Death Wish V: The Face of Death - Kersey jumps the shark

I didn't even know 'Part 5' of the franchise existed until recently. 'Death Wish' 1 and 2 were regarded as the best of the series, but, seeing as I was a young (ish) boy at the time when I first discovered the saga, I always preferred 'Part III' in all its over-the-top glory.  Then the fourth installment came along and that was entertaining.  Yes, you had to suspend your disbelief to get into the mindset that - yet another - of one man's relatives has been violently murdered by the underworld, leading to him springing into equally-violent retribution (not to mention the fact that Charles Bronson's leading ladies seem to be getting successfully younger from film to film!).  Anyway, 'Part 4' was silly, entertaining fun that is definitely worth a watch.  My only hope for the final entry was to be more of the same.  It wasn't.

As much as I love (and take enjoyment) in all of its predecessors, I just couldn't really get into this one.  Whereas all the others seemed to at least try and 'one up' the previous entry, this one was just totally underwhelming.  If you thought Roger Moore was too old in those last few of his Bond films, Charles Bronson just looks laughable as the 'fearsome' vigilante, Paul Kersey.  If he wasn't quite so overweight it would be a start.  There's a random scene in the middle of the film where he has to run through a woods.  I say 'run,' but it's more like a 'breathless jog.' To make matters worse, one criminal even remarks [regarding Kersey] 'Damn, he's fast.' He really isn't.

Of course it wouldn't be a 'Death Wish' film without Kersey losing yet another person he holds dear.  You really wouldn't want to get into a relationship with him, as his latest lady-friend finds out.  Soon, she's dead (and that's hardly a spoiler when it comes to 'Death Wish' films!) and he has to take revenge on the organised mob.

Nothing too wrong with that premise (if a little unoriginal!), but, whereas he was out there blasting criminals from almost the off, here it takes him nearly half the movie to make his first kill.  And, for someone most famous for using guns, now he - mainly - uses elaborate traps and surprises to dispatch the guilty parties.

I wish I wasn't being so hard on these films.  I loved the first two.  The second two were great, mindless fun action films, but this one just shouldn't have been made.  It's a sad say when the remake starring Bruce Willis is actually a damn sight better than an entry in the original franchise.

5/10 a hard trek, a bit like unicycling to Mordor and back