Leofwine_draca Another superior slice of Italian crime, once again teaming director Enzo G. Castellari and star Franco Nero to good effect after their successful previous collaboration on HIGH CRIME. REVENGE is a straightforward tale of violent thugs, an insufficient police force, and one just man out for revenge. As is mostly the case with Italian "polizia" flicks from the 1970s, it's not the plot that's important here, which is good because this particular vigilante-themed exercise in blood and bullets is no different from dozens of others made over the years. What makes REVENGE special is the effort that both the star and director put into the movie; this may not be Castellari's very best film but it's certainly up there with his better movies.As is generally the case with the director's movies, the film has some fine editing and photography, and makes great use of slow motion during the various staged action sequences. Every penny of the budget is put to good use, making for one slick, exciting, and often gripping adventure. REVENGE also takes care to build up characterisation of the lead characters, sometimes at the expense of putting more action into the film, but the pay off works as star Franco Nero gets a meaty and interesting character to explore. His Carlo Antonelli is an everyday guy with strict moral upbringings, who has always been taught that the only way to save face is to battle dangers head on. Therefore, after being humiliated, beaten, and robbed by the gang of crooks, he can't let the crime slip from his mind and must hunt down the thugs at whatever the cost.Although Castellari's direction is stylish, it's never flashy, and you get the impression that this is a director who really understands cinema and what he can do with his camera. The film always retains a strong sense of realism which make the action sequences all the more powerful when they do arrive - the moment in which an exhausted Nero is chased by a crook in a car and nearly run down is sweaty, exciting, and feels dangerous to boot (partly because Nero does his own stunts here!). The film is pretty gory and culminates in a very violent shoot-out in an empty warehouse, which is a fully appropriate way to end such a movie and pays off nicely.Performances are generally spot on, with Nero leading the way; special mention goes to Giancarlo Prete as the small-time crook Tommy, who ends up befriending Nero's character: his portrayal of the edgy but non-violent criminal is one of the most realistic I've seen on film. Also around are veteran Renzo Palmer as an exasperated cop, and the beautiful Barbara Bach playing Nero's surprisingly frumpy wife; sadly she is forced to wear unflattering glasses and cardigans for this (relatively small) role - what was Castellari thinking?! The music from the famous De Angelis brothers fits the bill nicely and proves to be perfectly hummable, whilst the pacing is spot on and the action sequences as good as ever. The criminals are sufficiently rotten and hateful enough to provide suitable menace, whilst the viewer is given the opportunity to identify with Nero's on-the-edge character throughout thanks to some excellent outbursts that the actor gets to spit as he is repeatedly foiled by both police and robbers. A perfect evening's entertainment and a must for the Italo crime fan.

adrianswingler The comments largely have it right, though not always the right conclusion. Many said, "not the usual revenge flick", and a few of the less sentient commentators dissed Franco Nero's performance. Put it all together and that's precisely why this gets 8/10 from me. MUCH better than anything Charles Bronson did, and I think better than a lot of the Spaghetti Western "revenge" movies. Nero's character isn't invincible. He's not even very good at it. But that gives it a realism that owes more to Italian horror films than to the westerns. Perhaps that's why Barbara Bach is in it. Could have changed her name...Very much a period piece, if it seems a bit much at times, you need to read up on what Italian society was like when this was filmed. A strike every other day, a bombing on the off days, petty crime rampant, sex drugs and rock 'n roll everywhere, police on the take, mafia shakedowns about anywhere, kidnappings, extortion... If you're not going to make a primo revenge flick in that milieu, I guess you never will. The Italian title is more descriptive. "A Citizen who Rebels".

fertilecelluloid The primary problem with Enzo Castellari's contemporary revenge drama, "Street Law", is the blatant idiocy of its protagonist Carlo Antonelli (Franco Nero). He begins walking the road to revenge after he is taken hostage by a trio of thieves and left for dead. He concocts a brainless scheme to get closer to the group with the help of Tommy (Giancarlo Prete), a dull lowlife, and acts like a total fool in his pursuit. He's supposed to be discreet, but he conducts his mission in public view and ends up having the tables turned on him on several occasions. I never thought I'd say it because I love the guy, but Nero's character is so naive and amateurish it's embarrassing to watch him. Castellari, who directed the brilliant "Keoma", which starred Nero, constructs a few good, bloody action sequences, but none of them are very believable or interesting. I'm surprised this film has been described as "taut" because it is anything but. The script is illogical and unbelievable, and the various subplots go nowhere. There is a gratuitous "Keoma"-like scene in which Nero is dragged by the legs through muddy water. Castellarti attempts to mythologize Nero's character is this scene by employing slow motion and focusing on his Christ-like suffering, but because our hero is so poorly written and pathetic, Castellari's intentions come across as misguided and heavy-handed. Disappointing.

gridoon After being taken as a hostage and beaten by three vicious bank robbers, an "average guy" (Franco Nero) becomes outraged by the refusal of the police to take drastic action and decides to go on a personal war against the underworld. The script of this slick-looking, violent tale is standard crime-movie stuff, but director Castellari manages to put in some stylish shots and to stage a gripping final shootout. It's almost as if you're watching a spaghetti crime thriller. (**)