Scanialara You won't be disappointed!

Listonixio Fresh and Exciting

Chirphymium It's entirely possible that sending the audience out feeling lousy was intentional

Brendon Jones It’s fine. It's literally the definition of a fine movie. You’ve seen it before, you know every beat and outcome before the characters even do. Only question is how much escapism you’re looking for.

Red-Barracuda A vigilante group take it upon themselves to administer tough justice. An ordinary Joe called Eddie Marino disapproves but later changes his mind after a gang murder his son and assault his wife and then are subsequently let off by the courts.This William Lustig flick is a direct descendant of Death Wish and the Italian Poliziotteschis. It's a film that actively promotes vigilantism but in a similar way to how Dirty Harry promoted police brutality, no one should really take this too seriously. It's an exploitation crime thriller pure and simple, even if like the other vigilante movies from the time it clearly tapped into something relevant. Crime in urban cities was particularly terrible at the time and the law were not awfully effective in dealing with it. It does have to be admitted that the streets of New York featured in Vigilante look seriously nasty. This was a mean city alright.This is a pretty well made film of its type. The scope photography is pretty handsome. It also boasts a really good cast including Robert Forster, Fred Williamson and Woody Strode. The story is direct and simple with a decent enough pay off. There are absolutely no surprises here at all but sometimes more of the same is okay.

Scott LeBrun Director William Lustig followed up his classic "Maniac" with this equally potent thriller. Robert Forster offers an interesting, low key portrayal of Eddie Marino, a blue collar guy whose wife and son are savagely attacked by loathsome punks. When Eddie realizes that he cannot rely on the "justice" system - including a crooked defense attorney ("Maniac" star Joe Spinell, in an amusing cameo) and an incompetent judge (Vincent Beck), he finally takes a friend, Nick (Fred "The Hammer" Williamson), up on his offer to help clean up the streets. The tone is set up very well right away, as The Hammer addresses us all and delivers a monologue bemoaning the level of crime and violence in the modern world. One can indeed see that he and his associates, Ramon (Joseph Carberry) and Burke (Richard Bright), himself a former cop, don't necessarily ENJOY what they do, but see it as being necessary, stressing the basic human right to not have to live in fear. And Lustig and company pull no punches when it comes to the depravity of our antagonists' crimes, not being afraid to cross the line of what might constitute good taste. At the very least, the movie is decent, reasonably gripping entertainment that explores that oft visited theme of what the average person is capable of doing once they've finally been pushed too far. As in "Maniac", the use of the various NYC locations is excellent, and there are some great chase sequences and scenes of strong violence. The widescreen photography (it's cool that this movie was shot in the Panavision aspect ratio) is impressive; the haunting and catchy main theme by composer Jay Chattaway may very well stick in the viewer's head a while after the movie has ended. The good supporting cast is also a big help, featuring such performers as Rutanya Alda as Eddie's wife Vickie, Don Blakely as despicable lowlife Prago, salsa music legend Willie Colon as gang leader Rico, Carol Lynley as the ineffective district attorney, the awesome Woody Strode as imposing convict Rake, Frank Pesce as drug dealing scum "Blueboy", Peter Savage (to whom the movie is dedicated) as big shot gangster Mr. Stokes, and busy 80's action movie regular Steve James as Patrolman Gibbons. (Keep an eye out for the walk on by Lustig as he exits an elevator.) The Hammer is especially fun to watch in one of his best ever roles; overall, "Vigilante" is good of its kind and packs a pretty mean punch. Seven out of 10.

Scarecrow-88 William Lustig's follow-up to MANIAC concerns a blue-collar worker (Robert Forster) whose wife and child are attacked by a gang of punks (right out of John Carpenter's ASSAULT ON PRECINCT 13), with a crooked judge allowing one of them (the one who knifed the wife) off without time served. Instead, Forster is sentenced to 30 days in prison (Rikers, presented as if Hell behind bars) for trying to strangle the judge (and rightfully so) while his co-workers (led by Fred "The Hammer" Williamson) have formed a vigilante trio after the head honcho behind the drugs trafficking to teenagers on his street. When Forster gets out of prison he wants revenge on those who have wronged him, joining up with Williamson and his men.This movie is essentially Lustig's DEATH WISH; Forster stepping into the Bronson Paul Kersey role. Williamson is one cool customer, though, and the New York locations offer flavor, grit, and color heightening the action scenes and adding potency to the subject matter. While not exactly a nightmarish wasteland as the city Bronson must contend with in DEATH WISH III, New York City sure seems dangerous enough through Lustig's lens. Nothing original and Forster, while getting revenge on the main culprits behind his loss (his son is shot-gun blast with the killer chased by Forster in Lustig's own French Connection street car chase, Forster's wife leaving him because of her trauma), doesn't necessarily get as even on the entire group of the Headhunters as Kersey did in DEATH WISH II. The film features plenty of use of blood squibs as one scene shows the Headhunters gang opening fire (with machine guns) on a patrol car, blowing away two policemen, with Williamson shot-gun blasting a wealthy drug supplier masquerading as an Italian businessman. Woody Strode has a cameo as a prisoner in Rikers who saves Forster from a shower room rape, certain to elicit applause—he leaves more of an impression with a few minutes than many do with two hours. Williamson's charisma alone adds value to this movie, even if it does cover familiar ground. Joe Spinell has another memorable supporting part as an oily attorney who seems to be in cahoots with the judge, both willing to use the courts to get scumbags off if they can afford them.

The-Mighty-Vindicator A rough, raw film with The Best opening scene/speech of all films I have seen. You gotta see it. Fred (with a manly beard) Williamson rebuking and motivating the apathetic and down-trodden souls. Man with a vision - a man of action.The things I like about this movie are the raw realism - one can identify with the pain and suffering and initial reluctance on the part of the lead actor to join with the visionary vigilantes - until something happens to them personally.The corruption and unrighteous judgments in the court system are legendary and this facet of life in America is not left out - to this film's credit and a rebuke to so many other movies that leave loose ends hanging around to do more damage.A classic vigilante movie, actually better than Death Wish I think. Add it to your collection.