StunnaKrypto Self-important, over-dramatic, uninspired.

Beystiman It's fun, it's light, [but] it has a hard time when its tries to get heavy.

Huievest Instead, you get a movie that's enjoyable enough, but leaves you feeling like it could have been much, much more.

Jerrie It's a good bad... and worth a popcorn matinée. While it's easy to lament what could have been...

chaos-rampant A husband has to take justice in his own hands, reluctantly at first, in the end comes to see the necessity. His wife has been brutalized by nasty gang-bangers in their own home, their little son torn to pieces; so we're made to feel for the necessity, we pore with interest over the ugly world where but for some dumb turn of chance it could happen to us and we'd be helpless to reason our way out of it in much the same way.It's a Death Wish scenario of course, almost a replica. The city must look believably grimy, they do it here. It's from the same filmmaker who had done Maniac a few years prior, he films here the same bleak New York, a meaningless violence roams the streets. The man must look stoic in the face of what he must do without enjoyment, they find one in Forester. The crime, the system that fails to do anything about it, these all upset in the usual way.So it works in a small way, leaving us to think that necessity is some kind of insight, it never is, but sheer determination carries it. The violence we've witnessed haunts and wants an outlet where it takes shape. Fred Williamson delivers a few seething speeches on how this is justice. It's okay.

Michael_Elliott Vigilante (1983) *** (out of 4) Working class Eddie Marino (Robert Forster) has his child killed and wife severely beaten by a group of thugs. He believes in the law so he allows the courts to handle it but the criminal gets off without any time so Eddie joins a vigilante group led by his friend (Fred Williamson) and goes out for revenge. It's funny but when DEATH WISH was released we got countless exploitation films about vigilantes and it must have felt like deja vu when DEATH WISH II made a ton of cash at the box office and then more rips came. I think it's same to say this movie was inspired by the DEATH WISH films but also various Italian crime movies from the 70s. If you're looking for art then I'd recommend staying away from this but if you like "B" exploitation movies and are a fan of the vigilante genre then you should eat this one up. This was Lustig's first movie after MANIAC so I was a little surprised to see how non-violent this thing was. Sure, we've got some blood and some shootings but the movie is pretty tame in terms of the violence and DEATH WISH II is a lot more graphic. The attack sequence here contains one big jump sequence that works extremely well and Lustig's direction handles it perfectly and builds up some nice suspense. Lustig's direction also works perfectly in the scenes inside the courtroom where we're witnessing the bad guy getting away with the crime. The way he gets away with it and how big of a jerk the judge is are both overblown to a point but the emotion is still there and effective. The film isn't one with a message and I don't think it's trying to say anything too deep. We've got a bunch of scumbags and Forster and Williamson are here to kill them. That's pretty much all the film offers and that's more than enough as both actors are good here in their roles. Forster is more laid back and calm but it mixes well with the tougher, more vocal Williamson. The supporting cast includes some familiar faces including Richard Bright (THE GODFATHER), Don Blakely (BRUBAKER) and Joe Spinell as the crooked lawyer. We even get Wood Strode is a very memorable and tough part. The film has a lot of weak points, including some very silly dialogue, but people aren't coming to this film and expecting CITIZEN KANE. They're expecting light entertainment and Lustig and company deliver just that. It's a fun way to kill 90-minutes so fans of the genre should enjoy it.

moonspinner55 Robert Forster, normally a very strong character actor, is lost at sea here cast as a New York family man seeking revenge on the thugs who murdered his son and attacked his wife in a home invasion. Scary subject matter exploited for cheapjack thrills in the "Death Wish" vein. It isn't difficult to scoff at these smarmy proceedings: the dialogue is full of howlers, the crime statistics are irrevocably dated, and the supporting characters are ridiculously over-written (particularly a despicable judge who allows an accused murderer to walk right out of the courtroom). Low-rent production is contemptible in its self-righteousness, especially as the violence in our cities has only increased. * from ****

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.