Taste the Anticipation - Death Sentence: Theatrical Cut (2007)

Director: James Wan

Cast: Kevin Bacon, Kelly Preston, Garrett Hedlund, John Goodman, Aisha Tyler

Country: United States

Rating: R

Run Time: 105 minutes

Taste the Anticipation is a series dedicated to reviewing films in anticipation of a newer up and coming release. Whether it a previous franchise installment, a forgotten film within a director's immense oveure, or a thematically similar venture, anything is fair game as long as it relates to a newer cinematic product of sorts that I am anticipating.

James Wan is a favorite amongst horror buffs for his low budget horror films that blend great scares with an effective atmosphere. His films have also proven to be massive commercial successes, earning millions of dollars over their small production budgets. However, it will be interesting to see Wan make the jump from low budget horror to big budget blockbuster this summer with the newest Fast and Furious installment, Furious 7. In anticipation of Wan's jump to big budget action, I thought I would tackle Wan's only other action film in his horror heavy oeuvre, 2007's Death Sentence.

I read an interview with Wan last year where he explained his attraction to Furious 7 because of its revenge plot. I won't go into spoilers for those not in the know, but Furious 7 is most definitely going to be all about revenge after the events of Fast and Furious 6. In that interview, Wan explained that he is a huge fan of gritty revenge and vigilante films from the 70s. Therefore, he hopes to deliver a gritty revenge film within the vehicular heavy soap opera that is the Fast and Furious franchise. I bring this background up because Wan had previously explored his fascination with the gritty revenge plot in Death Sentence. Unfortunately, I don't think that Wan properly understands what made those classic action and vigilante films of the 70s so great. Even though Death Sentence delivers gratuitous violence and excellent camera work, the film falters due to excessive melodrama and weak character development.

Kevin Bacon becomes a bad ass in one of his only action roles.

Death Sentence is loosely based on Brian Garfield's novel Death Sentence, which was actually a sequel to the novel that inspired Michael Winner's 1974 classic, Death Wish. The Death Wish novel and its sequel novel Death Sentence are both about what happens when an ordinary man is pushed to the brink and has everything taken away from him. In the case of both films and novels, the man in question becomes a vigilante and sets out to enact vengeance on the punks who took his life away from him. Wan loosely adapted the Death Sentence novel into a new plot that tackled the same theme of vigilantism but deviated from the original source material's plot. Elements from the Death Sentence novel were also loosely adapted in the first Death Wish sequel, Death Wish 2.

James Wan's Death Sentence tells the story of Nick Hume (Kevin Bacon), a successful businessman with the perfect family. Hume's eldest son is a star hockey player and he couldn't be more proud of him. One night, the two stop by a gas station to grab some food and gas. Unfortunately, a group of masked robbers burst into the station's store and gun down both the cashier and Hume's eldest son. As the robbers make their escape, Hume tackles one of them and tears off their mask. Hume eventually identifies the robber for the police and agrees to testify in court against him. Upon hearing his son's killer will only get 5 years in jail instead of a life sentence, Hume claims he does not recognize the robber and lets him walk. Hume than sets out to enact vengeance on the robber his own way. However, Hume quickly learns the consequences of his actions as the leader of the gang, Billy (Garrett Hedlund), and the rest of his men come after Hume's family.

Vigilante films usually make for a depressing viewing experience. There's nothing uplifting about watching a character lose their friends or family and set out to kill those who took their life from them. Even though we may get a little enjoyment out of watching the character enact their vengeance, we feel saddened and troubled inside just like the character at the end of their journey. Because in the end, all of the violence still can't make up for the loss of one's family or friends. Wan captures the essence of a vigilante drama by making the viewer determine themselves if the protagonist's actions were morally right or wrong.

Where's Mason Storm to save a liquor store when you need him?

If you think that home videos in a movie are cheesy or annoying, than stay away from this movie! You will never see more footage of a family's home videos in your life. Wan opens the movie with home videos and than continually peppers home video footage throughout the film, right up into the very last frame! The ever abundant family footage in the film is extremely cheesy and phony. Even the banter and affection between Hume and his wife and sons comes off forced. It's a shame that Wan couldn't direct his actors to act in a natural or realistic manner because it majorly hurt my viewing experience.

