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Death Wish (1974)
Tomatometer
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Reviews Counted:22
Fresh:15
Rotten:7
Average Rating:5.9/10
Runtime: 1 hr 33 mins
Genre: Action/Adventure
Synopsis: Charles Bronson stars in a genre-defining vigilante thriller that made him a household name. A fatal sexual assault on his wife and daughter leads mild-mannered architect Paul Kersey (Bronson) to... Charles Bronson stars in a genre-defining vigilante thriller that made him a household name. A fatal sexual assault on his wife and daughter leads mild-mannered architect Paul Kersey (Bronson) to rethink the justice system in his own terms when he discovers the police to be ineffectual, bureaucratic slackers. He then starts to single-handedly reduce New York's crime rate by murdering every thug, scumbag, and no goodnik he lays eyes on. The film, despite its use of graphic violence as entertainment, was hailed as a socially complex and engaging movie that shocked audiences across the country. Subsequently, Bronson filmed a long series of films as Kersey that were heavier on violence than substance. However, DEATH WISH is a classic American film whose themes and style have been imitated by filmmakers all over the world. [More]
Starring: Charles Bronson, Vincent Gardenia, William Redfield, Hope Lange
Starring: Charles Bronson, Vincent Gardenia, William Redfield, Hope Lange, Steven Keats, Stuart Margolin, Stephen Elliott, Kathleen Tolan, Jeff Goldblum, Christopher Guest, Jack Wallace, Fred Scollay
Director: Michael Winner
Director: Michael Winner
Screenwriter: Wendell Mayes
Producer: Hal Landers, Bobby Roberts, Michael Winner
Composer: Herbie Hancock
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Reviews for Death Wish
There's an undeniable thrill when Bronson blows away some sleazy mugger.
We know Bronson can be a tough guy, but not so much the mild-mannered guy; he seems to be trying to split the difference the whole time
The violence is excessive and the plot predictable, although there is some style to director Winner's approach.
Poisonous incitement to do-it-yourself law enforcement is the vulgar exploitation hook on which Death Wish is awkwardly hung.
A compulsively watchable bit of '70s nostalgia, a curious counterpart to Dirty Harry and an icon of New York-brand justice.
Winner's recourse to caricature when dealing with police and thugs, and his virtually overt sympathies with the confused, violent Bronson, make for uncritical, simplistic viewing.
It's a despicable movie, one that raises complex questions in order to offer bigoted, frivolous, oversimplified answers.
The movie has an eerie kind of fascination, even though its message is scary.
Even those who disagree with its knee-jerk vigilante ideology have a hard time denying its impact because the film digs deep and works on an almost subconscious level.
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January 11, 2008:
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Sylvester Stallone has brought back his two beloved franchises, Rockyand Rambo. Now he's working on someone else's. However, his idea for a Death Wish remake is to tackle the... More...
November 05, 2007:
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Now that he's succeeded in resurrecting two of his own film franchises, Sylvester Stallone has apparently decided to pick up where another action hero left off. More...
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