“The Evil That Men Do”

Movie Review

Charles Bronson, Theresa Saldana, and Joseph Maher star in J. Lee Thompson's action thriller The Evil That Men Do from 1984. David Lee Henry and John Crowther adapted the R. Lance Hill book of the same name into a movie. To avenge the death of his journalist friend at the hands of a torturer known as "The Doctor," who works for many dictatorships around the world, particularly those of Operation Condor, Bronson portrays a former assassin who emerges from retirement. The movie represents the fifth time that Bronson and filmmaker J. Lee Thompson have worked together.

Jorge, a journalist, is shown being electrocuted to death in front of government officials by Clement Molloch, also known as "The Doctor," in Suriname. An Israeli Mossad team tries to construct a bomb under the Doctor's car outside the premises. One of the team members dies as a result of the operation's failure.

The following scene is set in the Cayman Islands, where retired assassin Holland, played by Charles Bronson, lives in peace. An old acquaintance requests that he kill the doctor. After learning that his friend Jorge was slain by Molloch and viewing videotaped testimonials of Molloch's other tortured victims from all over the world, including Chile and Asia, Holland eventually chooses to exact revenge on his friend, despite his initial reluctance. When Jorge's widow Rhiana and her daughter Sarah enter Guatemala, where the Doctor is stationed, he agrees to look for Molloch but wants to appear to be a family guy or tourist.

The three meet up with a friend named Max Ortiz, who drives them to a cockfighting arena that Molloch frequents. A man who appears to be disabled is pursuing them, but Holland warns him of his presence before he can approach, and the man is able to flee. Max afterwards drives them to Molloch's estate. As Holland comes back at night, he observes the disabled man moving normally. He examines the cameras and lights for later.

Rhiana and Holland visit the town to get information. Rhiana is being harassed by a local when he is away at the bar. To the delight of the crowd, Holland stomps on his groin and neck, drawing the attention of another of Molloch's goons. Holland kills the bodyguard by stabbing him in the throat after Rhiana and the man lure him into going back to their hotel for a threesome. Rhiana is shocked, and Holland yells at her to go back home since his mission is in danger. Rhiana, however, won't go back because she wants to witness the Doctor's murder firsthand.

Holland makes the decision to abduct his sister Claire in order to entice the Doctor. He enters her hotel room illegally and waits for her return. Holland is forced to wait for her to go while hiding under the bed while they have a passionate experience after she returns, but with her female partner. A male henchman enters after she left and starts rolling a joint. While Claire takes a shower, Holland arrests the man. In order to create a distraction that will allow him and Claire to escape, he kidnaps Claire and hangs the man from the balcony while tossing the man off with a fire hose tied around his neck. They visit Max's ranch, where Holland tells Max to hide out.

Molloch has the local militia arrest Max, who he then tortures to divulge Holland and Claire's hiding place, without Holland's knowledge. He unintentionally divulges that he is aware of their location when Molloch calls to bargain. Holland places Claire in a vehicle's trunk before he and Rhiana leave. Afterwards, the assassins dispatched by the US embassy engage in gunfire and flee, but are killed when their car crashes. Claire perishes in the trunk during the subsequent pursuit. After purchasing a local farmer's truck, Holland and Rhiana proceed to the Magdalena settlement. The US ambassador and other thugs decide to follow them and head for Magdalena as well.

Holland and Rhiana are welcomed by a man who runs a cafe and a phone when they arrive. They are confronted by the ambassador and a gunman when they go to his home to use the phone. Holland then calls Molloch and orders him to arrive alone to grab Claire from a nearby abandoned mine after killing both men. When they arrive at the mine, they discover a number of scarred guys looking for any remaining opal. They urge the men to escape as danger draws closer, but they refuse, hiding only as Molloch's car draws closer. Sarah, Rhiana's daughter, has been taken prisoner, according to Molloch. Holland plays a cassette recording of Claire's voice as she becomes anxious because they are missing her. The miners recognize Molloch as the person who tormented and scarred them as he sprints out into the open. When they get close to his automobile, the driver who is holding Sarah becomes uneasy, which causes Holland to kill him. While the miners progressively descend on Molloch and kill him with their hammers and picks, Sarah rushes to Rhiana. Sarah, Rhiana, and Holland reach Holland's house in the Cayman Islands safely.

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