More coherent than the James O'Barr comic that inspired it, the film doesn't mince words, so to speak, on Eric Draven's purpose.  He is a force of vengeance, pure and simple, and I was impressed with Lee's intensity in the part.  I was also glad to see Ernie Hudson at work, since he was my favorite Ghostbuster.  Yeah, he was, so deal.  Of course the bad guys here aren't just bad, but completely sick and perverted, so there are no qualms on anyone's part about their deaths.  Ironically enough, Draven craves death, but isn't allowed to truly die until their punishments are complete.  To lend more flavor to the story, their ends are examples of poetic justice.  The arsonist is torched, the knife wielder gets stabbed by his own blades, and so on.  Michael Wincott (also in Alien: Resurrection, I might add) is menacing as Top Dollar, but his half-sister outcreeps everyone by a long shot.  She has a thing for cutting out eyes and eating them, and incomprehensible dialogue.  Her fate is an example of poetic justice, as well (you were surprised?)

Finishing the trio begun by Lee and Hudson is Rochelle Davis as Sarah, Eric's and Shelly's friend before (and after) their deaths by Top Dollar's thugs.

If you decide to get this on video or DVD, make sure it's a widescreen version.  Of course most DVDs are that way by default.  It's not always an easy film to watch.  Few ultra-violent films with an underlying tone of death and loss are.  But I have to appreciate the honesty of its characters.  Even Sarah's mother, on the road to recovery from heroin addiction (thanks to Eric), makes slow steps towards proper motherhood.  A lesser movie might have made her redemption too pat and complete.  Her later scenes with Sarah are my favorite of the "little" scenes in a movie full of dark action.