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It's risky business getting close to architect-turned-vigilante Paul Kersey (Charles Bronson), whose family and friends all seem to have a drastically reduced life expectancy. 1987's Death Wish 4: The Crackdown is the third sequel to 1974's Death Wish, and it is more or less what one would expect from the fourth entry in an '80s action franchise. Although more watchable than Death Wish II, Death Wish 4 is not a patch on the enormously enjoyable third film or the solid original movie which started it all. Clocking in at a rather beefy 100 minutes (the longest in the series), Death Wish 4 does deliver from an action standpoint, but the franchise's central conceit has grown both tired and repetitive, and there is no longer any trace of the underlying themes which elevated the first movie above pure exploitation. Nevertheless, while this sequel is too predictable and by-the-numbers to make much of an impact, Bronson fans should enjoy the action sequences and droll humour.
Now that Kersey's entire family has been wiped out (with the notable exception of his stepson who curiously disappeared after the original film), each sequel must introduce new loved ones who are lined up and slaughtered to bring out his vigilante instincts. Returning to Los Angeles, Kersey is now dating attractive thirtysomething reporter Karen Sheldon (Kay Lenz), who has a teenage daughter named Erica (Dana Barron). They all live together happily, but this would not be another Death Wish sequel unless solace is shattered. Erica dies of a drug overdose, and, in retaliation, Paul seeks to punish L.A.'s major drug dealers. Kersey receives financial support in the form of the wealthy Nathan White (John P. Ryan), who is likewise determined to avenge the drug-related death of his own daughter. White hires Kersey to kill the key players within two rival drug dealing organisations in order to instigate a war between them. Of course, the police get involved with some reluctance, but are utterly useless in the grand scheme of things.
The original Death Wish effectively spoke about the urban crime epidemic of the 1970s, but the sequels substituted this thematic relevance with mindless bloodletting and exploitative action. Death Wish 4: The Crackdown continues this tradition; it's expectedly thin on plot but thick on action. Written by Gail Morgan Hickman (Murphy's Law), this instalment admittedly attempts timely themes relating to the dangers of drug since Kersey targets drug dealers as opposed to street punks, but it lacks the gritty realism and thoughtfulness required to send home a clear message. It does not help that the drug trade is simplified to just a handful of key players for Kersey to kill. Indeed, the makers of Death Wish 4 were primarily interested in a pure vigilante fantasy, while everything else is just insignificant window dressing. Furthermore, the script is filled with laughable contrivances, unclear motivations and one-dimensional characterisations. Kersey is now more of an assassin as opposed to a straight-up vigilante, and Death Wish 4 consequently feels closer to a sequel to Bronson's The Mechanic.
Bronson was reportedly displeased with the experience of shooting Death Wish 3, which led to the end of his creative partnership with director Michael Winner. Replacing him is J. Lee Thompson, whose prior credits include Cape Fear and The Guns of Navarone, as well as such Bronson movies as 10 to Midnight and The Evil That Men Do. The series' production company, Cannon Films, was verging on bankruptcy during the production of Death Wish 4, leading to reduced budgets. Therefore, despite the success of the Death Wish franchise, this entry was produced for a scant $5 million sum, of which $4 million reportedly constituted Bronson's salary. Thus, Thompson's work is visibly marred by budgetary restraints and a hastened shooting schedule, with basic camera set-ups as well as obvious technical goofs. A body falling off a building in one scene is clearly a dummy, for example, and an explosion in a bar looks obviously superimposed. The action sequences admittedly remain entertaining despite a lack of nail-biting tension, but one has to overlook certain contrivances to enjoy them. For instance, assailants with a clear shot at Kersey always delay pulling the trigger, giving the protagonist a chance to notice their position and shoot first. Furthermore, Cannon Films apparently could not afford to fund a complete new score, and therefore a bulk of the music was recycled from the Chuck Norris movies Invasion U.S.A. and Missing in Action.
The aging Charles Bronson is certainly no spring chicken here, but he does deliver some great tough guy dialogue, and fans who enjoy his on-screen persona should have fun watching him playing Kersey again. Despite his age, Bronson is still a believable badass, handling the requirements of the role with ease. Since Bronson was apparently allotted 80% of the budget, none of the other actors manage to make much of an impact, and character names barely stick. Both Danny Trejo (Machete) and Mitch Pileggi (The X-Files) appear in minor roles for all of a few minutes each (in the early days of their respective careers), while Dana Barron is recognisable due to her appearance as Audrey Griswold in the original National Lampoon's Vacation.
As long as you disable your brain before viewing and temper your expectations, Death Wish 4: The Crackdown is a serviceable instalment in the Death Wish franchise. No matter its flaws, it's still enjoyable to behold an idiosyncratic product of the 1980s, with blank-firing weapons, real flames and practical blood squibs, before digital effects became so prevalent. Moreover, it's hard not to get a kick out of Bronson blowing up the villain with a freaking M203 grenade launcher. It's preposterous, yes, but this is still a fun big-screen cartoon. Death Wish 4 foundered at the box office, but it was a huge hit on home video, selling millions of VHS cassettes. This ensured that one more sequel would come along (seven years later) to round out the franchise: 1994's Death Wish V: The Face of Death.
5.8/10
