Death Wish 3 Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		4.0
Audio		4.5
Extras		3.5
Overall		3.5

Death Wish 3 Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Dr. Svet Atanasov October 20, 2025

Michael Winner's "Death Wish 3" (1985) arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Kino Lorber. The supplemental features on the release include archival audio commentary by author and critic Paul Talbot; newly remastered alternate ending; new audio commentary by critics Steve Mitchell and Nathaniel Thompson; arhcival program with actor Kirk Taylor; and vintage trailer. In English, with optional English SDH subtitles for the main feature. Region-A "locked".

Bigger problems require bigger weapons.

In the massive Cannon Group catalog, Death Wish 3 is unquestionably one of the bigger and better films, deserving of a spot next to Runaway Train and the Missing in Action Trilogy. It is one of three sequels that Menahem Golan and Yoram Globus greenlighted after they acquired Cannon Films and closed a deal with the legendary Italian producer Dino De Laurentiis.

Less than an hour after arriving in New York City, Paul Kersey (Charles Bronson) loses one of his best friends (Francis Drake). At his apartment, next to his still warm body, Kersey is arrested and then transported to the local police department. Here, while facing a quick conviction and a long prison sentence, Kersey agrees to help Police Chief Richard Shriker (Ed Lauter) clean up the notoriously bad neighborhood where his dead friend resided, which has been ruled by a big and violent gang that has stained his reputation for years. Shortly after he is released, Kersey then loads a shiny .475 Wildey Magnum and goes on the streets. But despite easily taking out a few bad hombres, Kersey quickly realizes that he would need substantially better weapons to clean up the entire neighborhood and please Shriker.

Michael Winner directed two of the three sequels Golan and Globus greenlighted -- the third, Death Wish 4: The Crackdown, went to J. Lee Thompson -- and they both enthusiastically emulate virtually everything that made his original film a cult classic. Death Wish II brought the best box office receipts, but it would be difficult to argue that it does anything better than the other two films. In fact, Death Wish 3 substantially tones down the goofy gang posturing that was such a big element of the narrative in Death Wish II, and this is unquestionably one of the reasons Kersey’s efforts begin looking a lot more authentic.

But all three sequels supersize their action for maximum effect, and, entirely predictably, acquire a campy identity that is very common for virtually all of the urban action films in the Cannon Group catalog. As a result, the grittiness that permeates the original film is barely detectable here, and the main characters, Kersey included, appear a bit thin. (This campy identity was not patented by the Cannon Group. In the ‘80s, it was everywhere, dominating independent action films and forcing some big studio projects to adopt it as well. It is why The Annihilators, which the Cannon Group did not produce, and Cobra, which Warner Bros. co-produced with the Cannon Group, look a lot like Death Wish 3).

Bronson looks good, except when he chases various gang members who are a lot younger and far more athletic. But, admittedly, this is a detail that everyone who books a date with Death Wish 3 will easily ignore. Lauter gives a predictably solid performance, too.

The supporting cast includes several good character actors. Martin Balsam plays a fed-up resident of the neighborhood with a stash of incredible weapons. Deborah Raffin is a public defender who unexpectedly falls in love with Bronson. Gavan O’Herlihy is the vicious leader of the gang that Bronson is tasked to destroy.

Even though Death Wish 3 is set in New York City, virtually all of it was shot on location in London. Winner’s director of photography was John Stanier (Rambo III).

Death Wish 3 Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Presented in its original aspect ratio of 1.85:1, encoded with MPEG-4 AVC and granted a 1080p transfer, Death Wish 3 arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Kino Lorber.

The release introduces an exclusive new 4K restoration of Death Wish 3. The 4K restoration is also made available on 4K Blu-ray in this 4K Blu-ray/Blu-ray combo pack.

