I first saw Vigilante during a 70s exploitation kick in 2004, and I really liked it. It wasn’t the best movie I had ever seen, but it was brutally honest and, of course, Fred Williamson–who sweats “cool’–is a main character. Is this one of my favorite movies ever. No. Do I still love it? Yeah.

For those uninitiated, the film follows Robert Forester’s character as a man who wants to avoid trouble and live peacefully with his family. When his wife stands up to a crew of local thug bullies at a gas station, they attack her at home while Forester is at work—scarring her and murdering the couple’s child. The gang’s leader then pays a judge to create some sort legal such-and-such to let the gang members go. During the arraignment, Forester gets out of line and the judge sentences him to two months in the slammer. While imprisoned, Forester is befriended by an aged African American (think an older, tired and more wirey cornerman Duke) who watches Forester’s back. Upon release back into the world, Forester’s wife wants nothing to do with him, and he–disillusioned and disenfranchised–goes after everyone who ruined his life. Violence ensues, and Forester is left alone and ruined. Oh the harsh storytelling of the 70s…I enjoy it despite itself.

There are two parts in particular I love about this flic. The first is the opening sequence wherein Fred Williamson gives a livley speech about life on the streets, and this is intercut with people firing off pistols at a shooting range. It is awesome and easily in my top 100 movie moments of all time. The second is when Forester is attacked in the prison shower (of course) and his black friend kicks the tar out fo the assailants. It’s awesome. Those aparts aside, the rest of the movie is slowly paced but enjoyable, with innerspersed moments of barbarity, including a fantastic foot chase sequence with Williamson, ending in a drug dealer getting hit with a bat. FANTASTIC!

Vigilante gets a 5 from me. I really enjoy everytime I watch it; and while it’s not one of my favorite flicks ever, I defintiely think of it fondly and look forward to the next time I get to watch it (or at the very least, my favorite parts of it). Vigilante is rated R for Brief nudity, Graphic Violence, Language, and Harsh Thematic Elements.

SONG OF THE POST: “Street Life” by Randy Crawford from the Jackie Brown Soundtrack.