Death Wish

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2:18

Death Wish

R

Released Jul 24, 1974

1h 33m

Crime

Drama

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

66%

Tomatometer

32 Reviews

69%

Popcornmeter

10,000+ Ratings

Once a mild-mannered liberal, New York City architect Paul Kersey (Charles Bronson) snaps when intruders break into his home, murdering his wife (Hope Lange) and violently raping his daughter. A business trip to Tucson, Ariz., lands him a gift from a client, a revolver he uses to patrol the streets when he returns home. Frustrated that the police cannot find the intruders, he become a vigilante, gunning down any criminal that crosses his path. The public finds this vigilantism heroic.

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Critics Consensus

Death Wish is undeniably exploitation fare -- and also undeniably effective.

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Maureen Orth

Newsweek

Director Michael Winner, an Englishman, has created a simplistic urban Western of good guys and bad guys that will conform to every paranoid's crime fantasies.

Nov 2, 2021

Full Review

Variety

Poisonous incitement to do-it-yourself law enforcement is the vulgar exploitation hook on which Death Wish is awkwardly hung.

Mar 1, 2007

Full Review

Geoff Andrew

Time Out

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.

Jan 26, 2006

Full Review

Keith Garlington

Keith & the Movies

It’s both fascinating and uncomfortable, as a story like this should be. Not everything clicks, especially in the final act. But it’s still a well-made thriller that’s worth more than a mere surface level reading.

Rated: 4/5

Mar 15, 2023

Full Review

Matt Brunson

Film Frenzy

Although it’s about as complex as any random episode of My Mother the Car, it’s nevertheless effective agitprop.

Rated: 3/4

Feb 5, 2023

Full Review

Gregory Mims

New Pittsburgh Courier

Although we may find the views expressed in Death Wish unacceptable on any level, still, the basic story line, despite its idiotic perspective, might have made an interesting film, had it been handled properly.

Dec 13, 2021

Full Review

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Shawn R

Charles Bronson at his finest!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

12/01/24

Full Review

Bruno V

Cine cult. The relentless well directed and scripted film.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

11/29/24

Full Review

Liam D

The beginning of an increasingly ludicrous franchise and clones. This actually takes its time with the story and the characters plus the theme of vigilanteism

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

10/07/24

Full Review

Dana N

Another great classic. Very well-done film but I can't say the same for the sequels which are pretty pathetic.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

07/25/24

Full Review

Audience Member

Death Wish is like a spaghetti western set in New York city during the tumultuous ‘70’s. Charles Bronson plays a man whose wife and daughter have been brutally assaulted by a group of depraved thugs, upending his life entirely. With a lack of any real recourse, Bronson decides to turn to vigilantism and becomes a cult hero of sorts to the victimized citizens of the city. Death Wish is obviously controversial. It is a reflection of the overall sense of helplessness that New Yorkers felt during the ‘70’s in the face of out of control crime. That issue aside, Death Wish is at times effective due to Charles Bronson’s steely performance, but it's not entirely successful as a complete film.

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

07/25/24

Full Review

Leaburn O

The hit film of summer 74. Brendon is excellent in this mildly silly social/political plot but it was fast paced, frenetic and darkly fun. Bought and watched on DVD.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

04/03/24

Full Review

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Michael Winner

Director

Charles Bronson

Paul Kersey

Hope Lange

Joanna Kersey

Vincent Gardenia

Frank Ochoa

Steven Keats

Jack Toby

William Redfield

Sam Kreutzer

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Death Wish: Official Clip - Shot and Bleeding

1:30

Death Wish: Official Clip - Followed Home

2:11

Death Wish: Official Clip - The Vigilante's Still Out There

1:19

Death Wish: Official Clip - Stalked in the Park

1:45

Death Wish: Official Clip - Draw!

1:38

Death Wish: Official Clip - Cowboy Stunt Show

2:10

Death Wish: Official Clip - Subway Shooting

1:37

Death Wish: Official Clip - Get a Transfer

2:10

Death Wish: Official Clip - What Else You Got?

2:07

Death Wish: Official Clip - Wrong Alley, Right Time

1:07

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Death Wish: Trailer 1

2:18

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Synopsis

Once a mild-mannered liberal, New York City architect Paul Kersey (Charles Bronson) snaps when intruders break into his home, murdering his wife (Hope Lange) and violently raping his daughter. A business trip to Tucson, Ariz., lands him a gift from a client, a revolver he uses to patrol the streets when he returns home. Frustrated that the police cannot find the intruders, he become a vigilante, gunning down any criminal that crosses his path. The public finds this vigilantism heroic.

Director: Michael Winner
Producer: Hal Landers, Bobby Roberts, Michael Winner
Screenwriter: Wendell Mayes
Distributor: Paramount Pictures
Production Co: Dino De Laurentiis Company
Rating: R
Genre: Crime, Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Jul 24, 1974, Original
Release Date (Streaming): Aug 10, 2016
Runtime: 1h 33m

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