The Stone Killer (1973)

You don't get a more typical police film than THE STONE KILLER, but nonetheless I found myself really enjoying this early Charles Bronson outing – and it may well be one of his most solid efforts. It's equally as enjoyable as the later Winner/Bronson collaboration DEATH WISH, and infinitely more entertaining than the ultra-slow CHATO'S LAND. The key to this film's success is the script, set soundly in the early, racist '70s and providing plenty of meat and pithy one-liners amid the usual mayhem.The plot, about Bronson's cop becoming involved in a feud between two mafia families, is nothing new. The execution is fairly routine, but every aspect of the film screams hard-ass, and I was never disappointed. Bronson, who might well be the titular character for all the expressions he cracks, is excellent, and watching him partake in shoot-outs, car chases, or just beating the hell out of a suspect in custody is a lot of fun.He's got a range of enemies here, from slimy street hustlers (Paul Koslo has a memorable turn) to vengeful, ageing mob bosses (Martin Balsam, although the two never actually meet). There's a snappy car chase about halfway too, lots of scenes of our hero taking out enemies from on high with a single shot, bodies that fall several stories before hiding the tarmac (no cutting away here, oh no) and an exciting set-piece climax in which a kill squad set about erasing a crime family from the pages of history. Winner's direction is a lot more focused than usual in his career, and the streets are alive with bullets, bad suits, and bloodshed. A tough as nails movie.

No 3D, graphics effects gizmos for this one!!!!The best car vs motorcycle chase, in history. A helicopter chase. And a real, based-on-real-facts, story to boot. Charles Bronson. Murder and high speed chases. Big, fat cars of the 70's. And this thing is a 6.2? And that BS about Batman getting ****ed in the financial markets gets an 8?You know that's BS. So pick this one up. The Stone Killer. Short, straight to the point. And the real story is ever better. I'm sorry but I have to pay attention to this incredible movie. I'm sorry if there were any typos. Forget about writing. Just watch this movie, now.

An underdeveloped piece of junk from director Michael Winner. The plot (the mafia trains an army to kill off the syndicate) is paper thin and stretched into a confusing mess of a movie. Charles Bronson, a NYC cop relocated to LA figures it out (slowly) while the body count mounts. So disjointed and inexplicable is this film it's a wonder if there's an uncut version somewhere. Winner, never the most imaginative director, keeps his camera at a distance so there's zero character development and even less suspense. While Bronson is perfectly cast, the rest of the casting choices are decidedly lame-brained: Ralph Waite is a bigoted and totally inept cop; Norman Fell is Bronson's crusty yet benign superior; Stuart Margolin is a soldier for hire. Worst of all is Martin Balsam as a Sicilian mafia don. Probably the most forgettable of the Dino de Laurentiis productions that Bronson appeared in during the early '70s.

Screenwriter Gerald Wilson, actor Charles Bronson, and producer / director Michael Winner re-teamed for this action movie the year after making the Western "Chato's Land". Legendary tough guy Bronson is police detective Lou Torrey who uncovers a plot concocted by a mafia boss, Al Vescari (Martin Balsam), to assassinate (for vengeance sake) various other mobsters utilizing Vietnam veterans. Helped by some of his associates and hindered by others, Lou follows the chain of leads as the story progresses.What's pleasing about "The Stone Killer" is what a snappy and fast moving bit of entertainment it is. Now, this will require the viewer to pay attention all the time, which may be a bit of a tall order given how quickly events unfold and exposition is divulged, but the rewards are substantial. The action scenes are particularly invigorating, especially the climactic shootouts and one major chase sequence. Bronson also warms up for some of his future roles here playing a man fiercely dedicated to his job and who will also do pretty much anything to make sure it gets done.Another thing that really helps "The Stone Killer" is the fact that it does have a sense of humour - granted, not all the laughs are intentional, as the moment involving a body plummeting out a window towards the pavement will attest. But the sequence that features Torrey interrogating a lead (Kelley Miles) in a hippie commune really has to be seen to be believed; it's a total hoot. The violence is effectively brutal and bloody, with many characters pumped full of bullets by the time the story is over. The music score by Roy Budd is an eclectic one and thus highly enjoyable.In addition to the excellent Balsam, who joined Bronson again for "Death Wish 3" a dozen years later, the supporting cast is just FULL of familiar faces, some of them from TV: Jack Colvin ('The Incredible Hulk'), Paul Koslo ("The Omega Man"), Norman Fell AND John Ritter from 'Three's Company', Stuart Margolin ('The Rockford Files'), Charles Tyner ("Harold and Maude"), Frank Campanella, Robert Emhardt, Barry Cahill, Hoke Howell, and Hunter von Leer.With its twists, turns, laughs, and violent action, this is a reasonably fun movie worth watching for any fan of Bronson and cop movies in general. It gets down to business pretty quickly and there's hardly a letup until its ending.Seven out of 10.