Vigilante (Blue Underground 4K Blu-ray Review)

Is Vigilante Trash or Treasure?

Blu-ray Distributed By: Blue Underground / December 15, 2020

There s Only One Way To Stop Them

New York City factory worker Eddie Marino (Robert Forster, Oscar nominee for JACKIE BROWN) is a solid citizen and regular guy, until the day a sadistic street gang brutally assaults his family. But when a corrupt judge sets the thugs free, Eddie goes berserk and vows revenge. Now there’s a new breed of marauder loose on the city streets, enforcing his own kind of law. His justice is swift. His methods are violent. He is the VIGILANTE.

Fred Williamson (FROM DUSK TILL DAWN), Richard Bright (THE GODFATHER), Rutanya Alda (AMITYVILLE II: THE POSSESSION), Carol Lynley (THE POSEIDON ADVENTURE), Woody Strode (SPARTACUS), Joe Spinell (MANIAC) and Salsa legend Willie Colon co-star in this hard-hitting exploitation classic from director William Lustig (MANIAC COP 2) that many critics consider to be better and more shocking than the original DEATH WISH. Now Blue Underground is thrilled to present VIGILANTE in a pristine new restoration, scanned in 4K 16-bit from the original 35mm camera negative, with Dolby Vision HDR and Dolby Atmos audio, fully loaded with exclusive new and archival Extras!

Jimbo’s Take (4 / 5)

Vigilante is so manly that any straight male will immediately question his own virility in the presence of Fred Williamson and Robert Forster. This movie is so manly that I had to keep my wife close, fearing she might become impregnated by the sheer masculinity. This movie is so manly that I feel a strong urge to take both hands, clench them tightly into fists, and beat the ever lasting shit out of a punching bag. And I don’t even box!

It’s been called “Blue Collar Death Wish” and that title perfectly sums up Vigilante. Instead of Charles Bronson’s white-collar architect mowing down baddies in 1974’s Death Wish, Fred Williamson and Robert Forester play blue-collar working-men that don’t have the funding, resources, or political clout to make ‘legal’ changes. And with a police force that’s underfunded and understaffed, they do what they can with fists and bullets.

But in today’s hate-filled, politically polarized society, I can think of A LOT of people who will not tolerate a movie like Vigilante. It might fall into one of those “ists” or “ism” categories. But that’s if you view the film through a very political mindset. It is unapologetic in it’s depiction of strong men (and a strong woman) fighting for a city that has lost control, and the lengths they go to take back the streets. The film feels, simply put, disgusted and angry over a system that fails the people it should protect. What other choice do the protagonists have other than to become a ‘Vigilante‘?

If you’re prone to left-leaning thinking, maybe you’ll view Vigilante as lawless propaganda: A bunch of renegade right-wingers whose unchecked vigilantism threatens the fabric of the democracy. If you’re right-minded, perhaps Fred Williamson embodies a necessary street justice that is required to right wrongs and tip the balance. And in the middle, the apolitical everyman, is Robert Forster. Forster’s character arc follows a trajectory that will, depending on your political leanings, leave you viewing his transformation a tragedy, or as a triumph.

Hopefully, if you’re life isn’t completely wrapped up in politics, you can enjoy Vigilante as pure popcorn entertainment. Tough “good” guys punching the shit out of bad guys. Vigilante is a fun and kick-ass precursor to films like Die Hard and Lethal Weapon, where men are tough on crime in unorthodox ways.

And without spoiling the end, part of the film’s brilliance is in the ending’s ambiguity. Vigilante doesn’t tie everything up in a pretty bow. It won’t leave you with easy answers. The filmmakers don’t intend to have any massive political agenda. They’re just making a hard and fun movie. But your own political baggage will drive your own conclusions.

The Tech Stuff (5 / 5)

So I most recently reviewed Blue Underground’s Daughter’s of Darkness 4K blu-ray and I thought that was the best transfer I’d seen from Blue Underground. I gave that disc a perfect 5 cans rating. Dare I say that Vigilante is even better? Yeah, I think I am saying that.

