Death Wish (1974)

Featured Audience Ratings

• Melvin W

  
  Paul Kersey: Nothing to do but cut and run, huh? What else? What about the old American social custom of self-defense? If the police don't defend us, maybe we ought to do it ourselves.  "Vigilante, city style -- Judge, Jury, and Executioner" What a beautiful portrait… More
  Paul Kersey: Nothing to do but cut and run, huh? What else? What about the old American social custom of self-defense? If the police don't defend us, maybe we ought to do it ourselves.  "Vigilante, city style -- Judge, Jury, and Executioner" What a beautiful portrait of New York Death Wish paints. Basically it is telling the viewer that if you walk on the street you will get mugged. One man is mugged like six times in the movie. A little excessive, but it makes its point; even if it is a stupid one. Carry a gun and shoot the muggers, vigilantism 101 I guess. The movie has a very exploitative and brutal nature. The makers also show that cops mean nothing. They won't find criminals, so go out and get a gun and kill anyone that fucks with you. Why, what a beautiful world that would be. Yeah, so by now you can see that I agree with absolutely nothing this movie is saying; from the gun rights issue to the vigilante justice. I may not agree with it, but I actually did like the movie to a certain extent. An architects wife is murdered and his daughter is raped by muggers. The once peaceful man takes it upon himself to kill any mugger he comes across. New York is taken by storm, as muggings go down and the cops must decide if this vigilante is worth arresting anyway. He is basically doing their job for them, which leaves them with much more time to do the things cops really like too do, like eat donuts.  The character lives by the motto of "Fight fire with fire." He is fighting violence by being just as violent. Whatever your stance on that is will tell you how much you will like the movie. In my case though, I didn't think I would like it at all because of this, but I actually enjoyed Charles Bronson as architect turned vigilante.  The movie clearly sets up its sequel when the character leaves New York and moves to the less crime filled Chicago. I don't see myself watching all the sequels to this movie, as this was nothing more than average. But from Chicago, it would only make sense to move on to Detroit and then maybe Boston. You might as well clean up every criminal heavy city.

• Lady D

  
  My predicted rating: 4 How many times can one man get mugged? One of the most famous vigilante films, Charles Bronson a one man vengeful vigilante, with a taste for justice, cool and obsessive as each person represents the true culprits he wishes to take out, whilst seeming… More
  My predicted rating: 4 How many times can one man get mugged? One of the most famous vigilante films, Charles Bronson a one man vengeful vigilante, with a taste for justice, cool and obsessive as each person represents the true culprits he wishes to take out, whilst seeming untouchable. A very watchable film with empathy for the character.

• AJ V

  
  I saw this on TV a long time ago, I barely remember it, but the story is a familiar one. I should watch it again sometime.

• Conner R

  
  I think if you look at this in the context of when it came out and how incredibly original it was, it is indeed a masterpiece among the crime genre. This takes the 70s politics, economy, atmosphere, etc. and wraps it into one. Charles Bronson stands alone against a sea of crooks,… More
  I think if you look at this in the context of when it came out and how incredibly original it was, it is indeed a masterpiece among the crime genre. This takes the 70s politics, economy, atmosphere, etc. and wraps it into one. Charles Bronson stands alone against a sea of crooks, rapists and killers. While he is undoubtedly out of his mind and addicted to killing muggers, there's something very admirable about what he does. Much like Taxi Driver addressed years later, there's bound to be a few people who just won't stand for injustice. Part of what makes this movie so believable and gritty is the grainy filming style and the darkness. Nothing becomes too far-fetched and could essentially happen on the street.

• Lorenzo v

  
  <i>"Nothing to do but cut and run, huh? What else? What about the old American social custom of self-defense? If the police don't defense us, maybe we ought to do it ourselves."</i> A New York City architect becomes a one-man vigilante squad after his wife… More
  <i>"Nothing to do but cut and run, huh? What else? What about the old American social custom of self-defense? If the police don't defense us, maybe we ought to do it ourselves."</i> A New York City architect becomes a one-man vigilante squad after his wife is murdered by street punks in which he randomly goes out and kills would-be muggers on the mean streets after dark. <center><font size=+2 face="Century Schoolbook"><b><u>REVIEW</u></b></font></center> What is the most famous and recognized character of the late screen legend Charles Bronson? Stupid question. There's actually two. Harmonica in Sergio Leone's spectacular western masterpiece "Once upon a time in the west" and a bitter avenger called Paul Kersey. "Death Wish" spawned four sequels and a countless amount of imitators ("The Exterminator" of 1980 being probably one of the most obvious ones) but still, original is always the original. This is just the type of a performance Eastwood could have easily played as well but I guess in the end we all wanted rather to see Clint wasting criminals as Harry Callahan on the right side of the law. Bronson however fits in this role like a glove. He's just terrific and so is the whole immemorial movie. If you want to treat your eyes with an unquestionable 1970's thriller classic "Death Wish" certainly wouldn't be the worst choice to pick.

