Death Wish V: The Face of Death

Death Wish V: The Face of Death

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Death Wish V: The Face of Death
Theatrical release poster
Directed by	Allan A. Goldstein
Produced by	Damian Lee
Screenplay by	Allan A. Goldstein
Story by	Michael Colleary Allan A. Goldstein
Based on	characters created by Brian Garfield
Starring	Charles Bronson Lesley-Anne Down Michael Parks Robert Joy Saul Rubinek
Music by	Terry Plumeri
Cinematography	Curtis Petersen
Editing by	Patrick Rand
Distributed by	21st Century Film Corporation (Distributor) Trimark Pictures/Lionsgate (VHS/DVD Release) MGM Home Entertainment/Sony Pictures Entertainment (Australian DVD Distributors)
Release date(s)	January 14, 1994 (1994-01-14) (USA)
Running time	95 mins.
Country	United States
Language	English
Box office	$1,702,394 (USA)

Death Wish V: The Face of Death is a 1994 action thriller film, and the fifth installment in the Death Wish series. It features Charles Bronson, who reprises his role as Paul Kersey in his final theatrical starring role. In the film, Kersey battles mobsters as he tries to protect his girlfriend (played by Lesley-Anne Down) from her ex-husband, mob boss Tommy O'Shea (Michael Parks).

Death Wish V: The Face of Death was produced by 21st Century Film Corporation, a company established by Menahem Golan after Cannon Films' bankruptcy. It was shot in Toronto and helmed by Canadian director Allan Goldstein. Steve Carver was originally going to direct until the producers planned to cut the budget.

Contents  [show]  1 Plot 2 Cast 3 Reception 4 References 5 External links

Plot[edit]

This article's plot summary may be too long or excessively detailed. Please help improve it by removing unnecessary details and making it more concise. (March 2010)

Paul Kersey (Charles Bronson) returns to New York City under the name Paul Stewart. He is invited by girlfriend Olivia Regent (Lesley-Anne Down) to a fashion show. Backstage, mobster Tommy O’Shea (Michael Parks) and his goons muscle in on the action. Tommy then threatens Olivia, who is his ex-wife and mother to their daughter Chelsea (Erica Lancaster).

Olivia later informs Paul of her ex-husband's behavior after he finds bruises on her hand. Paul proceeds to confront him, but Tommy points a gun at Paul's face. The confrontation ends with the arrival of Chelsea.

NYPD officers Tony Hoyle (Saul Rubinek) and Hector Vasquez (Miguel Sandoval) visit Stewart's home. Paul Stewart is revealed to be Paul Kersey in the Witness Protection Program. He informs them about Tommy O’Shea. Hoyle says they have been trying to nab Tommy for years, and he wants Olivia to testify.

That night at a restaurant, Paul proposes to Olivia, who accepts. Olivia excuses herself to go to the ladies room and is attacked by Tommy’s associate, Freddie "Flakes" Garrity (Robert Joy), who in an attempt to prevent her testimony bashes her head on a mirror, causing permanent disfigurement to her face.

Freddie escapes, although Paul gets a look at him. At the hospital, where Paul is told Olivia will need reconstructive surgery, he talks with Lt. Mickey King (Kenneth Welsh), who has been working on the O’Shea case for 16 years. Paul is angry but is warned by King not to pick up his old habits and to let the police handle it.

Tommy escalates the violence, killing several people including female police officer Janice Omori (Lisa Inoue). Paul and Olivia are attacked by Freddie, who ends up shooting Olivia in the back (thus killing her) as the couple tries to escape. She becomes the fourth of Paul's five love interests in the series to be murdered by gang members.

Tommy is "cleared" of involvement in his ex-wife’s death and seeks custody of their daughter. This sets the stage for a fight between Paul and Tommy, one that leaves Paul unconscious. He decides to return to his vigilante ways and is later assisted by Hoyle, who learns his department has been corrupted by Tommy.

Tommy hires three thugs, Frankie (Scott Spidell), Mickey (Tim MacMenamin), and Angel (Sandro Limotta), to take care of Paul, using Chelsea as bait. Paul rescues her. Lt. King is wounded by Tommy.

Tommy tries to persuade Paul to spare him by saying "Whatever you want, whatever you need, it's yours." Paul quickly responds with "I don't need anything, but you need a bath." Paul then finally manages to kill Tommy by knocking him into the pool of acid. He rejoins Chelsea, calling out to the injured King, "Hey Lieutenant, if you need any help, give me a call" while Paul walks toward the 'lightened' hallway.

Cast[edit]

• Charles Bronson as Paul Kersey
• Lesley-Anne Down as Olivia Regent
• Michael Parks as Tommy O'Shea
• Robert Joy as Freddie "Flakes" Garrity
• Saul Rubinek as Tony Hoyle
• Kenneth Welsh as King
• Erica Lancaster as Chelsea
• Chuck Shamata as Sal Paconi
• Kevin Lund as Chuck Paconi
• Melissa Illes as Runway Model
• Jefferson Mappin as Albert

Reception[edit]

Death Wish V received mainly negative reviews from critics and was a box office failure. Many fans of the previous four Death Wish films considered this sequel the poorest of the series.^[1][2] The film currently holds a two star rating (4.2/10) on IMDb.