10 to Midnight

'I remember when legal meant lawful' mutters cop Bronson, 'Now it means some kind of loophole'. Bronson's had a case thrown out of court after he's forced to admit that he planted evidence on a psychopathic murderer (Davis) too smart to leave any of his own. The psycho's release puts Bronson back in his Death Wish shoes. The producers have made it clear that the movie isn't intended to be a mere vigilante thriller, but rather a film that questions the law as regards insanity pleas. Smokescreen. For all its emotional blackmail, it's nothing more than a brutal reiteration of the most basic macho values, and one that leaves a nasty aftertaste.