Death Wish 5: The Face of Death (DVD, 1999, Digitally Mastered)

I love the first Death Wish sequels, but lets face it...they were trashy entertainment. They had little plot (basically shoot the hell out of scum), they portrayed unenthusiastic performances by supporting cast, they had characters that you didn't care about, silly love interests for Bronson, and paltry directing. All this is what actually made those films so much fun. You won't exactly get that with Death Wish 5. The filmmakers actually seem to have tried to make a decent film with this sequel. The villains seem to have more depth and there's actually a plot. It try's to develop characters you care about, though it doesn't quite succeed on some levels. What I found amazing is that Bronson's love interest is actually somewhat believeable, unlike in Death Wish 3 & 4 which it was more laughable. I actually found myself very surprised by this film, in a good way. You could say that Death Wish 5, should I dare say, is the best Death Wish sequel. Though I said best, it does not mean most entertaining. Death Wish 5 may have the most developed plot, better acting, and overall better filmmaking than its predecessors, but the first sequels are actually more entertaining. You can't beat the final shout-out in Death Wish 3 or the roller rink ending to Death Wish 4. That's pure entertainment! So in conclusion, Death Wish 5 is not your average Death Wish sequel. This could be a good or a bad thing. If you absolutely love the other Death Wish sequels and think they are the best films ever made; you may not like this one. But if you, like me, love the other Death Wish films for what they are and are able to accept change, then you will find Death Wish 5 to your much liking.

TRIVIA: The original VHS release portrayed the title DEATH WISH V: THE FACE OF DEATH on the box art and in the film itself. The newer DVD release has the "V" removed from the title so now the film and box art portray DEATH WISH: THE FACE OF DEATH. Why Vidmark Entertainment removed the "V", we may never now.