Wan clearly wanted Death Sentence to be reminiscent of the gritty 70s revenge and vigilante thrillers that he loves so much. This is apparent by Death Sentence's extreme violence and gritty tone. However, Wan fails to capture the subtlety, nuanced nature, and slow pace of those 70s thrillers. This is where Wan fails to understand how to recapture the genre that he loves so much. The drama and emotions in Death Sentence are so heavy handed, that the film collapses under its own phoniness. You know a film's dialog and emotions are on the nose when a character hears about the death of the robber who killed Hume's son and replies, "Wow, I guess there is justice." Wan's greatest mistake is that he depicts Lifetime television melodrama over compelling drama. Death Sentence also features a terrible soundtrack of songs that serve to underscore any sad scene in order to let the audience know that the characters are sad (you know, just in case you couldn't figure it out for yourself when you see Kevin Bacon crying in the shower or Kelly Preston sobbing on the ground).

In all honesty, I was surprised to see Kevin Bacon come off as such a bad ass here. I mean, this is the same guy who has appeared in fun films like Footloose and Animal House. And yet, here he is with a shaved head a-la Taxi Driver's Travis Bickle blasting the hell out of goons left and right. Bacon does a good job portraying an ordinary man who makes an extreme decision only to regret it immediately after. His turn from a kind businessman into a hardened vigilante is mostly believable because the turn doesn't come until the final 30 minutes of the film. Like I said, Hume's transformation would have been more affective if it were more subtle and not as heavy handed as Wan directs it to be. Still, action fans will find a side of Bacon previously unexplored before once they see him pick up a double barreled shotgun and blow a man's leg clean off.

Hedlund plays a captivating and fearsome gang leader.

Garrett Hedlund (Troy, Tron: Legacy) turns in the film's best performance as Billy, the main antagonist and leader of the gang who is responsible for the death of Hume's son. Billy and his fellow gang members feel like they were picked out of any sleezy Death Wish film from the 70s or 80s with their exaggerated emotions and irrational actions. Hedlund is so vile and malicious in this film that you will forget that he is the same actor who played the boy scout-like Sam Flynn in Tron: Legacy. Hedlund's dedication to play the slimiest of scumbags in recent memory makes his performance all the more memorable. John Goodman also shows up for three scenes as Billy's father, a large gun dealer with an odd sense of honor and morality. Still, I'll take three scenes of John Goodman spouting expletives over no John Goodman.

Even though it is clear that Wan failed to convey the film's drama in an affective and believable manner, I can whole heartedly say that the man did a fantastic job in the action department. The few action scenes in the film are incredibly well shot, edited, framed, and choreographed. Director of photography John R. Leonetti incorporates a lengthy tracking shot during a chase scene in a parking garage that makes for one of the film's most thrilling sequences. When Billy and his gang attack Hume in public, Hume runs for his life through an alley, a restaurant, and eventually into a parking garage. With no weapon in hand, Hume has to use his wits and knowledge in order to outrun the gang members and their guns. It's a fantastic sequence made all the better by Leonetti's impressive tracking shot that gives the viewer a perfect sense of the scene's setting.

There is no denying that Death Sentence's best piece of action is its final gory gun battle in Billy's hideout. After loosing everything, Hume buzzes his hair off, straps on a leather jacket, and buys a bag full of guns. Hume goes full vigilante in the film's final 15 minutes as he rams his car into Billy's hideout and engages in an extremely bloody shootout with Billy's men. The sound editing is especially excellent in this sequence. Every gun shot and shot gun blast carries a weight to it that the viewer can feel. It is clear that Wan is a horror filmmaker because all of the film's kills are exceptionally bloody. Gory highlights include Hume blasting a goon's leg clean off and Hume blowing a character's fingers clean off. I haven't seen a shotgun to the leg scene that gory since 91's Out for Justice, it is that bloody. Even though I did a fair amount of bashing on Wan in this review, I can say nothing but great things about the man's attention to detail in the action department. His action scenes are nothing but fluid, bloody, and exciting.

That shotgun really ties the outfit together dude.

It's a shame that Wan's direction of Death Sentence's emotional moments and heavy handed drama hurts it so bad. If Wan had gone the nuanced route and allowed his film to be subtle, than it may have been far better. At least the action scenes and Garrett Hedlund's villain are first rate. Horror fans might actually enjoy this film for its extreme gore and simply because it is directed by James Wan, a director so beloved and revered in the horror community. I recommend this film as a rental though to any die hard vigilante action fan. Even though the drama is hard to get through, the few action scenes that are there are enough to wet any action fan's palette. If you are looking for a more compelling, realistic, and contemporary vigilante drama, than check out the British film, Harry Brown, starring Michael Caine. If gore and excess are more your thing though, than Death Sentence is for you.

