A few thoughts: Not the most action-heavy movie out there (I have rules!), but if I'm going to write about Death Wish movies, it's best to start from the beginning. For anyone who doesn't know, this movie is about a mild-mannered architect taking revenge on a group of low-lives who killed his wife and raped his daughter. It doesn't take long at all for this one to get going, and that's probably for the best, because connecting to the audience in an emotional way isn't Charles Bronson's strong suit. Far more time is spent with Bronson struggling to decide what to do and cope with the outcome of his actions than is spent establishing and fleshing out his relationships. It still works this way, but certainly lessens the emotional impact. At times ludicrous (just how many muggers are there in NY? 4 billion?), but never as over the top as the sequels -- I'll let you decide whether or not that's a bad thing. When it comes to vigilante crime dramas, this is definitely among the most memorable, but it's understandable if it leaves you a little cold. Either way, you gotta love that final shot.
Fans of grubby '70s crime dramas and/or Charles Bronson. It's a little rough, but solid and satisfying.
My grade: B-
No comments:
Post a Comment