Death Wish 4: The Crackdown (1987)

Architect/vigilante Paul Kersey takes on the members of a vicious Los Angeles drug cartel to stop the flow of drugs after his girlfriend's daughter dies from an overdose.

Director:

J. Lee Thompson

Writers:

Brian Garfield (characters), Gail Morgan Hickman

Stars:

Charles Bronson, Kay Lenz, John P. Ryan

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Charles Bronson	...	Paul Kersey
Kay Lenz	...	Karen Sheldon
John P. Ryan	...	Nathan White
Perry Lopez	...	Ed Zacharias
George Dickerson	...	Detective Reiner
Soon-Tek Oh	...	Det. Phil Nozaki (as Soon-Teck Oh)
Dana Barron	...	Erica Sheldon
Jesse Dabson	...	Randy Viscovich
Peter Sherayko	...	Nick Franco
James Purcell	...	Vince Montono
Michael Russo	...	Danny Moreno
Danny Trejo	...	Art Sanella
Daniel Sabia	...	Al Arroyo
Mike Moroff	...	Jack Romero
Dan Ferro	...	Tony Romero

Storyline

Paul Kersey, LA architect and part-time vigilante, is fed up with violence and wants a quiet life. However, when friend's daughter dies of overdose, he has no choice but to go to war on drug dealers.

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Plot Keywords:

drugs | drug dealer | police | violence | architect | 

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Taglines:

This time it's war!

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Genres:

Action | Crime | Drama | Thriller

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Certificate:

R

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

6 November 1987 (USA)

Also Known As:

El regreso del justiciero

Filming Locations:

The Longford Condominiums - 10790 Wilshire Boulevard - Los Angeles, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$5,000,000 (estimated)

Gross:

$6,880,310 (USA)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Cannon Group

Technical Specs

Runtime:

99 min 91 min (cut)

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Gail Morgan Hickman re-wrote the entire script while filming. Charles Bronson constantly had problems with the dialog.

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Goofs

When Kay Lenz' character arrives at the hospital, she is wearing white boots. Then she runs into the emergency room and she is in tennis shoes. In the next shot, she's back in white boots.

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Quotes

Ed Zacharias: [shaking his birthday present box] Should I call the bomb squad?

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Connections

References Treasure of the Four Crowns (1983)

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Soundtracks

"In Some Brazil"
Written, Arranged, Performed and Produced by Michael Bishop

User Reviews

Trading Rape for Action in #4

"Death Wish 4" is easily my favorite of the DW series, even though I really like most of the first entry. But you see, I find graphic, luridly depicted rape in films distasteful. I could take it in the first film, because there was at least some thematic and emotional need for it (though I still think it was overboard and gratuitous). Parts 2 and 3 escalated the rape and humiliation sequences and writer/director Michael Winner actually seemed to be trying to get us to enjoy the sight of tortured, crying, beaten, naked woman as much as he obviously did; combine this with zero plot, zero character development, and inept action, and you had some really, really bad flicks. Number four was directed by J. Lee Thompson, a frequent collaborator with Bronson since 1976's "St. Ives." Thompson took the usual DW revenge formula, eliminated the obligatory rape sequence, and ratcheted up the action. So what we have is a Death Wish picture more similar to "Murphy's Law" than any of the other films in the series. Of course Bronson's 80s films are often the butt of jokes (to those who remember them at all, that is) but I happen to enjoy them immensely--there's just something I dig about this charismatic, elderly guy running around shooting bad guys; I can't even explain it. If you dig the salt and pepper Bronson as well, then give DW4 a try.