Death Wish (1974)

Before the low rent Cannon Group turned Death Wish into what I can only assume is a series of exploitive, increasing bad franchise movies for Charles Bronson, the original Death Wish was a somewhat exploitive Charles Bronson vehicle that had a little something to say. Born of the "Mad as Hell" urban frustration of the 1970's, Death Wish is also resonate with Trump era rage, and in fact a remake with Bruce Willis is due out later this year. Bronson is Manhattan architect Paul Kersey, whose wife is killed, and grown daughter severely traumatized after a home invasion attack by three hoodlum's, one of whom is a young Jeff Goldblum.

Subsequent to the immediate aftermath of the attack being dealt with, Kersey's bosses send him on assignment to work on a housing development in Arizona, hopping a change of pace will do him good. Inspired by a wild west show, the words of a cowboy zen developer played by Stuart Margolin, and a new found knack with a handgun, when Paul returns to the city he becomes a vigilante, taking out muggers on the streets of New York. Kersey's anonymous deeds inspire fellow New Yorkers to stand up for themselves, decreases street crime, and leaves the D.A. and Police Commissioner in an awkward position, needing to stop Kersey, yet also grateful to him. Vincent Gardenia is the police inspector originally assigned to unmask the vigilante, a task later amended to get him to quietly stand down.

Bronson's transformation from low key liberal to night time avenger is intriguing, you get why he is doing what he is doing, you root for him, but once you remove yourself from the film you see his actions are more then a little problematic, though at the same time not entirely unwarranted. This movie is about venting, the acting out of rage, but is also nuanced enough to be thought provoking. Certainly better then I'd expected it to be. ***