The image looks great. Healthy grain giving the movie a gritty, urban vibe. Colors are natural and lively. Detail crisp. Great contrast and depth, even in natural lighted scenes.

And just like the Daughter’s of Darkness blu-ray, the audio options for Vigilante are extensive and exhaustive. So many options!!! Since I don’t currently have a set-up for Dolby Atmos, I can’t speak to it’s range, but the 5.1 track did offer some extra ‘punch’ during action scenes. But for the money, and if you know me, you’ll know my love resides with the 2.0 DTS-HD track option. Call me a purist. An originalist… But I prefer the tracks that most closely embody the original experience. And the English 2.0 DTS-HD track does just that.

WORLD PREMIERE! New 4K Restoration from the original 35mm camera negative
Ultra HD Blu-ray (2160p) and HD Blu-ray (1080p) Widescreen 2.40:1 Feature Presentation
Audio: English: Dolby Atmos; English: 5.1 DTS-HD; English: 2.0 DTS-HD; French, Italian, German: Dolby Digital 2.0
Subtitles: English SDH, Francais, Espanol, Portugues

Extras (5 / 5)

“Blue Collar Death Wish” is a documentary style featurette that interviews almost all of the major players, including Director William Lustig, and serves as the focal supplement of the disc providing lots of information and backstory for the making of Vigilante.

Missing from this release’s extras is the film’s score and soundtrack. That’s a bummer especially since releases like Daughter’s of Darkness included a CD soundtrack bonus. But in its place we get “Urban Western”, a fairly long but incredibly insightful interview with Composer Jay Chattaway.

If the disc only had the “Blue Collar Death Wish” and “Urban Western” docs/featurettes, that would feel like enough. But with an additional THREE commentary tracks you may feel overwhelmed by the amount of information. Each one is distinctly different. The first with Director/Producer is more technical, going into a lot of the process of making the movie. The second with Director and Stars is the “fun” one as the quartet relive memories of the shoot. Finally, the brand new third commentary is like film-school analysis, but also enjoyable if you like deeper philosophical exploration of the movie’s place in history.

Audio Commentary #1 with Co-Producer/Director William Lustig and Co-Producer Andrew Garroni
Audio Commentary #2 with Co-Producer/Director William Lustig and Stars Robert Forster, Fred Williamson and Frank Pesce
NEW! Audio Commentary #3 with Film Historians Troy Howarth and Nathaniel Thompson
NEW! Blue Collar DEATH WISH Interviews with Writer Richard Vetere, Star Rutanya Alda, Associate Producer/First A.D./Actor Randy Jurgensen, and others
NEW! Urban Western – Interview with Composer Jay Chattaway
Theatrical Trailers
TV Spots
Radio Spot
Promotional Reel
Poster & Still Galleries
BONUS! Collectible Booklet with new essay by Michael Gingold
BONUS! 3D Lenticular Slipcover (First Pressing Only)
REGION FREE

Trash or Treasure? Overall Recommendation

Speaking as a hetero-sexual, he/him (can’t forget the pronouns!), white male… society increasingly tells me that my opinion doesn’t matter. That my privilege supersedes any personal hardships and therefore devalues my thoughts and insights. So in the interest of transparency, I’m also letting you know that I’m fiscally conservative/socially liberal so you can ignore this review all together.

But I make no apologies for who I am, what I like, and how I think. To me Vigilante feels relevant today, cathartic as pure entertainment, and important in film history. Simply put, it’s manly as fuck and fun as hell.

So while you contemplate whether to value my opinion and watch Vigilante or not, I’m going to celebrate the film’s complete and total manliness by watching it again, eating red meat, and ravaging my wife. If Vigilante, offends you…you can take that up with Fred Williamson.

Can I get a “Awoman”? Treasure!