Let's face it: if you have made it this far in the 'Death Wish' franchise, you are not watching this fourth sequel expecting Oscar worthy dialogue or three dimensional supporting characters. Chances are, the drawing factor is either Charles Bronson's on-screen presence, his creative killing methods, charismatic villains, or a combination of all three, and 'The Face of Death' delightfully has all three elements in spades. Considering his advanced age at the time, Bronson does well in the lead role with a genuine gleam in his eyes when taking out those who have wronged him. From cyanide sprinkled on cannoli, to choking in cling wrap, to a remote control soccer ball (!), Bronson also does his dirty business in highly inventive ways, and to top it off, Michael Parks is electric as the chief antagonist. The basic story admittedly recycles too much from previous entries for its own good with yet another wife/girlfriend attacked, yet another (surrogate) daughter in peril and yet another ineffective police force, but everything essentially works here since the focus is on the violence and the extent of the reign of terror from Parks and his underlings. The film also boasts lots of imaginative female attire with a couple of zany fashion shows in the mix. With some effective point-of-view camera- work in a hospital section, the film additionally has better technical credentials than one might expect given its reputation. Sure, 'The Face of Death' does not take the basic story in any real fresh or new directions, but what worked once before still suffices if one is in the mood.
Review of Death Wish: The Face of Death