• Anthony L

  
  Death Wish was a first and a last it seems. It's sensationalist/exploitist revenge thriller is deep, dark and intelligent, although it might not appear so at first. I love the 70's look, Bronson's on top form, as is Michael Winner. He is a prick though.

• Michael G

  
  Unfortunately the legend of Death Wish is larger than the movie itself. It's not particularly good, doesn't go where you'd expect (or want) it to and ultimately doesn't really lead up to much of anything. Charles Bronson does well enough in one of his signature… More
  Unfortunately the legend of Death Wish is larger than the movie itself. It's not particularly good, doesn't go where you'd expect (or want) it to and ultimately doesn't really lead up to much of anything. Charles Bronson does well enough in one of his signature roles that spawned several ill-deserved sequels even if you don't buy what his performance is supposed to be selling. The subplot with his daughter and son-in-law was annoying at best, not to mention unresolved. It bugs me that Bronson never went after the shitbirds who beat his wife to death and left his daughter a bad actress but whatever. It was nice to see young versions of Jeff Goldblum, Saul Rubinek, Christopher Guest and Maria from Sesame Street (cashier in the market towards the beginning.) For me, Death Wish wasn't great or bad--just kind of there. Anyways, it's always nice to see New York in the 70s. Even if it was half the shithole this movie made it out to be...

• Wahida K

  
  Charles Bronson and the Death Wish Trilogy. He is a Legend.

• Dean M

  
  This is one of the most famous "revenge" movies ever made in the 1970s. This was a very, very simple story and it panders to our base instincts which is probably why it was so successful. Most people want justice, and they want it now... which is what this movie preaches. At… More
  This is one of the most famous "revenge" movies ever made in the 1970s. This was a very, very simple story and it panders to our base instincts which is probably why it was so successful. Most people want justice, and they want it now... which is what this movie preaches. At the time, the movie was shocking. If it came out today, it wouldn't have nearly the impact. However, the early scene of the mother and daughter raped and killed is still horrifying. That will never change. Charles Bronson gives a remarkably strong performance as a New York architect Paul Kersey becomes as a national figure - the vigilante. I saw a very young Jeff Goldblum nails his performance as one of the muggers who invades Kersey's apartment, immediately scary and repellent.

• Arash X

  
  Vigilante propaganda crap

• Aaron N

  
  Paul Kersey: Any chance of catching these men? Lt. Briggs: There's a chance, sure. Paul Kersey: Just a chance? Lt. Briggs: I'd be less than honest if I gave you more hope, Mr. Kersey. In the city, that's the way it is. A 70s vengeance movie featuring Charles Bronson… More
  Paul Kersey: Any chance of catching these men? Lt. Briggs: There's a chance, sure. Paul Kersey: Just a chance? Lt. Briggs: I'd be less than honest if I gave you more hope, Mr. Kersey. In the city, that's the way it is. A 70s vengeance movie featuring Charles Bronson and a pro gun defense message that gives you an overall weird feeling after its ended. I'm pretty sure Charles Bronson is probably the ugliest action star, next to Steven Segal. Anyway, he stars as Paul Kersey, a New York architect who is in deep grief following the rape of his daughter and death of his wife at the hands of some hooligans led by Jeff Goldblum. A business trip in Arizona gives Paul time to evaluate his situation, as some back story about his past is revealed at a gun club, where he hits the bulls-eye of several targets. After arriving back in New York and receiving a gun as a gift, Paul decides to take the law into his own hands, which turns the movie into a cat and mouse game involving Paul, many, many muggers, and the police chasing a man they have dubbed, "The Vigilante." What really bugged me about this movie was how steely eyed Bronson's Paul is after he starts killing. I really got nothing from what he was trying to accomplish. His demeanor suggests that he simply just enjoys what he is doing, but Bronson just being silent and violent didn't add up to me accepting this character's motives. There is a reason Batman does what he does and it is made clear in the comics and films, which is why he is more of a compelling character. Still, I liked the work from the police side of the story. I was generally entertained by the visceral quality of Paul's mugger-stopping escapades, and the score by Herbie Hancock is solid. Sam Kreutzer: I'll bet muggings are down, and they're afraid to tell us. Paul Kersey: There's only one way to find out. Take a walk on Columbus Avenue tonight. Sam Kreutzer: Thanks a lot, Paul. I think I'll wait for the official report.