Rating: 5/10 - Stupendous action scenes and first rate camera work can't save this dull and heavy handed vigilante drama. 

Death Wish 2 (1982) - Review

Series: Death Wish (2/5)
Alternate Title: Death Wish II

Director: Michael Winner

Starring: Charles Bronson, Jill Ireland, Vincent Gardenia, Laurence Fishburne
Country: U.S.

Note: As of Oct. 2013, the review format changed. Some reviews like this one have the old format.

Short and Sweet:
Death Wish 2, for the lack of a better description, is essentially Death Wish all over again but with more rape and more action.

Screening Source:
I viewed the Region 1 MGM DVD copy of the film. I know their is a high definition Blu Ray but it is overpriced for having no bonus features and an alright transfer. Besides, I settled for $1 on this baby at the flea market. Before I say anything, if you find Death Wish 2 for $1 on DVD, drop that money and pick that sucker up. And if all of the other Death Wish's are there as well, get em!

I also want to note that this is the slightly edited version of the film. The only things that are edited in this version of the film are the two rape scenes early on in the film. I normally don't support editing out footage in a film for censorship reasons. However, seeing less of these two graphic rape scenes is fine by me. They are horrific and the less seen the better. What is there is already graphic enough. However, these edits hardly make the film count as an Unrated Cut in my opinion. You could argue against this, but I feel it still achieves the goal the Theatrical Cut was going for.

I smiled when I saw this title card. No lie, I was pumped.

Plot:

Paul Kersey (Bronson), has been living a peaceful life since his vigilante rampage in 1974's Death Wish. At the police's request, Bronson moved from New York to somewhere else. Kersey chose Los Angeles and continues his architecture work there. He has a new girlfriend, Geri (Ireland), and has been taking care of his mentally scarred daughter, Carol. However, some thugs decide to break into his house and almost the same thing as the first film occurs. Kersey's loved ones are raped and murdered. Instead of choosing to go after crime in general (like he did the first film), Kersey carefully plans his revenge on the men who raped and murdered his daughter. What follows is more sleazy nudity and graphic action than the first film even had. Summarizing this film is as simple as looking at one of the film's poster's taglines: Bronson's loose! It's as dumb and simple as they come.

Deja vu.

Notable Performances:
Charles Bronson as Paul Kersey - Bronson is just one bad motha. You do not mess with this guy. But he's also pretty cheesy. I love Charles Bronson. I think he is just a totally awesome action star and has a great screen prescence. However, I feel that he plays almost every role of his almost the same. He's quiet, somber, polite, and ruthless. This time around, Paul Kersey starts to turn into more of an action hero than just an everyday vigilante killer from the first film. I'll go more into this under The Rundown section of this review. Overall though, Bronson does just fine as Kersey once again. Regardless of how good or bad these Death Wish films are, Kersey just feels like an old friend. It's nice to just check up on him.

Jill Ireland as Geri Nichols - Bronson's love interest this time around is his own real life wife, Jill Ireland. She plays Geri, a very nice and kind lady. She's also extremely lucky to survive the film with not a scratch on her body. All of the people that Kersey cares for seem to die a horrible fate, as we have seen so far from Death Wish 1 and 2. So, to see her survive this film is just a blessing. I don't want to spoil too much as to what occurs between Geri and Kersey by the film's end, but I'll let you know that it is actually a depressing ending. It makes one contemplate the consequences that go hand in hand with being a vigilante.

Vincent Gardenia as Frank Ocha - This was a nice surprise to see Frank Ocha, the cop from the first film, back again. It's always cool when a franchise finds a way to bring back actors from previous installments. He gives the same performance as before. He's kind of a smart but bumbling cop who is constantly sick and sneezing (I really don't get it, but I feel bad for the guy). Kudos to Death Wish 2 for trying to connect things back to Death Wish with more than just Charles Bronson returning.

Laurence Fishburne and more as "The Villains" - All of the punks and thugs in Death Wish 1 are some pretty vile people, including the ones who do the terrible deed to Bronson's wife and daughter. But man, these guys are terrible! With names like Cutter, Jiver, and Punkcut, these guys are out for blood! Evil punks and thugs from the 70's and 80's are just absolutely crazy. I despise them but can't get enough of them, they are so entertaining to watch. It's no surprise that all of these guys meet their end by Bronson's gun too. Laurence Fishburne has the best death of them all. He holds a boom box over his face as cover as Bronson fires at him. The boom box explodes and Fishburne falls over as goo pours out of his mouth. It's so gross but totally awesome. Why would you choose a radio as cover from a bullet?

