Death Wish II * (1981, Charles Bronson, Jill Ireland, Vincent Gardenia, J D Cannon, Anthony Franciosa) – Classic Movie Review 4239

Director Michael Winner’s horrible 1981 sequel to his original Death Wish (1974) tells another ugly story in which Charles Bronson’s troubled New York City architect Paul Kersey sets off on a new vigilante spree in Los Angeles when his Hispanic housekeeper is attacked and killed by a gang of five street punks, and his daughter is assaulted again.

Bronson looks tired and even the slickness of part one is missing. Vincent Gardenia, from part one, helps out as the private detective, Detective Frank Ochoa. There are three further sequels, starting with Death Wish 3 in 1985, also directed by Winner.

Also in the cast are Bronson’s real-life wife Jill Ireland, J D Cannon, Anthony Franciosa, Ben Frank, Robin Sherwood, Robert F Lyons and Larry [Laurence] Fishburne.

Death Wish II increases the violence to levels that are considerably more graphic than in the first Death Wish. Winner said his film was ‘the same, but different’ compared with the original. He recalled: ‘That’s what sequels are – Rocky II, Rocky III – you don’t see Sylvester Stallone move to the Congo and become a nurse. Here the look of LA is what’s different. Besides – rape doesn’t date!’

It made a $2 million profit for Cannon Films, which then financed Winner’s 1983 The Wicked Lady with Faye Dunaway.

© Derek Winnert 2016 Classic Movie Review 4239

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Bronson’s real-life wife Jill Ireland.