I have multiple releases of Death Wish 3: this U.S. release from MGM, this Australian release from Umbrella Entertainment, and this U.S. release from Scorpion Releasing. The Australian release has the most problematic presentation. After it, it is a toss-up because both U.S. releases have some issues. The MGM release looks pretty decent, but it is sourced from an old master, and in many areas, the film just looks quite flat. There are some issues on it in terms of color reproduction as well. The Scorpion Releasing release produces the freshest, most consistent visuals, but there are completely different issues on it in terms of color reproduction. In many places, it makes faces appear too pink/red, which was a common flaw on several remasters that were commissioned on behalf of Scorpion Releasing. (For example, Lone Wolf McQuade has the exact same issue).

The 4K restoration is the most convincing presentation of Death Wish 3 that I have seen to date. However, there are some inconsistencies on it, again in the area of color reproduction, that I believe could have been avoided. In several areas, select visuals acquire a creamy/yellow(ish) appearance that affects a few primaries. One of these primaries is blue, which begins shifting toward light turquoise. I still think that the overall color balance is acceptable and superior to that of previous presentations, but a slightly more careful management would ensure that the new presentation is an all-around winner. I did not encounter any traces of problematic digital corrections. Delineation, clarity, and depth range from very good to excellent. Also, the new presentation produces visuals with a noticeably better dynamic range, which helps many areas of the film, and especially darker ones, look quite a bit better. The entire film looks very healthy. My score is 4.25/5.00. (Note: This is a Region-A "locked" Blu-ray release. Therefore, you must have a native Region-A or Region-Free player in order to access its content).

Death Wish 3 Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

There are two standard audio tracks on this release: English DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 and English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1. Optional English SDH subtitles are provided for the main feature.

I viewed different parts of Death Wish 3 on Blu-ray and 4K Blu-ray. The comments below are from our review of the combo pack release.

I have always viewed Death Wish 3 with the 2.0 track, so it is the one that I chose again. All of the shootouts and explosions sound great, so I do not think that the 2.0 track could have performed any better. However, the original soundtrack is not perfectly polished and optimized to impress audiophiles. In some areas of the film, there is easily noticeable dynamic unevenness, which covers spikes and drops in dynamic activity, plus some random crowd noises. The dialogue is clear and stable, but some small fluctuations in terms of sharpness and roundness can be noticed. However, these are inherited limitations as well. I did not encounter any audio dropouts, hiss, or distortions to report.

Death Wish 3 Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Commentary One - this archival audio commentary was recorded by Paul Talbot, author of the Bronson's Loose! books and, in my opinion, the ultimate authority on everything Charles Bronson. As expected, the commentary covers everything one would want to know about Death Wish 3 and Bronson's involvement with it, from the film's conception to the decision to bring Bronson back to the Big Apple to the overlapping of footage from Brooklyn and London to some of the more interesting changes that were made to the original screenplay Michael Winner was handed. It is a great commentary, well worth listening to in its entirety.

• Commentary Two - this exclusive new audio commentary was recorded by critics Steve Mitchell and Nathaniel Thompson.

• Kirk Taylor - in this archival program, actor Kirk Taylor explains how he landed his part in Death Wish 3, which was a prominent gang member called The Giggler, and how it impacted his career. Taylor also comments on his interactions with Michael Winner, Charles Bronson, and Gavan O'Herlihy in London, where a substantial part of Death Wish 3 was shot. In English, not subtitled. (9 min).

• Alternate Ending - presented here is a newly remastered alternate ending, which can be seen with an optional commentary by Steve Mitchell and Nathaniel Thompson. In English, not subtitled. (11 min).

• Trailer - presented here is a vintage trailer for Death Wish 3. In English, not subtitled. (2 min).

Death Wish 3 Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

All of the Death Wish sequels are entertaining, and one of them, Death Wish V: The Face of Death, is getting better each year. For my money, Death Wish 3 brings the most intense fireworks, but this distinction is irrelevant because people will always be attracted to these films because of Charles Bronson's presence in them. It really is this simple. Kino Lorber's upcoming Blu-ray release brings an exclusive new 4K restoration, which, while not flawless, is the best presentation of the film I have seen to date. The 4K restoration is also available on 4K Blu-ray in this combo pack release. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.