Death Wish II

Brian Garfield, author of the original Death Wish novel, was so unhappy with the film version that he wrote his own sequel, Death Sentence. "They'd made a hero out of him", said Garfield. "I thought I'd shown that he'd become a very sick man."[4] The idea to produce a sequel to Death Wish (1974) originated with producers Menahem Golan and Yoram Globus, owners of Cannon Films. They reportedly announced their plans to do so prior to actually securing the rights to the franchise. Dino De Laurentiis, co-producer of the original film, threatened them with a lawsuit unless they properly purchased the rights. He negotiated payments for himself, co-producers Hal Landers and Bobby Roberts, and original author Brian Garfield. The agreement included future payments for each prospective sequel.[6]

In 1980, Cannon briefly hired Garfield to write an adaptation of his sequel to Death Wish, Death Sentence, in 1980. However, Golam and Globus did not want to use Garfield's book, preferring an original story by David Engelbach, Golan, and Hal Landers. After they purchased the rights to the first film from De Laurentiis they also purchased the rights to the characters of the novels from Garfield, meaning they could make a sequel without adapting the original novels. "We think our story is a better film story", said Golan.[4] "You cannot call a film exploitative just because it touches on disturbing issues", said Globus. "Both Death Wish films are a valid comment on American society... the theme of street violence getting out of control is sadly more of a fact of life than it was seven years ago."[4] Garfield later approved a separate adaptation without the character of Paul Kersey directed by James Wan in 2007.[7]

David Engelbach was then asked to write the screenplay. After he saw the final product, he was "somewhat appalled" how the film differed from his original script. His script didn't include any rape scenes, but those were included by Michael Winner to "get his rocks off". However, Engelbach argued that "serious issues - namely, the deteriorating state of our criminal justice system. The actions of the Bronson character are dictated by the inability of the police to prevent crime, the preoccupation of the courts with technical rather than real justice, and the cancerous climate of fear in which we find ourselves today. Paul Kersey is no hero. In his pursuit of vengeance he loses the only emotional relationship of his life and by story's end has become as much a victim of crime as the thugs he leaves dead in his wake".

Bronson was offered $1.5 million to reprise the role.[6] Jill Ireland was cast in the film because Bronson, her husband, insisted on it. She serves as both the love interest to Paul and the voice of opposition to the death penalty.[6] She was already offered a role in the film's predecessor, Death Wish (1974) but, Charles Bronson refused because he didn't want his wife humiliated and messed around with by the actors who played muggers. After she was hired for this film, Bronson wanted her character not to get raped or killed by the villains of the film. Cannon initially asked Golan to direct the film, but Bronson insisted on instead recruiting Michael Winner, the director of the original. Winner had suffered a downturn in his career since the mid-1970s, with no box-office hit since Death Wish. He agreed to return to the franchise and also took the initiative in revising Engelbach's script.[6] Winner recalled that De Laurentiis was having second thoughts about letting someone else produce the sequel and offered to hire him to do the film for his own production company. Winner refused, and De Laurentiis did not renege on his deal with Cannon. The producer, however, started work on a "clone" of the film. The final result was Fighting Back (1982).[6]

Winner said the sequel was pertinent because "mugging is now a bigger issue in America. It's spread to towns where it was not a problem before. In Beverly Hills, instead of talking about other people's failed movies – thank God, something has stopped them at last – they talk about their muggings."[8] The film introduced significant changes for the character of Paul. One involved his modus operandi as a vigilante. In the original film, Paul would shoot and kill every criminal in his vicinity. In the sequel, he is after five specific criminals who are responsible for the death of his daughter. His single-minded pursuit extends to ignoring other potential targets. He is seen to ignore most thieves, drug dealers, and one violent pimp.[6] Another change involves his abilities. In the first film, his activities as a vigilante rely only on his use of weapons. In the sequel, he is able to beat up men who are considerably younger than himself.[6] While casting the actors for the roles of the villains, Winner gave the actors playing the thugs a lot of creative leeway. They bought their own costumes, designed their own makeup and tested them out on passers-by to see how intimidating they'd look. Laurence Fishburne bought a pair of magician's gloves and waved his knife like a wand, while Kevyn Major Howard waxed his eyebrows and shaved the front of his head to make himself look like a snake. He even developed mannerisms like his insane laugh, slapping his head and twirling a baton from seeing a live drummer in a punk band.

