Death Wish II

It's difficult to decide here which appeals to the nastier of audience instincts, the rape or the retribution. But what is clear about this sequel is that its attitude to its death-dealing urban vigilante is now much less ambivalent. Where Death Wish 'persuaded' it s audience that its protagonist might be justified in his crusade, this takes popular support for granted, and even allows the stoic Bronson a certain relish in blowing away the LA street gang responsible for the rape and death of his teenage daughter (still recovering from the trauma of the 1974 story). Overall, it's as unstylish as anything Winner has put his name to.