Kommissar Mariani - Zum Tode verurteilt

Pretty solid Merli/Massi collaboration. The plot is a simple one that centers on various kidnapping episodes. With each scenario, the stakes increase for Merli's character and he must race against the clock to resolve each standoff.

The film is very quick in pace and almost feels as if the events it depicts occur in real time. Despite some scenes of melodramatic family strife, the film remains highly entertaining and delivers the goods. Essentially, the film has all the elements one would expect from a Merli crimer: tense squib filled shootouts, orgies of bitch slapping, and (if I remember correctly) some brief car chases. Despite its somewhat unsatisfying ending, I highly recommend this film to any fans of Merli or Italian action cinema in general.