In honor of my completion of reviewing the entire Death Wish quintology, here are the trailers for the complete series followed by my personal rankings of all five films.
"Enjoy a typical afternoon in New York City."
Death Wish II (1982, Michael Winner)
"It's about to happen again."
Death Wish III (1985, Michael Winner)
"In a world gone made, there's one law, His!"
Death Wish IV: The Crackdown (1987, J. Lee Thompson)
"The trap is set. The fuse is lit. Bronson is unleashed."
Death Wish V: The Face of Death (1994, Allan A. Goldstein)
"This time he is not leaving until his wish is their command."
My top 5 Favorite Death Wish films
1. Death Wish II
The sleaziest entry in a series of films hardly lacking for sleaze. Michael Winner makes early 80's Los Angeles make mid 70's New York look like mid 50's Minneapolis. What I appreciated about the film is it's the only one to question Kersey's need for vengeance and show how it alienated him from others. (Review)
2. Death Wish IV
J. Lee Thompson takes over the reins from Winner and makes an even more over-the-top sequel than the ridiculous part III. For the first time Kersey is actually taking out the rich people who supply the drugs. (Review)
3. Death Wish
The original that set the template for the rest of the series and a rash of imitators. Suffers when Winner attempts any relevance and politically it's pretty rancid. (Review)
4. Death Wish V
Bronson's final theatrically released film is thankfully not an embarrassment. Follows the change in series tone established in part IV. (Review)
5. Death Wish III
This has become a cult classic in some regard, but Winner's indifferent work as director coupled with a cheesy even for a mid 80's Cannon action film sensibility left me feeling something's lacking. If you are in Los Angeles, you can actually catch this at the New Beverly on December 20-22nd in a double bill with the unquestionably awesome Rolling Thunder. (Review)
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