• Chris W

  
  I wouldn't argue with anyone who said this film could be considered an exploitation film. It certainly fits the bill in a number of ways. Aside from that, the set pieces and camerawork are good, the score by Herbie Hancock is enjoyable, and Bronson does a good job as Kersey. For… More
  I wouldn't argue with anyone who said this film could be considered an exploitation film. It certainly fits the bill in a number of ways. Aside from that, the set pieces and camerawork are good, the score by Herbie Hancock is enjoyable, and Bronson does a good job as Kersey. For me though, the best thing about this movie is its thought-provoking message and the debates/discussion that it inspires. Not only is this film entertaining, but it raises some good questions too.

• Chris G

  
  Paul Kersey's string of bad lucks starts in the 1974 movie Death Wish. Charles Bronson plays Kersey, a New York architect whose pacifist mindset is shattered with an attack on his wife and daughter. His rage is kept pent up until he finally explodes and goes on a vigilante… More
  Paul Kersey's string of bad lucks starts in the 1974 movie Death Wish. Charles Bronson plays Kersey, a New York architect whose pacifist mindset is shattered with an attack on his wife and daughter. His rage is kept pent up until he finally explodes and goes on a vigilante killing spree. Death Wish is one of the 1970's exploitation films. It exploits the fear of out of control crime rates in the 1970's especially in New York City. It touches all the bases: gun control, an over burdened police department, and a city that just doesn't give a damn anymore. Bronson is in one of his signature roles as Paul Kersey, who he would play in four mediocre sequels that followed. The rest of the cast is so-so, though Vincent Gardenia does a good job as the detective assigned to the vigilante case. This film also shows some early work of Jeff Goldblum and Christopher Guest. Death Wish is one of those films that you kind of feel guilty about watching, but is actually an good film that's had its reputation soiled by the poor sequels that followed.

• Tsubaki S

  
  Enjoyable propaganda.

• Lenny M

  
  Love Charles Bronson but I fell asleep in the movie.

• Cassandra M

  
  Perhaps "Death Wish" is unquestionably the best vigilante film ever made. It's not the action-packed thrill-fest that movies like "Kill Bill" or "The Punisher" seek to be, instead it's a haunting, sometimes intoxicating look at our… More
  Perhaps "Death Wish" is unquestionably the best vigilante film ever made. It's not the action-packed thrill-fest that movies like "Kill Bill" or "The Punisher" seek to be, instead it's a haunting, sometimes intoxicating look at our society's views on justice. Charles Bronson is Paul Kersey, a New York architect whose wife is killed by a group of muggers ransacking their apartment, an attack that also leaves his daughter catatonic. The killers are never caught, and Kersey is left shattered. He takes a job working for a land developer in New Mexico to get his mind off his troubles, and while there his long dormant fascination with guns is renewed when his client Ames Jainchill (Stuart Margolin) shows off his personal collection and lets him crack some shots off. He also witnesses a live reenactment of an Old West shootout, where frontier justice was administered at the end of the gun. Kersey soon arrives back in New York, livened up a bit from his visit and ready to resume his life. But the streets are still filled with thugs, and Kersey knows that Manhattan is not the best place to be at night. He discovers that Jainchill has given him a .32 revolver as a present, and subsequently uses it to kill a man trying to mug him. Kersey soon realizes the cathartic release of enacting vigilante revenge as the media reports his killings and other private citizens take action, all while police officer Frank Ochoa (Vincent Gardenia) leads a task force to capture the vigilante and stop future violence. "Death Wish" was a product of its day -- a Nixon-era knee jerk reaction to rampant crime that turned out to be quite a hit. But to dismiss it simply as that would be to deny the film its true power. It asks the question of whether or not vigilantism can be used as a social good, and just how can a citizen properly defend himself from criminal attacks. More importantly, to the movie's credit it does introduce the downside of vigilantism, with Ochoa worrying that people will be whipped into such a frenzy that they'll start attacking anyone who looks suspicious. The movie does play it safe when it comes to Kersey's "victims" however. Every one of them is clearly a mugger, threatening his life or just wanting his money. But the movie does enter into ambiguous territory by looking at the actual actions Kersey takes. At first he just stumbles into traps set up by muggers or happens on a crime taking place; later on the other hand it's clear that he's actually inviting attacks by making himself a target. And the self-defense aspect of his actions becomes equally cloudy when he kills muggers that are already fleeing. He wants to punish them for their crimes, which itself can be morally troubling. But to understand "Death Wish" you had to understand the times. Murder rates were very high in New York City, and many muggers had little problem killing their victims. The criminals in the film are not overly sympathetic either, most of them clearly hippies or other social undesirables, probably hooked on drugs from their "free love" days and now stuck in the bitter reality of narcotic dependency now that the good times are over. It's hard to feel sorry for someone willing to kill you just for a couple hours worth of pleasure. I'm sure the movie's audiences in New York, and probably across the country, enjoyed living out their revenge fantasies vicariously through Kersey. It should be said that Bronson, normally criticized as a wooden actor, gives a remarkably strong performance. This may be due to his friendship with director Michael Winner, who also helmed several of his other films. But it's probably due to the fact that the movie was not written as an action hero vehicle, and because of this the story demanded a character more grounded in reality. Kersey is not a superhero -- he's just one man trying to make a difference in the world. Also, he's not all there, either. The movie makes it clear that Kersey is a little deranged as well, and one wonders just how far he might go to do what he thinks is right. The sequels were more interested in making him out to be an infallible crusader against evil, abandoning any pretext of social commentary and just offering body counts, but here at least the movie shows that someone willing to go on a shooting spree isn't quite right in the head, regardless of the guilt of his victims. Supporting roles are excellent as well. A very young Jeff Goldblum nails his performance as one of the muggers who invades Kersey's apartment, immediately scary and repellent. Gardenia is a nice foil for Bronson, making Ochoa an intelligent officer not unsympathetic to Kersey's crusade, especially when he sees how the crime rate plummets following the killings. Christopher Guest, who would go on to star in hit mockumentaries like "This is Spinal Tap," "Best in Show" and "A Mighty Wind" has a small but memorable role as a police officer towards the end of the movie. In fact, everyone does a good job. Ultimately, your enjoyment of "Death Wish" will probably rely both on your politics and views toward crime. It's a movie where the critic is judged based on his review, which is just as well I suppose. It's at once fascinating, and still very timely. Nine out of ten stars. Bronson's best solo movie and certainly a very thought-provoking piece, which is lost on both people who only want to watch it for the mugger killings and those who just dismiss it a fascist trash.

