#16: Death Wish II

Release Date: February 12th, 1982

Format: Streaming (Max)

Written by: David Engelbach

Directed by: Michael Winner

1 Star

To recap my Death Wish journey thus far: I started with DW3 (which I think is an all-time great “bad” movie that transcends into being genuinely fun for repeat viewings). I then moved on to DW4 (a great ‘80s exploitation movie that is competently directed and also, fun). Next came DW1 (this one is not fun as it is grossly violent, but it does work as a gritty and affecting exploitation movie). 

I gave all three of these Death Wish movies 3 stars, for various reasons. I like them. 

I did not like Death Wish II. It stinks. It’s lazy. It’s ugly. There’s really not much else to say about it.

I guess my takeaway with the first four Death Wishes - yes, there is a fifth I still need to get to - is that Michael Winner is a hack director. He’s derivative (DW1), talentless (DWII), and at times so in over his head that he just closes his eyes, swings for the fences, and out of pure luck hits a grandslam (DW3). DW4 is the best overall movie in the series, when the direction is handed over to another veteran director, J. Lee Thompson. 

Is Death Wish the only series ever that bottoms out in the second movie and then ascends from there? Clearly I need to watch DW5 and find out.