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Death Sentence [2007]
RRP: £19.99
Our Price: £1.90 (subject to change)
EXPLOITATION - BUT GOOD!!!!
Review date: 2008-10-14 Rating: 8 out of 10
Basically, this IS a Death Wish for this decade - but it's still a cracking B movie, with an A budget!
It's tense, gripping and edgy with good performances and assured direction. There are some good set pieces including a brilliantly shot/edited chase on foot, and culminating in an extremeley violent shoot out, reminiscent of Taxi Driver (excellent FX as hands & legs are blown off). Kevin Bacon even descends into full Travis Bickle mode!
Something about this film reminds me of the underrated 1993 picture, Judgement Night - I guess it's the inner city locations and the criminal gang characters are similiar, reminding me of Hardcore Metal act, Biohazard.
A great little cameo role from John Goodman, as a sleazy gun dealer - yet again, reminiscent of Taxi Driver in the lurid close ups of various handguns.
Basically, forget Oscars, if you fancy a brutal, gory, revenge thriller with a modern, urban edge that's unashamedly Right Wing, this is the pic for you.
Good action scenes, with bullet time visuals refreshingly absent!!!
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Reviews
GOOD THRILLER EVEN THOUGH PLOT IS DEATH WISH FAMILIAR
Review date: 2008-08-17 Rating: 8 out of 10
One can argue whether this is a Death Wish copycat plot ot not, but the fact is this film delivers a very good violent thriller that keeps you hooked and on the edge of your seat to the end. Not many thillers can achieve that in our household now adays but Death Sentence did. The story is familar, family man has a child killed by a gang of thugs and seeks revenge, but the similarities with Death Wish are not that strong as the film develops it's only plot which are times didn't seem that plausiable. Kevein Bacon playes the part very, very well and you really live every emotion with him.
However.. the plot does take a turn in the middle of the film, which I think was a mistake and took the shine off the second half. Never the less Death Sentence is a good saturday night violent thriller, that will have your heart acheing with grief and excitement at the revenge killings. If a movie can deliver that then it's gotta be worth a shot.
BACON IS NOT BRONSON!
Review date: 2008-08-05 Rating: 2 out of 10
DEATH SENTENCE has about a dozen plot holes and unrealistically staged action scenes. If the film were any good this could be overlooked. But it isn't so. In addition to that the acting is poor. Most of the film is a terrible bore, all attempts to boost it up with over-the-top action scenes utterly fail - bad directing? Hard to tell, since EVERYTHING is bad even the unsatisfying finale.
BUY THE DEATH WISH SERIES INSTEAD - BRONSON'S THE REAL VIGILANTE AND TWICE THE MAN THAN THIS WHIMP BACON!
unsure that it hasn't been done before
Review date: 2008-07-19 Rating: 6 out of 10
I was looking forward to this, after the awful 'Stir of Echoes' that i watched recently with Kevin Bacon I was hoping I'd be in for a treat with this film, for the blurb on the back of the DVD really appealed to me. However maybe my estimations of films are going down rapidly year by year for this film pretty much did nothing to me. Yes I admit, the storyline was a great idea, although after watching 'Dead Man's Shoes' I did find many similarities between the two. Kevin Bacon's character simply irritated me however and I spent most of the film annoyed by his somewhat brutal behaviour. I rated it three because I liked the idea of the story, but I won't give it any higher because its not worthy of it!!
A film that leaves you with 'that feeling'
Review date: 2008-06-19 Rating: 10 out of 10
I saw this movie in a local store, never heard of it before, read the back of the DVD and thought I'd give it a go, glad I did!!
From start to finish this film leaves you on edge, wondering what is going to happen next, parts of the film are quite graphic, and left me with a lump in my throat.
At two points through this movie I considered stopping it, not because I didn't like it, but simply because of the suspense, and the fear of what could happen next.
I am not a light hearted viewer, my usual genre is horror, and can sit through most graphic scenes with ease. However, this movie has something about it, it creates an atmosphere that hits you right where it should.
I highly recommend this DVD, but I don't recommend watching it before bed, you may have difficulty getting it out of your head.
Product Details/Specifications
Actor(s):
Kevin Bacon
Kelly Preston
John Goodman
Leigh Whannell
Garrett Hedlund
Creators:
Kevin Bacon (Primary Contributor)
Garrett Hedlund (Primary Contributor)
Director(s):
Recording label: Entertainment in Video
Manufacturer: Entertainment in Video
EAN: 5017239195235
Binding: DVD
Number of items: 1
Format: PAL,
Release date: 2008-01-21
Audience rating: Suitable for 18 years and over
Region code: 2
Running time: 105 minutes