Someone's got a...DEATH WISH!

The Rundown:
Death Wish 2 brings back Charles Bronson, Vincent Gardenia, and director Michael Winner. I mention this because getting both a franchise's star and its original director back is always a good sign. Even the Dirty Harry series lost its original director after its first film. So, Death Wish 2 already has good potential. Besides the elements behind the camera, Death Wish 2 essentially recreates the same elements from the first film all over again. Here they are.

- Everything starts off all peachy nice and perfect.
- Bronson's loved one is either raped or murdered.
- Bronson hunts down criminals during the late hours of the night.
- Bronson lies to others that he is doing nothing illegal.
- The police realize a vigilante is on their hands and they must deal with him.
- The police follow and track down Bronson in taxis and cars.
- At one point, Bronson is stabbed and realizes he is in over his head.

If there was ever a sequel that tried to duplicate the first film's success, Death Wish 2 is that sequel. You may think I dislike this film for this, but I really don't. If you can get over the fact that it is Death Wish all over again, this film is quite enjoyable. Bronson is turned into more of an action hero in this film, finding himself in bigger and crazier shootouts. He is also no longer a timid man. He knows who wronged him and makes sure to go after them with all of his force. I also liked how Bronson creates an outfit from Good Will as his night time get up. It's so awesome.

The film also has a more self aware soundtrack. It's composed by Led Zepplin's Jimmy Page. This time around we get some sweet guitar riffs to go along with Kersey's rampages. All of the gritty stripped down realism of the first film goes away once you hear Jimmy Page shredding away on an electronic guitar. The film also has some nice action editing and photography as well. None of it is incredible, but its nice, simple, and gets the job done.

My biggest issue with this film though has to lie with its vile rape scenes. Bronson's maid is raped and murdered in a horribly graphic scene that is utterly repulsive. I could never watch that scene ever again if I had too. The film amps up both its gore and blatant nudity as well. Death Wish 2 really feels like it is treading over into exploitation territory at some points. However, I think Michael Winner keep things restrained just enough to keep it from being a sleazy grind house film.

"Do you want the red pill or the blue pill?"

Action:
Parking Garage Shootout - Bronson follows a woman's screams to a terrible rape scene occurring. Unfortunately for the rapists, Bronson brought his gun with him and lets them have it real good. This is a short but sweet gun fight. Michael Winner really amps up the action in this film.

Park Shootout - Bronson stalks some of his daughter's killers to a dark park. Before you know it, bullets are flying and we have arrived to the film's biggest action scene. This is a totally awesome shootout, complete with epic kills and tons of gunfire. It ends on a great note as well.

Final Confrontation - Bronson confronts the final thug in this particularly brutal fist fight. What seems like a simple shoot and run for Bronson turns into a full blown fight complete with punching, kicking, glass breaking, tables turning, knife stabbing, and even electrocuting!

Bronson rocks his Good Will outfit like nobody else.

Best Bits:
Favorite Kill:
Bronson blasts a thug right through a ghetto blaster and into his face!

Favorite Line/Exchange:
Bronson - "Do you believe in Jesus boy?"
Thug - "Yes."
Bronson - "Well, you're gonna meet him." BANG!

Favorite Action Scene:
The shootout in the dark park is great. It features a lot of shooting with a variety of weapons. Its both intense, hilarious, and awesome.

Favorite Supporting Character:
I'm gonna give this to Officer Frank Ocha. The guy came all the way from the first Death Wish. I love that guy.

The happiness can only last so long in a Death Wish film.

Conclusion:
Death Wish 2 is an interesting sequel. Death Wish is a gritty drama filled with moments of intense violence. It has just enough action in it though for it to be considered a through and through action film. It remains a vigilante drama first and fore most by being realistic and ground breaking in its discussion of vigilantism. Death Wish 2 takes all of the elements from the first film and turns them into more of an amped up 80's action film. The action is bigger, the music is more current and hip, and Bronson is now a full blown action hero. While sleazier and nearly an exact duplicate of the first film, Death Wish 2 is a pretty good action sequel that is heavily underrated. It is fully recommended to all action and Bronson junkies. There's plenty to love here.