Among the final revisions of the script was a change in location. The original script set the action in San Francisco, but the revision moved the setting to Los Angeles.[6] Winner said the film was "the same, but different", from the original. "That's what sequels are – Rocky II, Rocky III – you don't see Sylvester Stallone move to the Congo and become a nurse. Here the look of LA is what's different. Besides – rape doesn't date!"[4] Engelbach argued the film raised "serious issues – namely, the deteriorating state of our criminal justice system. The actions of the Bronson character are dictated by the inability of the police to prevent crime, the preoccupation of the courts with technical rather than real justice, and the cancerous climate of fear in which we find ourselves today. Paul Kersey is no hero. In his pursuit of vengeance, he loses the only emotional relationship of his life and by story's end has become as much a victim of crime as the thugs he leaves dead in his wake."[9]

Principal photography began on May 4, 1981, in Downtown Los Angeles and concluded on July 1, 1981, in San Pedro. Filming often lasted twelve hours a day in order to complete it before a Screen Actors Guild strike.[7] The film was shot on location and depicted actual "sleazy" areas of the city. Twenty off-duty men of the LAPD were hired to protect the film cast and crew from potential trouble.[6] A scene involving the abandoned and crumpling Hollywood Hotel was shot in an actual abandoned hotel months before it was demolished.[6] Several of the extras of the film were various locals who were hired to play a bit part or happened to be passing by during a shooting. Among them were drug addicts, a drag queen, Hare Krishnas, and bikers. All were included by the director in an attempt to get an authentic feel of the streets of Los Angeles.[6] Winner tried to keep the mood on the set lighthearted. "Just because a film is terrifying, that doesn't mean the people making it have to be grim", he said.[4] All of the filming happened in Los Angeles, California. Places like San Pedro, Ladera Heights and Hollywood were included.

Silvana Gallardo said the rape scene was "grueling" and took about six days to film. To prepare for the role, she talked to an actual rape victim.[10]

Cannon Films was able to sell distribution rights to several interested buyers. Theatrical rights in the United States and Canada were purchased by Filmways. The company had recently acquired American International Pictures, known for its exploitation films, and the film would fit right in with their library of genre films.[6] Columbia Pictures purchased the international distribution rights. Paramount Pictures purchased the television broadcast rights for the domestic market.[6] The film was originally intended for release around the Christmas of 1981. Filmways decided to postpone release until February 1982 to face a weaker competition for an audience. The film became the top-grossing film of its opening week.[6]

The film was first released on VHS and then on DVD. It was released for the first time on 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray in the U.S. on May 31, 2022 by Vinegar Syndrome.[11][12]

The film grossed $29 million in United States theaters, a rare box-office hit for the ailing Filmways. The company still ended 1982 with losses of $52.7 million. It was subsequently purchased by Orion Pictures.[6] Another account says it made $10 million in rentals.[13]

It made a $2 million profit for Cannon Films[14] and made an extra $29 million worldwide.

It has since earned further money at home and abroad through release for the video market. A poll for HBO noted Death Wish II to be higher in demand by paying viewers than Chariots of Fire (1981).[6]

Vincent Canby of The New York Times said it was "even more foolish, more tacky, and more self-righteously inhumane than the 1974 melodrama off which it has been spun" and "so lethargic that it fails even to provoke outrage." He particularly criticized the way the film essentially repeats the plot of the original, the contrived incompetence of the police characters, and Jill Ireland's unconvincing performance.[15] Roger Ebert gave it zero stars, noting that he reserves this rating solely for those very few films that are both "artistically inept and morally repugnant." Citing the lethargic tone of the acting and directing, the lack of plot, the lifeless dialogue, and the weak action sequences, he concluded, "while the first film convinced me of Bronson's need for vengeance, this one is just a series of dumb killings."[16] Variety called it "every bit as revolting as... the original".[17]

On Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds an approval rating of 33% based on 19 reviews, with an average rating of 3.58/10.[18] On Metacritic the film has a weighted average score of 11 out of 100, based on 7 critics, indicating "Overwhelming Dislike".[19]

The movie was nominated for a Stinkers Bad Movie Awards for Worst Picture.[20] The film was nominated for a Razzie Awards for Worst Musical Score.[21]