DeathWish III
Bronson, playing Paul Kersey is back in New York for the first time in
ten years (since DeathWish I). He aims to visit his
Korean War buddy Charlie, an old inhabitant of an Eastern New York City
housing project. As Kersey arrives to Charlie's complex he finds his buddy
well beaten who then says a few words and dies hilariously. The cops finally
show up and arrest Kersey for murder since he's in the apartment. They
take him in and he speaks to the police chief where Kersey demands, "I
want a lawyer." The chief answers profoundly, "No you don't." He continually
calls Kersey "dude" for no apparent reason. He then throws Kersey in the
station's jail. This is no ordinary jail as Kersey will soon find out.
Ordinary jail's are for short-term storage so usually no one knows anyone
inside as would be expected in a prison. Not the case in this jail. It's
got all the power structure among inmates of a prison. Here Kersey encounters
many "creeps", and he get's beaten by their jail's tough-guy head honcho
who's been described in the words of critic Joe Bob Briggs as a Swedish
homosexual gangster. They are quickly broken up and the thug leader is
released on bail where he says, "I'll kill a little old lady for you."
When he's released the crime that's plagued the area he and his gang torment
continues to increase. It's clear the NYPD can't cut it so the chief, who
knows of Kersey's past, tells Kersey he's going to help him clean up the
east side. Of course Kersey hasn't much choice since he was never held
accountable for the events of DeathWish I. On the way out of jail Kersey
meets a young defense attorney, Miss Davis. She insists on Kersey pressing
charges for his poor treatment, but he refuses. Kersey then goes back to
the scene of the crime where he meets Bennett, Charlie's best friend. Bennett
informs Kersey of the gang and of whom killed Charlie. He also gives Kersey
Charlie's apartment since the rent is paid for the rest of the month. The
next day, Kersey buys a car and later that night he, Bennett and their
new Jew friend Eli and his wife, have dinner at Eli's home. During dinner
Kersey hears trouble so naturally he goes out and shoots two creeps who
are looting his car.
Later, Bronson receives the gun he ordered in the mail. I like to call
it the elephant gun since it's so ridiculously large. Other than it's mammoth
size, it is just like any other hand gun though. He shows it to Bennett
and ensures him that now the criminals are in trouble. One day Kersey sees
an old lady get her purse stolen by "the running thief" a.k.a. "the
Giggler". This runner works by casually walking up to a victim, taking
their purse or other easy item, and running away as fast as he can. Bronson
feels he needs to put a stop to this injustice, so he sets forth with a
camera drapped around his shoulder from his apartment. He goes to an ice
cream store, picks up a cone and waits outside to be victimized. When the
running thief takes his camera, Bronson pulls out his elephant gun and
fires one shot casually before walking away clearly satisfied. After clearing
out some more petty criminals, Kersey decides he needs to take care of
his arch rival, the jail gang leader who's still tormenting him. He gets
Bennett and others to help stockpile hardcore war weapons including Bennett's
favorite, a huge automatic machine gun. One day the jail leader and his
cronies are after Bennett and start climbing up the fire escape to his
apartment. I believe this where the funniest part of the movie is. All
the gangsters are brandishing weapons (chains, bats, etc.) and one of the
creeps is actually shaking a plunger as a weapon toward Bennett. He gets
out the machine gun with the intent to mow down several of the dozens who
were after him. He goes out on the escape and loads it striking fear into
all of them who run in terror. About ten seconds later when they realize
the gun isn't working, they turn around in unison and go beat him up. Kersey
visits him in the hospital and gets very ticked off at these creeps. This
is when you know it's gotten personal and he will get even. Now a ghetto
war begins and the already downtrodden neighborhood turns into an all out
Bosnian war front where there is no commerce of any kind, and no productive
citizens, but just constant war. After the war starts, Kersey takes care
of several people in it and after hours of gunfire the police finally show
up. Kersey escapes harm as the chief knows of what's going on and Kersey
gets ready for DeathWish IV.
DeathWish I DeathWish II
DeathWish III DeathWish IV
DeathWish V
DeathWish Page The
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