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The same year "Death Wish" came out, Italy would have its own revenge film. It's an individual who has been tired of the police's incompetence, and would decide to take the law into his own hands. In "Street Law" Franco Nero plays Carlos, a model citizen who gets robbed at the post office by a gang of robbers. But these guys aren't ordinary robbers, they are members of the underworld. That would make it difficult. So he makes his way by having one of the robbers help him out. It wasn't easy, but it was effective enough to let them know that he is a force to be reckoned with. He's one angry man, close enough to be like America's Paul Kersey. An oldie but a goodie. Worth the watch. 2 out of 5 stars.

Shot in the same year of the american "Deathwish" with Charles Bronson, has a similar plot but it results much more realistic and exciting. The great Franco Nero's performance and the brilliant music by the De Angelis brothers make of this an "absolutely must see" for all the fans of this kind of movies !

Il cittadino si ribella (1974), directed by Enzo G. Castellari, is a gritty and engaging entry into the vigilante justice genre. Starring Franco Nero as the protagonist Carlo Antonelli, the film offers a raw and visceral portrayal of a man pushed to his limits by a society rife with crime and corruption. The premise, while not groundbreaking, is executed with a distinct Italian flair that sets it apart from its American counterparts.

The film's strongest asset is Franco Nero's compelling performance. Nero convincingly captures Antonelli's transformation from a mild-mannered engineer to a determined avenger. His portrayal is nuanced, balancing vulnerability and intensity, which adds depth to a character that could have easily fallen into clichéd territory. The supporting cast, including Giancarlo Prete as the hardened ex-convict Tommy, also delivers solid performances that enhance the film's gritty realism.

Visually, Il cittadino si ribella excels with its dynamic cinematography and gritty urban settings. Castellari's direction is adept at creating tension, particularly in the film's numerous action sequences. The car chases and shootouts are well-choreographed and thrilling, providing a visceral punch that keeps the audience engaged. The film's score, composed by Guido and Maurizio De Angelis, complements the action with its energetic and evocative themes, further immersing viewers in the film's intense atmosphere.

However, the film is not without its flaws. The narrative sometimes feels uneven, with pacing issues that can detract from the overall momentum. Some plot points are resolved too conveniently, which can undermine the film's gritty realism. Despite these shortcomings, Il cittadino si ribella remains a compelling watch, offering a raw and unfiltered look at one man's fight against crime and the personal costs of vigilantism. It's a film that resonates with the frustrations of its era.

A bit different to the usual vigilante films, half expected something like Death Wish, the Exterminator or The Big Racket (Which are all great films by the way) and instead it's something a bit more realistic and well thought out. Maybe the action sequences should have been more evenly spread through the film though. What makes it different to the other films is the main character doesn't wipe out hundreds of punks, it is more a story of his calculated revenge and builds it's story up more steadily. Franco Nero plays the most haphazard, cack-handed vigilante ever but is great in the role, certainly more expressive than Robert Ginty in the Exterminator. Not that that's difficult mind. His character is obsessed with revenge and it is well portrayed. It is easy to sympathise with his character and it is engrossing watching him get his revenge. Nero does a lot of his own stunts too including some great stuff with him getting chased and knocked down by a Ford Mustang in slo mo. How he didn't get killed or crippled is incredible.

Talking of cars poor Franco has to make do with an Austin Allegro through most of the film.

Anyway to summarise a good solid well acted film, quite violent, great music score, very well staged action sequences and satisfying climax.

Very much worth a watch.

Italian cult/exploitation cinema from the 1970s is definitely my favorite type of film-making, but I just cannot seem to decide whether my number #1 beloved sub genre is the Spaghetti Western, the Giallo or the Poliziotteschi. Recently, and thanks to having seen a couple of brilliant titles like "The Big Racket" and "Revolver", I'm leaning most towards the Poliziotteschi again and evidently my expectations for "Street Law" were also set incredibly high. Of course this has to be a great movie, with a director like Enzo G. Castellari and a cast led by none other than Franco Nero. Due to its vigilante themes and time of release, many ignorant people claim that "Street Law" is nothing but a quick attempt to cash in on the tremendous success of "Death Wish", with Nero copying the famous role played by Charles Bronson, but I swear you this film is much more than an uninspired rip-off. It's an action/thriller classic in its own right with story lines, action sequences and characters drawings that are totally different than anything featuring in "Death Wish", or any other contemporary vigilante-thriller for that matter. During the exhilarating opening sequences, Castellari already shows a lovely montage – guided by adrenalin-pumping music – illustrating that the streets of a nameless big Italian city are infested with violent crime. During broad daylight there are muggings, car and home jacking, robberies, drive-by shootings, nihilistic mafia executions and there are never any police authorities in sight! In this same city, Franco Nero stars as the anonymous lab-worker Carlo Antonelli who's unlucky enough to walk into a bank with his personal savings moments before three savage robbers come storming in. When Carlo too obviously tries to recover some of his own money, the robbers roughly take him hostage and leave him severely beaten up in their getaway car. Frustrated, humiliated and accused by the police of being provocative, Carlo vows to track the criminals himself. This is where the big differences with films like "Death Wish" become unmistakable, because Carlo obviously isn't a forceful fighting machine or strategic genius and spends most of the film's running time either getting physically pulverized or getting busted when trying to infiltrate into the underworld. Come to think of it, this might even be Franco Nero's least heroic role! Carlo's beautiful wife (the yummy Barbara Bach) is worried sick about him and he only starts making some progress when he gets help from small time crook Tommy. "Street Law" is a terrific film, but still plays in a lower league than the absolute most thrilling Poliziotteschi classics like "Almost Human", "Milano Calibro 9", Rome armed to the Teeth" or "Rabid Dogs". There are many fantastic action sequences, most notably the final shootout in the hangar, but I still found this film less sadist and shocking than I secretly hope in this type of cinema… Oh, one more thing: dubbing always matters! This is the second or third time that I watch a film in which Franco Nero's rough and manly Italian voice is dubbed by a rather squeaky and insecure English voice, which gives makes his performance somehow weaker. Still though, a truly recommend Italian 70s cult flick!