10 to Midnight

I thought this movie was remarkably ahead of its' time; it paved the way for films like COPYCAT or SEVEN. The performance from Gene Davis, (brother Brad was in MIDNIGHT EXPRESS) is astounding; you really feel like you're in the presence of a serial killer. The alibi he establishes for his crimes are extremely clever. Bronson doesn't really serve up too much more emotion than he did in any of the DEATH WISH movies, however I didn't feel he was as wooden in this. Other than the cheesy music, this film hasn't really dated (bare in mind this film is 21 years old!). Pacing for the picture is rather decent; the ending is quick and violent. Certainly one of the better Charles Bronson movies.

A very exciting cop movie, which picks up where Dirty Harry left off and raises very similar moral questions. Bronson is in top form and the villain is one of the most interesting of the eighties. Don't just take my word for it. Gene Siskel liked it, and Joe Bob Briggs picked it as one of the years top films.

This is just one of a long string of extremely low-budget and incredibly violent films made starring Charles Bronson in the 1980s. In the 60s and 70s, he made some exceptional films that happened to be violent (such as ONCE UPON A TIME IN THE WEST, THE DIRTY DOZEN, THE VALACHI PAPERS AND the original DEATH WISH). They all were well-written and the violence was necessary for the plot. However, in the 1980s, all pretense at plot were essentially gone. Instead, the films often looked more like JUST the violent images from his previous images all strung together without the annoying need for plot. This film about a knife-wielding maniac is just such a film. It is über-violent--with buckets of blood flying as Andrew Stevens hacks to death co-eds. This is just a sick mess meant to entertain stupid people.

One user comment sums this movie up as "standard fare"?! When push comes to shove there really isn't anything standard about "10 to Midnight." The villain is a young, deeply disturbed man who turns on by knifing people to death in the *, and needless to say the movie is filled with a large amount of nudity. The hero is a veteran homicide detective who decides to stop at nothing to get his man, even if it means fabricating evidence. The latter part is portrayed by the grand-daddy of all tough action heroes, Sir Charles Bronson (OK, I know he wasn't a Sir, I just wanted to see how it looked :) Compared to most of the other movies Bronson did with director J. Lee-Thompson here he really turns in a memorable performance as detective Leo Kessler. Take for instance the scene where he finds the chief-suspects electric *, the look on Bronson's face is worth the price of admission alone! And the interrogation scene later where Bronson confronts the suspect with his sex toy: priceless! The finale deserves notice for being both disturbing and downright scary, with it's echoes of the real-life Richard Speck-massacre in 1966. If you are a Bronson-fan you are almost guaranteed to like "10 to Midnight", one of his best from the 1980's.

From the director who brought us The Guns of Navarone and Cape Fear in the 60's, comes this interesting and suspenseful cop thriller. Charles Bronson plays a veteran cop who's with a young idealist cop is after a very smart and dangerous killer who likes to slice pretty and innocent chicks. The most interesting aspect of the film is that we know from the beginning who the killer is and for the rest of the film it's a mind game between Bronson and the killer who knows very well how to manipulate the system. This is definitely not to the squeamish one's because this is fairly a brutal film but from the intelligent kind. I'm familiar with Bronson's works and this is surely his best from the 80's. Anyone who looks for some highly entertaining film shouldn't miss it. Never mind the user's ratings because it's one of those underrated gems. Recommended

When Andrew Stevens is the most interesting character and best actor you know something is wrong. The title of this routine cop movie is totally senseless and hasn't any significance to this cheep thriller. By the 80's Bronson was losing his edge. He was looking old and puffy. Gene Davis is the pretty boy psycho-killer on the loose. Davis' acting is so over the top that you can't really take him seriously. He just comes off as a regular preppy dude who acts crazy and annoying. He's rather small in stature and doesn't have any menacing feature except for his icy neurotic visage that seems plastered on his face throughout the picture. He's a serial killer who has a * about killing his victims while being completely * himself. Okay, we understand he's disturbed and creepy. But that's about as far as this tale takes his character. He acts so creepy from the beginning of the picture as it establishes him as a loner that his character has nowhere to grow. That is why I fell asleep halfway through this tawdry flick. The problem here is that this is a Bronson film. And in all Bronson films we know he will most likely be the victor over the villain. So the killer here seems too vulnerable and ineffective to be a worthy adversary. He may be able to shuffle his way out of legal authority to a degree, but he is hardly elusive in his stalking method by running around naked without anyone really noticing him carrying a knife. This movie also has some really bad acting, especially from the pretty babes who were cast only for their hot bodies. Bronson himself seems bored and jaded by this and does not elicit enough of his individual appeal to make this interesting. Andrew Stevens does the best job in the movie by playing the rookie detective under Bronson's supervision. The party scenes look so lame and contrived that they are worth laughing at. Do people in their 20's and 30's dance around in a small apartment non-stop wearing t-shirts? If a few were grooving to the tunes that would look more natural, but everyone in the pad? Watch this only if you have nothing better to do and you are in the mood to scoff at the bad 1980's acting, clothing and film direction.

