Death Wish II (1982)

Architect Paul Kersey once again becomes a vigilante when he tries to find the five street punks who murdered his daughter and housekeeper, this time on the dark streets of Los Angeles.

Director:

Michael Winner

Writers:

David Engelbach, Brian Garfield (characters)

Stars:

Charles Bronson, Jill Ireland, Vincent Gardenia

2 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Charles Bronson	...	Paul Kersey
Jill Ireland	...	Geri Nichols
Vincent Gardenia	...	Det. Frank Ochoa
J.D. Cannon	...	New York D.A.
Anthony Franciosa	...	Herman Baldwin
Ben Frank	...	Inspector Lt. Mankiewicz
Robin Sherwood	...	Carol Kersey
Silvana Gallardo	...	Rosario
Robert F. Lyons	...	Fred McKenzie
Michael Prince	...	Elliott Cass
Drew Snyder	...	Deputy Comm. Hawkins
Paul Lambert	...	New York Police Comm.
Thomas F. Duffy	...	Nirvana (as Thomas Duffy)
Kevyn Major Howard	...	Stomper
Stuart K. Robinson	...	Jiver

Storyline

Paul Kersey, the vigilante, now lives in LA with his daughter, who is still recovering from her attack. He also has a new woman in his life. One day while with them, Kersey is mugged by some punks, Kersey fights back, but they get away. The leader, wanting to get back at Kersey, goes to his house, but Kersey and his daughter Carol are not there. The muggers rape his housekeeper, and when Kersey and his daughter arrive, they knock him out and kidnap her. After they assault her, she leaps out of a window to her death. Kersey then grabs his gun and goes after them. When the LA authorities, deduce they have a vigilante, they decide to consult with New York, who had their vigilante problem. Now the New York officials, knowing that Kersey lives in LA, fears that he's back to his old habit. Fearing that Kersey, when caught will reveal that they let him go instead of prosecuting him send Inspector Ochoa to make sure that doesn't happen.

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Plot Keywords:

rape | prostitute | woman in jeopardy | vigilante | female rear nudity | 

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Taglines:

First His Wife. Now His Daughter. It's Time To Even The Score!

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Genres:

Action | Crime | Drama | Thriller

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Certificate:

R

Details

Official Sites:

MGM

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

19 February 1982 (USA)

Also Known As:

Death Wish 2

Filming Locations:

Angelus-Rosedale Cemetery - 1831 W. Washington Boulevard, Los Angeles, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$2,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$1,871,487, 7 March 1982, Limited Release

Gross USA:

$16,100,000

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$45,000,000

Company Credits

Production Co:

City Films, Golan-Globus Productions, Landers-Roberts Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

89 min 91 min (unrated)

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

This movie is set during 1981 according to information presented in Death Wish 4: The Crackdown (1987).

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Goofs

At the final fight in the hospital with the villain, at one point you can clearly recognize Bronson's stunt double who looks completely different apart from the moustache.

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Quotes

Paul Kersey: Where's my wallet?
Jiver: I ain't got it!

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Alternate Versions

The original UK cinema and video versions were extensively cut by BBFC head James Ferman (to the fury of Michael Winner). 3 minutes 42 seconds were removed from the rape of Rosario the housemaid and a minor edit was made to the rape of Carol by Cutter. Although 19 secs of cuts were reinstated for the 2005 video release (the R-rated US release was submitted) the film was then cut again in 2006, losing a further 27 seconds of 'sexual and sexualized violence'.

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Connections

Referenced in Zeg 'ns Aaa: Eventjes dan (1988)

User Reviews

Charles Bronson's wooden Indian performance and director Michael Winner's crude technique sinks repellent 'Death Wish' sequel

Charles Bronson returns as the architect-turned-vigilante who takes up his gun again. This time he's in Los Angeles stalking a street gang after they brutally raped and murdered his daughter (Robin Sherwood) and maid (Silvana Gallardo).

Repellent sequel has Bronson in his wooden Indian performance who is no longer convincing as in the 1974 hit, but a man on a mission to kill making him no better than the thugs that he dispatches. Director Michael Winner's technique is twice as crude as he goes to the extreme with more mindless violence (especially towards defenseless women), more blood, more dead bodies, and more graphic rape scenes (one of them pushed beyond its limits). Jimmy Page (guitarist for Led Zeppelin) composed the awful score. Compared to the following sequels and countless imitations, this one is pretty bad. Vincent Gardenia, Jill Ireland (Bronson's second wife), and Laurence Fishburne (as a thug!) also star.

My evaluation: NO STARS