Street Law (1974)
Not many seconds was needed before I knew this was going to be right my alley. Funky music and crime action right from the start, settings the films general tone of a city where crime and violence is completely out of control, planting a proper indignation for the blunt vigilante plot that follows. The film is very direct with its messaging. Police are not to be trusted for dealing with crime, someone has to step up and take the law into their own hands. Not even Dirty Harry is this direct. It is quite similar in that regard to Il grande racket, but what is interesting here is that Franco Nero as our main “good guy” isn’t exactly competent or effective vigilante. Very far from the killing machine Bronson in Death Wish. He is really just an ordinary citizen fed up with injustice. He isn’t out for revenge as such, as he only lost some money, but the feeling of being wrongdued is extremely strong. Almost till the end he doesn’t seek violence, he still believes and hope for the police to take over if he can just deliver the criminals on a silver platter. Though that of course doesn’t happen. Despite the very fascistic overtones (there isn’t any subtext at all here), it is still a damn near perfect and entertaining poliziottesco.
Rating: 4.5