Death Kiss

The 2018 movie Death Kiss, directed by Rene Perez and starring Robert Bronzi, Daniel Baldwin, and Richard Tyson, taps into the realm of exploitation cinema, harkening back to the gritty, rough-around-the-edges action films of the 1970s and 80s. Immediately noticeable is the uncanny resemblance that Robert Bronzi has with Charles Bronson, the iconic actor from many a violent action flick. With Death Kiss, what you get is a cooking pot of noir-thriller elements delivered with a hard-edged vintage style that gets under your skin.

The movie revolves primarily around the mysterious vigilante figure who goes by no name but is played by Bronzi. Our tight-lipped protagonist is a man of few words, harking back to the laconic warriors derived from the western and Samurai genres. His mission, though personal, carries an element of social justice as he works tirelessly to protect the innocent from the harsh realities of a crime-infested city.

Daniel Baldwin delivers a solid performance as Dan Forthright, a radio presenter who provides a sardonic running commentary on the crime wave affecting the city, while championing for the enigmatic justice-seeker. His radio sign-offs add a colorful narrative device that infuses the film with a level of neo-noir grit, and offers a moral lens through which the vigilante's actions are often scrutinized.

Richard Tyson, known for his roles in movies like "There's Something About Mary" and "Black Hawk Down," plays the role of Tyrell, the brutal, alpha-male kingpin, who is cold, calculative, and ruthless in his pursuits for control and power. The movie masterfully sets up the inevitable conflict between him and the vigilante. His character’s dealings in human trafficking and illicit drugs paints him as the personification of the systemic corruption and rot that plagues the city.

The film's narrative adopts the classic revenge plotline, thrusting the mute avenger into the darker corners of urban dystopia where law and order have seemingly failed. His past is enigma, but through flashbacks, the film provides the pieces to his story, while the vigilante’s real-time actions lend poignant insights to the triggers to his vigilantism. Themes of social decay and the violent pursuit of justice are a staple in this atmospheric thriller.

From a stylistic perspective, Death Kiss evokes strong parallels with many of the vigilante films of yesteryears. The cinematography boasts of stark contrasts with its dark shadows and splashes of neon, creating an eerie tableau that underscores the film’s dramatic undertones. The audience is transported through a menacing cityscape filled with abandoned warehouses, seedy bars, and squalid apartments, each serving as battlegrounds for the relentless vigilante.

The movie captures the grim atmospherics of a city in decay, and through the vigilante's brand of justice, it confronts the audience with deeply moral and existential questions. This focus on the struggle between good and evil, embodied by the vigilante and Tyrell respectively, offers the audience a compelling look into the fragility and cost of justice in a world overrun by crime and despair.

However, the ethereal soundtrack and the haunting, desolate visuals do not overlook the more intimate, vulnerable aspects of the narrative. There is Eva (Eva Hamilton), a single mother whose plight provides the emotional connection for the audience and becomes the hinge upon which the vigilante’s predicament swings - the choice between violent justice and preserving whatever humanity is left in this cold, merciless city.

Death Kiss successfully hooks its audience with the novelty of its Bronson-lookalike lead actor, but sustains their attention through its crude and raw depiction of a city in the throes of chaos and decay. It's a revenge-driven, exploitation film for the modern era, smacking with a sucker-punch of raw violence, unflinching grit, and austere morality that leaves you pondering long after the credits have rolled.

In a nutshell, Death Kiss is a love letter to the exploitation action films of the past, replete with stereo-typical villains, a rough-edged hero, gritty cityscapes, and the desperate struggle for justice. It bridges the gap between Branson's era of unapologetic action-thrillers and present-day societal issues, making it a fulfilling cinematic experience for lovers of the genre.