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Reviewed by Bob Banka
March 8, 1999
DEATH WISH - THE FACE OF DEATH
TRIMARK
Full Frame, 1.33 : 1
Dolby Digital, Stereo
Color
95 Minutes
Rated R 1994
COMMENTS
Originally released as DEATH WISH V - THE FACE OF DEATH, this was the final installment in the long running DEATH WISH series which began twenty years earlier. Final, that is, unless someone, somewhere decides that a DEATH WISH VI would be a good idea, if for no other reason than to allow the series to end on an even number. This is a bad movie as were all of the DW sequels. The first film, released in 1974, was a decent flic about Paul Kersey (Charles Bronson) who, after his wife is raped and murdered and daughter rendered all but a vegetable, takes a revolver in hand, and hits the mean streets - striking fear in every sleazeball in New York City. DEATH WISH allowed us to take pleasure in seeing an average guy taking the law into his own hands and lashing out at the criminal element infesting the city. It was an ultra-right winger's wet dream. Card carrying members of the NRA couldn't have a better hero than Paul Kersey.
The first DEATH WISH flic spawned an entire generation of vigilante films, few of which were any where near as good. Of course, there were the dismal sequels to the original film - each worse than that which preceded it. How many times have we seen this pattern repeat? Consider the ROCKY films, or the RAMBO series. How about PLANET OF THE APES, BACK TO THE FUTURE, POLTERGEIST, and JAWS? The list goes on. The DEATH WISH series is somewhat unique in that the first two sequels were helmed by the same director responsible for the first - Michael Winner. It just goes to show you, a director and star alone can't make a film float, especially when saddled with a rotten script and a concept which has had all the life drawn out of it by earlier films.
DEATH WISH V - THE FACE OF DEATH is truly at the bottom of the vigilante flic barrel. The 'plot' is sketchy, holey, and laced with elements which simply make no sense. Anyone who's even slightly tuned in will see silliness at every turn. The first DEATH WISH film presented us with an angered widower, who lashes out at street thugs, more from fear than anything else, using rolls of quarters in a stocking, or a hand gun received as a present from a client. By the time we get to DEATH WISH V, Kersey is almost a superhero, able to single-handedly strike down a pack of armed-to-the-teeth wiseguys, kill with cyanide sprinkled cannolis, and blow off a thug's head with a remote controlled explosive soccer ball! The mobsters in the film are beyond idiotic - they're bafoonish clowns, led by an Irish hood named Tommy O'Shea (Michael Parks - Colonel Flagg from the television series MASH). The portrayals are as good as the script itself - and that's no compliment. How could anyone on the film crew keep a straight face with such low caliber acting going on before the cameras? It's a miracle.
Bronson has always been a wooden actor, and this actually served him well in some of his roles. It didn't help him during the more dramatic portions of DEATH WISH, but it did help in films like Leone's ONCE UPON A TIME IN AMERICA, and Michael Winner's THE MECHANIC, where he was a more mysterious, quiet, loner, or 'professional.' Though he would go on to appear in a number of films after DEATH WISH, it was this first vigilante flic which made his career, and without question, bought him enough recognition to keep his career going for many years.
PLOT SYNOPSIS
Paul Kersey (Charles Bronson), vigilante supreme, has returned to the Big Apple with a new identity - apparently part of some justice system protection plan. He's managed to settle into a normal, humble existence, as an instructor of architecture. He's even fallen in love with a fashion designer named Olivia Regent (Lesley-Anne Down). Olivia has a young daughter, Chelsea (Erica Lancaster) and is recently divorced from Tommy O'Shea (Michael Parks). Tommy is the boss of a crime family that has interests in the city's fashion industry (gambling and drugs are below these guys). Tommy still has a thing for Olivia, but her heart belongs to Paul.
The fashion company, now operated by Olivia, is only a money laundering front for Tommy's business. However, it's no longer possible to cook the books in a way that makes the operation feasible. Tired of Tommy's threats, Olivia agrees to see Paul's old friend in the DA's office, Tony Hoyle (Saul Rubinek) and spill the beans on her ex. Tommy catches wind of her plans to bring him down, and puts a contract out on her. With Olivia dead, and the daughter in Tommy's custody, Paul has once again lost all faith in the police. So, out comes the revolver, cannolis and remote-controlled toys. Kersey is back in action.
IMAGE
The Internet Movie Data Base indicates that the laser disc version of this film, released some years ago, was in pan and scan. However, Trimark's packaging says this is a full frame presentation. It's difficult to tell which is correct when viewing the film. I noticed only a few instances of what may have been artificial 'panning.' Either way, the picture is 1.33 : 1 on this DVD.
The image is quite a bit softer than we're used to seeing on better made transfers of recent films. Contrast and brightness levels are fair only, and colors are a bit pale. Blacks are deep and solid. Darker scenes show even less detail and sharpness than the brighter exteriors and higher key-lit interiors.
We noticed no 'grain' or image breakup during the presentation, and flesh tones usually appear natural. Shadow detail is wanting - particularly in the very dark scenes. The print used by Trimark is reasonably clean, but there are some noticeable nics, scars, and other blemishes.
AUDIO
Trimark's packaging refers to this mix as 'Ultra-stereo.' Channel separation is a bit muddy and the imaging is narrow and shallow. There are numerous occasions where dialogue fluctuates in volume, and occasionally it's a bit muffled and unclear. This was quite distracting.
During some of the more bombastic sequences in the last reel, when Kersey is kicking some major mobster butt, the track sounds distorted and sorely lacking in bottom end. In general, the entire soundtrack is limited to the middle, and high middle, of the dynamic range. Basically, the sound is no better than what one would expect to hear on an often rented VHS tape.
SPECIAL FEATURES
Scene access menu with links to 30 chapters in the film
Trailer (FF, Stereo)
French and Spanish subtitles
English closed captions
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