Cannon greatness starring Chuck Bronson and directed by Bronson's frequent collaborator J. Lee Thompson. Bronson plays a grizzled detective out to nab a psycho that killed a woman for rejecting him. The problem is the killer covered his tracks well so Bronson has to resort to less-than-legal means of getting him. When this backfires, Bronson's own daughter becomes the psycho's next target. One of Charles Bronson's best movies from the '80s. As with most of his output that decade, it's sleazy and violent but it's also undeniably fun in a cheesy sort of way. Bronson gives his usual one-note performance. If you've seen his Death Wish movies, you know what to expect here and whether you'll like it or not. Gene Davis makes for a memorable pervert psycho. He also appears naked quite a bit, as do many other people (women and men). Lots of T&A in this one. Lisa Eilbacher is Bronson's pretty daughter and does well. Andrew Stevens holds up his end as the young detective who can't condone Bronson's methods. The rest of the cast includes Geoffrey Lewis, Wilford Brimley, Ola Ray, and a young Kelly Preston. The lady playing Davis' boss takes the honors for worst performance. Her "Betty's dead!" scene should be taught in acting schools. It's a fun movie if you're not the type who takes everything seriously and gets easily offended. The cheesy elements will please many, as will the voyeuristic stuff. Bronson takes it all very seriously which makes it all the more enjoyable when he's spouting lines like "You know what this is for, Warren? It's for jacking off!" This is a great '80s thriller with a lot of things going for it, including a terrific ending.

"Leo Kessler" (Charles Bronson) is a Los Angeles detective who has had more than his share of drama in his life due to a stubborn daughter by the name of "Laurie Kessler" (Lisa Eilbacher) who doesn't understand or appreciate the demands the job places on him. To make things even more stressful for him is the fact that he was recently given a new partner named "Paul McAnn" (Andrew Stevens) who is much younger and has a different approach to the job than he does. That said, things become extremely tense when a serial killer begins stalking young women and his daughter becomes one of the people on his list. Now rather than reveal any more I will just say that this could have been a good movie if some of the scenes hadn't been so unrealistic on the one hand and so predictable on the other. The ending was especially absurd. Even so, the presence of Lisa Eilbacher and, to a limited extent, Kelly Preston (as "Doreen") added a bit of nice scenery. Unfortunately, that wasn't enough for me to rate this any higher than I have. Slightly below average.

Special credit for Gene Davis 10 to midnight is obviously one of the best maniac-killer movies presented by legendary Menahem Golan and Yoram Globus. Lieutenant Leo Kessler (Charles Bronson) and detective McAnn (Andrew Stevens) are investigating a murder of sexual character. It's done professionally: no evidence, no witnesses, and 100 percent alibi. The killer is skilled enough to get naked before cutting the girl he feels jealous for. First there are no links but as the Warren (Gene Davis) has to kill once again to get fully cleaned, Kessler knows for sure who's doing all this after the second killing. But there's problem, they still have no evidence. But what worries Kessler most of all is that the first victim was making friends with his own daughter and the killer is already interested in her. Kessler decides to put the Warren behind bars whatever it costs, because he knows the guy's unstoppable: the thing is the "poor" guy is vengeful for he's always been refused by women. So Kessler fabricates the evidence by getting some blood of the first victim on the jacket Warren was supposed to be wearing that day, that evening when the girl was killed. Unfortunately his plan doesn't work because McAnn is too young to agree solve the case that way. Lawyers win the court and Warren straight after that continues troubling Kessler's daughter with his threatening phone calls. What do you think Mr. Bronson will do now? Rather smart movie with impressing characters, alerting plot and simply excellent score. Very pleasant atmosphere, lot of memorable. Gore account is average for 80's. For instance, in the part Bronson's reading victim's diary to the suspect, Warren nervous reaction doesn't have much to do with cops in his apartment, he gets mad learning how many boyfriends the girl had. The girl that kept him far. Especially I want to point Gene Davis has really got deep into his character's head. A mentally demented guy with no friends, no parents, no women sympathy. Hiss acting really has something to remind Brad Davis from "Midnight express", that's why I give special credit for his play. Highly recommended! 10 out of 10.

10 to Midnight is really an unusual film! The film is still shocking to this day! Charles Bronson was excellent in it and Gene Davis put on an incredible performance! Wilford Brimly is also good here! Good music and direction! If you like the cast above and really bloody and surprising thrilling films then watch 10 to Midnight!