films seen
2
average score
1.75*
nationality
status
Alive and kicking

Movies


Death Wish

1974 / 93m - USA
Action, Crime
2.0*/5.0*
Death Wish poster

A true essential. Not because this is such a great film, but the first Death Wish does mark the start of a pretty famous franchise, and it's one of Charles Bronson's biggest legacies as an actor. The film itself isn't all that great, it is after all B-film filler, but it's not quite as bad as I expected it to be either.

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Paul has a good life, but all of that changes when his wife and daughter are held captive by some criminals robbing their house. His wife dies during the attack, and the police tell Paul he shouldn't expect the perpetrators to get caught. When Paul gets hold of a gun, he sees his chance to get back at the people who ruined his life.

Bronson is a pretty bad actor and the plot is as generic as they come. The slower pacing and simple but solid direction help to give the film a bit of extra body though. It's easy enough to see how this because the first in a series of films, but if you're only seeing this film for the first time, don't get your hopes up too much.


Death Wish II

1982 / 89m - USA
Action, Crime
1.5*/5.0*
Death Wish II poster

A very basic sequel. Bronson moves cities, tries to get his life back on the rails, and then the whole thing starts anew. Bronson is a pathetic action hero and the production quality is pretty horrible, but at least the film moves through the genre clichés quite rapidly, making it somewhat amusing to watch.

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Paul's daughter is still in therapy after what happened to her in New York, but when some lowly muggers nick Paul's wallet and decide to visit his home address, she gets kidnapped once again. While trying to flee she accidentally kills herself, so Paul has no choice but to retreat into vigilante mode a second time.

Bronson is an old man, who lacks the agility, posture, and even charisma to make his part work. The rest of the cast is on the same level, the presentation is bland and the plot is generic. At least the setup is efficient, and the revenge feels warranted, so that part of the film kinda works. Slim pickings though.