Harry Brown Review
By David Kempler
Death Wish, British Style
Michael Caine is Charles Bronson, in "Death Wish VI". No, no, it's not "Death Wish VI", it's called "Harry Brown". It only plays like the latest installment of the "Death Wish" series.
Harry Brown (Caine) is faced with similar problems that plagued Bronson's character in the "Death Wish" franchise: punks are running the streets and the cops are incompetent buffoons that are both unable to stop the violence and not all that concerned about the daily terror that citizens are forced to endure. The biggest difference is that this time the setting is England instead of America.
The opening scene of "Harry Brown" explodes in an absolutely frenetic way that immediately throws us back in our chairs, recoiling in fear and terror. It's an absolutely brilliant beginning that leaves us breathless.
Harry is an elderly gent that lives alone in a large apartment building where young thugs rule the roost. A simple walk outside leaves the residents vulnerable to the gangs that roam like packs of desperately hungry wolves. Anyone who crosses their path is fair game.
Harry and his chum, Leonard (David Bradley), are hanging in the local pub, but even here, in what used to be a place for buddies to drink and play darts, the punks and druggies are always present. Leonard confesses to Harry that he is tired of living like this. His entire existence is now spent fearing for his safety. When Leonard decides to take revenge on his tormentors, the plot is under way and everything takes on the feel of a runaway locomotive. The violence spirals in all directions.
The first third or so pulsates, especially that first scene, but during the middle it sags a bit, perhaps feeling the fatigue of the crazy pace. Near the end, there is a nice twist that was very reminiscent of "The Warriors", Walter Hill's sci-fi gang epic, but the excitement and tension of the first act is never completely recaptured. This Harry isn't quite as dirty as Eastwood's, but he's no choir boy, either.
