Main Cast: José Ferrer, Charles Bronson, Theresa Saldana, Joseph Maher, Rene Enriquez
Release Year: 1984
Country: US
Run Time: 90 minutes
MPAA Rating: R
Plot
In yet another slick, formulaic Charles Bronson vengeance film (they would continue until the actor was in his mid-70s, still playing the morally insulted friend/husband/lover), Bronson is Holland, an assassin for hire who has just come out of retirement to finish off a Guatemalan thug by the name of Moloch (Joseph Maher). Moloch tortures and terrorizes the good guys and is protected by a misguided American government agency -- though nothing can stop Holland once he starts killing his way to the chief villain. No one except the wife of one of Moloch's victims -- and perhaps a few viewers now and again -- raises any questions about Holland's trail of corpses. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide
Review
Made right in the midst of Charles Bronson's transition from Hollywood star to 80's exploitation film icon, The Evil That Men Do is an interesting combination of both these personas. Like his classic Hollywood work, it boasts a strong supporting cast, handsome production values and a slick look. However, this film also has the brutality, pulp fiction-ish elements and sleazy overtones of the grittier fare he started doing around the same time with Cannon Films. One's appreciation for The Evil That Men Do will depend on how well one can deal with the aforementioned seamier elements. That said, those predisposed toward exploitation fare will enjoy the film's hard-hitting style. The script lacks shading and subtlety but it works efficiently as a grim revenge thriller, one with a nasty streak of dark humor (look out for the way Bronson dispatches a roughneck in a rural bar). J. Lee Thompson brings a nice sense of scope to the story and stages several effective action sequences: the most memorable is the desert-set finale, which manages to be gruesome and surreal all at once. Thompson also gets strong performances across the board: Theresa Saldana is affectingly vulnerable as the woman who assists Bronson while Joseph Maher hits a combination of arrogance and chilling cruelty that makes his villain easy to hate. Bronson remains his usual cool-under-fire self at the center of the action, bringing the occasional note of sly humor to certain scenes where he has to interact with the villains but otherwise playing the material straight. Ultimately, The Evil That Men Do is a programmer -- and a rather sleazy one at that -- but it guaranteed to entertain the Bronson fanbase and is better than a lot of films he would do later on. ~ Donald Guarisco, All Movie Guide
John Glover - Briggs; Raymond St. Jacques - Randolph; Antoinette Bower - Claire; Ernesto Gómez Cruz - Cafe Owner; Roger Cudney - Cannell; Ken Fritz - Stuntman; Miguel Angel Fuentes - Latino; Alfredo "El Turco" Guiterrez - Gunman; Mischa Hausserman - Karl; Enrique Lucero - Aristos; Jorge Luke - Cillero; Rodrigo Puebla - Farmer; Eduardo Lopez Rojas - Bartender; Carlos Romano - Cripple; Joe Seneca - Santiago; Jorge Zepeda - Victim; José Ferrer - Dr. Hector Lomelin; Angélica Aragón - Maria; Anais de Melo - Dominique; Alan Conrad - Fugitive
Credit
Enrique Estevez - Art Director, Jill Ireland - Associate Producer, Poppy Cannon - Costume Designer, Gordon A. Webb - First Assistant Director, J. Lee Thompson - Director, Ernie F. Orsatti - Second Unit Director, Peter Lee-Thompson - Editor, Lance Hool - Executive Producer, Ken Thorne - Composer (Music Score), Javier Ruvalcaba Cruz - Cinematographer, Pancho Kohner - Producer, Laurencio Cordero - Special Effects, Ernie F. Orsatti - Stunts, John Crowther - Screenwriter, David Lee Henry - Screenwriter, Stephen A. Hope - Music Editor, R. Lance Hill - Book Author
