It Died a while Back
Life is going well for Paul Kersey (Charles Bronson) having become engaged to fashion designer Olivia Regent (Lesley-Anne Down) and become like a father to her daughter from her first marriage. The trouble is that Olivia's husband is mobster Tommy O'Shea (Michael Parks) and he is using the fashion industry to launder money and using extreme violence on anyone who stands in his way, going as far as hiring the vicious Freddie 'Flakes' (Robert Joy) to mess Olivia up. Having gone to the authorities and found them toothless Paul decides that once again he is going to have to take matters in to his own hands if he is going to rid his life of Tommy and his heavies.
The "Death Wish" movies were built around a simple formula; Paul Kersey was a mild mannered man but for some reason always found trouble following him with loved ones ending up hurt which after the police end up being useless he decides to take matters in to his own hands and kick some serious butt. That is it and whilst each movie had a storyline which was created so in this case we have Paul's girlfriend's gangster ex causing death and destruction you know that the movie is more about the violence of people dying, Bronson kicking butt and some gratuitous nudity because frankly it is expected.
The thing is when you come to "Death Wish V: The Face of Death" the formula is as tired as Charles Bronson is looking and despite being a fan of Bronson he was past his best by the time he made this. What it sadly means is that this fifth movie in the series ends up not about what happens or about the acting but about the action and in fairness there are some spectacular action scenes in this movie, some a bit too over the top but none the less still entertaining especially when you remember this was made in the time of stunt men and women rather than CGI effects.
What this all boils down to is that "Death Wish V: The Face of Death" is entertaining in part, well the action is entertaining. But beyond that the formula had run its course and now was tired and a little sad looking.
