walsh does America Most Wanted. Criminals, the dogs they are, do these things, and gives the more protected liberal minded person and idea of the kinds of animals the police deal with. This movie is not for kids! Should something this honest be made? I do not know the answer. This part of the movie show why Bronson snaps. The only difference in this film from the original is this time Bronson gets a look at the, anus, criminals and hunts them down. One other viewer thinks the bad guys act too strange, normal people do not do these things, but crazy people act crazy. What hurts this film, besides the script, is the editing and music. I like the 80's LA feel, but the film is choppy or rushed. The directing is good, but who ever edited this ouch. 5/10