Death Wish (2018)
2018
108 Minutes
Action | Crime | Drama | Thriller
A mild-mannered father is transformed into a killing machine after his family is torn apart by a violent act.
User Review
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Death Wish made me wish that this remake would die. Having never seen the Bronson original, it was still clear where the plot was heading...I mean it's on the poster. Revenge. Taking the law into your own hands. Buying firearms from your local store. Making the city detectives look incompetent and useless. Vigilantism gone heroic, right? I mean it's only 'Taken' 'Batman' a few films to illustrate this ideology. I'll describe the basic plot anyway. Happy family is happy when unexpectedly the mother and daughter are injured/murdered in a burglary. Father Willis comes along in full angry face mode as he decides to catch the criminals himself. There are some good aspects to this clichéd plot. Roth's background in horror occasionally shines as gruesome deaths emerge from elaborate 'Final Destination'-esque accidents, including a bowling ball slamming on a head causing them to fire the gun through their skull. Willis and Shue surprisingly had good chemistry, just a shame their time together was cut short. The family segments enhance what it is a very weak emotional connection to the characters. Unfortunately, what this remake decided to be was a social commentary of the usage of firearms in America, attempting to balance the mass debate that is still being had today. Evidently, the film takes one side (using a flamboyant advertisement for a weapon shack) and it's not a pretty sight. The ending especially takes gun control for granted and left a bitter aftertaste, y'know the B-movie kind of taste. Wooden acting all round made for some laughable moments, particularly as Willis sheds two tears and emotionally recovers a minute later. Roth's directing style seems incredibly basic and uninspired, much like the film's plot. Also the quick turn around of never having held a gun to being a total badass just seemed unrealistic. The essential problem is that the film doesn't know whether to take itself seriously or not, which left me questioning the purpose of this remake. A statement or just a good time? Either way, Death Wish is deadly boring. I guess Willis will return for 'Die Hard 6'...0 member like this review.
