Director: Rene Perez

Cast: Robert Kovacs, Daniel Baldwin, Richard Tyson

Production Company: Millman Productions

Runtime: 88 minutes

The world often seems to be spinning out of control. Criminals go free, while the innocent suffer for it. There used to be a man who would set things straight, but he’s been gone for some time. We need someone new who can pick up where he left off. Someone with a Death Kiss…

In the movie, a vigilante takes out hardened criminals with no remorse, and even less in the way of mercy. He supports a woman and her paralyzed daughter with the money that he takes from those he kills. Will he make a difference, or simply add to the chaos?

Robert Kovacs, who previously appeared in From Hell to the Wild West (2017), is absolutely perfect in the role of the vigilante stranger taking down punks. This movie is strong enough on its own, but he adds a whole new level of excitement to the proceedings.

And yes, he looks quite a bit like Charles Bronson. More on that later…

Daniel Baldwin from Attack of the 50 Ft. Woman (1993), Vampires (1998), and Sicilian Vampire (2015) is amazing in the role of a shock radio personality. His on-air tirades are the stuff of legends. He does his best to explain the particular brand of justice being dispensed in this film.

The movie also features Richard Tyson from Flight of the Living Dead (2007), Eva Hamilton from Ruin Me (2017), and Stormi Maya from It Hungers (2018). They all do a wonderful job!

Obviously, this film owes a lot to Death Wish (1974) and its many sequels. It has crowd-pleasing one-liners, gushing bright red blood, and highly inventive kills. However, it also explores concepts about vigilantism, racism, and capital punishment that have not been addressed before.

The music by Darkest Machines (also known as director Rene Perez) is exciting and captures the right mood. I also thought the locations used in the film were fantastic. There are great urban settings that are exactly what you would expect, but there are scenes in the wilderness that are cool too.

Death Kiss is an exceptional revenge film. Kovacs’ startling resemblance to Bronson will get you to watch the movie. The satisfying and first-rate story will keep you there until the end…

Other Thoughts

Kovacs’ portrayal may bring up some ethical questions. Is this a form of identity theft? Should this sort of thing be allowed to happen? Well, I’m all for it. Bronson is no longer with us, so it doesn’t hurt his career in any way. Besides, modern fans are aware that this isn’t the same person.

Back in the 1950s, Sammy Petrillo was a comedian who bore more than a passing resemblance to Jerry Lewis. He appeared in Bela Lugosi Meets a Brooklyn Gorilla (1952) and was eventually blackballed in Hollywood. It’s a different case, since both men were in their prime simultaneously.

It’s also interesting to note that Daniel Baldwin, who plays Dan Forthright in this movie, is often mistaken for his brother Alec Baldwin. Similarities in appearance have launched more than a few careers over the years. The real test is to be entertaining beyond basic appearances.

The ethics around this sort of thing will continue in the coming years. Computer generated images are already allowing dead actors to return in new roles. Peter Cushing was cinematically resurrected for Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016).

On the other hand, producers have already stated that Carrie Fisher will not receive the same treatment in Star Wars: Episode IX (2019). Clearly, these instances will need to be handled on a case by case basis. It will be interesting to see how thing play out in the future…

– John Migliore

For more information on the film, check out the links below…

Official Trailer

IMDb Page

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