Death Wish 3 is set in New York where part time architect, part time vigilante Paul Kersey (Charles Bronson) has just arrived in order to visit his Korean war buddy Charley (Francis Drake) but is shocked to find Charley lying dead in his apartment, the police arrive & arrest Kersey for Charley's murder. While locked up Inspector Richard Shriker (Ed Lauter) informs Kersey that they have a problem with thugs who the law can't touch & that he know's of Kersey's vigilante past & gives Kersey his blessing to clean up the streets anyway he want with the police turning a blind eye. Kersey agrees & sets out to clean up Charley's neighbourhood & dish out some death wish style justice to his killers...
Directed by Michael Winner this was third entry in the Death Wish series which up to Death Wish 3 had all been directed by Winner but he left the series after this one, made by the infamous Cannon Group this has it's admirers but I didn't think it was as much fun as it could have or indeed should have been. Here in the UK a TV channel is running a Death Wish season (how desperate is that?) although for some reason it is starting at Death Wish 3 & going through to Death Wish V: The Face of Death (1994) so I won't be able to say how they compare to the original two. Anyway, as a vigilante film most of the clichés are here, a seemingly powerless police force, the helpless victims bullied & brutalised, your typical bad guy's & a no nonsense hero who dishes out some justice. Not that much happens here, Bronson & the main bad guy play off against each other for the majority of the film with me sitting there just thinking why don't one just shoot the other dead? Then there's a silly climax in which a war breaks loose on the New York streets between the bad guy's, the cops & Kersey. There's a very abrupt & unconvincing romance between Kersey & his lawyer & not that much is made of the relationship between Shirker & Kersey. Despite it's faults, or maybe because of them Death Wish 3 is never nothing but entertaining & is fun in a bad sort of way, it's just so bad & funny you can't take your eyes off it. Not a masterpiece but it's good fun if your in the right mood.
Unfortunately Winner can't direct action scenes & all the set-pieces are badly shot in a really dull & lethargic way. The violence is quite tame with little in the way of blood or much pay-off for the villains although Bronson gets to play around with some seriously big guns. There's a rape scene although not as graphic as those seen in the previous two. The opening theme music is absolutely terrible, the photography is flat & there's not that much style either. Writer Don Jakoby had his name removed from the credits for some reason although it is still seen on the original promotional trailer.
Although set entirely in New York at least of Death Wish 3 was shot in London for some reason. The acting isn't great & Bronson really is very wooden which comes across especially when he's got a romantic bit to act out.
Death Wish 3 is entertaining but for all the wrong reasons, it's a laugh if your in the right mood but I really couldn't describe it as a good film. Followed by two more sequels Death Wish 4: The Crackdown (1987) & Death Wish V: The Face of Death.
Directed by Michael Winner this was third entry in the Death Wish series which up to Death Wish 3 had all been directed by Winner but he left the series after this one, made by the infamous Cannon Group this has it's admirers but I didn't think it was as much fun as it could have or indeed should have been. Here in the UK a TV channel is running a Death Wish season (how desperate is that?) although for some reason it is starting at Death Wish 3 & going through to Death Wish V: The Face of Death (1994) so I won't be able to say how they compare to the original two. Anyway, as a vigilante film most of the clichés are here, a seemingly powerless police force, the helpless victims bullied & brutalised, your typical bad guy's & a no nonsense hero who dishes out some justice. Not that much happens here, Bronson & the main bad guy play off against each other for the majority of the film with me sitting there just thinking why don't one just shoot the other dead? Then there's a silly climax in which a war breaks loose on the New York streets between the bad guy's, the cops & Kersey. There's a very abrupt & unconvincing romance between Kersey & his lawyer & not that much is made of the relationship between Shirker & Kersey. Despite it's faults, or maybe because of them Death Wish 3 is never nothing but entertaining & is fun in a bad sort of way, it's just so bad & funny you can't take your eyes off it. Not a masterpiece but it's good fun if your in the right mood.
Unfortunately Winner can't direct action scenes & all the set-pieces are badly shot in a really dull & lethargic way. The violence is quite tame with little in the way of blood or much pay-off for the villains although Bronson gets to play around with some seriously big guns. There's a rape scene although not as graphic as those seen in the previous two. The opening theme music is absolutely terrible, the photography is flat & there's not that much style either. Writer Don Jakoby had his name removed from the credits for some reason although it is still seen on the original promotional trailer.
Although set entirely in New York at least of Death Wish 3 was shot in London for some reason. The acting isn't great & Bronson really is very wooden which comes across especially when he's got a romantic bit to act out.
Death Wish 3 is entertaining but for all the wrong reasons, it's a laugh if your in the right mood but I really couldn't describe it as a good film. Followed by two more sequels Death Wish 4: The Crackdown (1987) & Death Wish V: The Face of Death.