On this day, February 19, 1982, Death Wish II premiered in theaters, bringing Charles Bronson back as vigilante Paul Kersey in the sequel to the controversial 1974 classic. Directed by Michael Winner, the film intensified the themes of street justice and revenge, doubling down on the gritty action that made the original a cult hit.
In Death Wish II, Kersey has relocated to Los Angeles, hoping to leave his violent past behind. However, when his housekeeper is murdered, and his daughter is assaulted and kidnapped by a ruthless gang, Kersey once again takes the law into his own hands. Armed and unrelenting, he hunts down the criminals responsible, escalating the film’s brutal, revenge driven narrative.
The film grossed $16.1 million at the box office against an $8 million budget, proving that audiences were still drawn to Kersey’s brand of justice. While Death Wish II was criticized for its extreme violence, it became a staple of 80s action cinema and spawned several more sequels in the franchise.
80s insight: The film’s soundtrack was composed by Jimmy Page of Led Zeppelin, making it one of the few movie scores he worked on after the band disbanded.
In Death Wish II, Kersey has relocated to Los Angeles, hoping to leave his violent past behind. However, when his housekeeper is murdered, and his daughter is assaulted and kidnapped by a ruthless gang, Kersey once again takes the law into his own hands. Armed and unrelenting, he hunts down the criminals responsible, escalating the film’s brutal, revenge driven narrative.
The film grossed $16.1 million at the box office against an $8 million budget, proving that audiences were still drawn to Kersey’s brand of justice. While Death Wish II was criticized for its extreme violence, it became a staple of 80s action cinema and spawned several more sequels in the franchise.
80s insight: The film’s soundtrack was composed by Jimmy Page of Led Zeppelin, making it one of the few movie scores he worked on after the band disbanded.
