Movie Review: The Evil That Men Do (1984)

Genre: Crime Action  

Director: J. Lee Thompson  

Starring: Charles Bronson, Theresa Saldana, Jose Ferrer  

Running Time: 90 minutes  

Synopsis: Clement "The Doctor" Molloch (Joseph Maher) is hired by dictatorships to torture regime opponents. Investigative journalist Jorge Hidalgo is one of his victims, prompting retired assassin Holland (Charles Bronson) to come out of retirement on a revenge mission. Holland teams up with Jorge's widow Rhiana (Theresa Saldana) and her young daughter, and they travel to Guatemala to hunt down the Doctor.

What Works Well: State-sanctioned torture-for-hire is a worthwhile topic to explore, and here the industrial-scale atrocities are presented as a tacit extension of American foreign policy. With Joseph Maher dripping entitled smarm and Bronson in fine athletic form, the Doctor is despicable enough to anoint the hitman as the good guy. The on-location filming (Mexico subbing for Guatemala) is gritty, and the moment-of-reckoning climax, despite zombie-like execution, is satisfyingly gargoylian. 

What Does Not Work Well: Most of the plot points make no sense, including a professional assassin allowing a woman and child to tag along, and J. Lee Thompson's mechanically pedestrian directing does not help. Holland is never placed in any personal jeopardy as he methodically extracts revenge against the Doctor and his goons, robbing the action of any tension.

Key Quote:

Holland: I'm gonna rattle his cage. And when he sticks his neck out, I'll nail him.

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