• David L

  
  Directed by Michael Winner and starring the late Charles Bronson in the lead role, this is a gritty inner city revenge film which comes off as a competent and effective social statement. Paul Kersey (Bronson) is a liberal architect living in a not so nice, crime ridden area of the… More
  Directed by Michael Winner and starring the late Charles Bronson in the lead role, this is a gritty inner city revenge film which comes off as a competent and effective social statement. Paul Kersey (Bronson) is a liberal architect living in a not so nice, crime ridden area of the city. He lives with his wife and daughter, who are brutally attacked whilst at home by 3 sadistic street trash thugs (a young Jeff Goldblum is one of them) while he is out. The wife is beaten into unconsciousness before later dying in hospital, and the daughter is sexually assaulted and goes into a catatonic state as a result of the shock. It is this terrible event which changes Kerseys perception of law and order. He starts to change his way of thinking, starts to change his way of acting. He sees an overstretched police force struggling with the city's crime and social decay, and feels he, just one man, can make a difference. Kersey soon enough takes to the streets, never to look for trouble, but to let trouble come to him, and deal with it directly in his own way! He is tired of being the decent citizen who shakes their head at the morning paper, talks amongst friends but does nothing to change what he sees. The film becomes better still as the police find themselves under pressure with the recent vigilante killings, and the media report that once helpless victims are fighting back against their attackers inspired by this new rebel. This is one of those films that has had a lasting effect on me, and I remember being quite shaken after watching it when I was in my early teens. It seems so real as Kersey could just as easily be a next door neighbor or uncle, he is no hulking giant with an arsenal of weaponry or superpowers, no fearless warrior who can't be scratched...he is just another man trying to make a living. Cleverly directed, well acted and graphic when it has to be, this is a great film and serves its purpose well. Gripping, raw and impactive, this is one of Bronson greatest films, and stands as a classic.

• xGary X

  
  In this, the original of an increasingly sleazy and exploitative franchise, Charles Bronson sees his wife and daughter attacked and decides to take the law into his own hands. Not a bad concept, and it does have merit as a thriller, but it's all too gleeful in it's portrayal… More
  In this, the original of an increasingly sleazy and exploitative franchise, Charles Bronson sees his wife and daughter attacked and decides to take the law into his own hands. Not a bad concept, and it does have merit as a thriller, but it's all too gleeful in it's portrayal as violence as an answer (unsurprising considering sensationalist hack Michael Winner was at the helm.)

• Dean !

  
  The ultimate revenge film.

• Mister C

  
  Charles Bronson taking out the scum bags of New York and bringing his own way of justice remains a true cult classic from the 70's. This was the original from 1974 and it paved the way for three sequels later on during the 80's.

Read all 20 featured audience ratings