Death Wish (2018)
*** (out of 4)
Remake of the 1974 Charles Bronson classic has Bruce Willis playing successful surgeon Paul Kersey whose perfect life comes crumbling down when his wife (Elisabeth Shue) and daughter (Camila Morrone) are violently attacked by some thugs. When it becomes clear that the police aren't going to be able to do anything, Kersey gets a weapon and goes out for vengeance.
Whenever it comes to a remake you somewhat have to state your stance on the original. To me the original DEATH WISH is one of the greatest movies of its era and it's never gotten the credit that it deserves. It probably doesn't get the credit it deserves because the four sequels were trashed by critics and it seems the negative reaction to them had people forgetting the original. I personally loved the original film and I enjoyed the four sequels as well as the countless rip-offs that popped up over the decades. I'm just a vigilante type of person when it comes to films.
I must say that I haven't really enjoyed any movie from Eli Roth and I was really worried when he was announced as the director but I think he has turned in his best work. Is this version of DEATH WISH a masterpiece like the original? No it's not as there are certainly some flaws in the picture but at the same time the movie works in all the ways that it was meant to. The first hour of the film plays it pretty straight like the original as we get a really good drama with some intense sequences including the invasion. The last forty-minutes or so turns into a more violent exploitation film so you're basically getting the first five film rolled into one.
This was billed as a comeback for Willis and I think he delivers a good performance here. I've read some reviews that said he looks "tired" but I don't think that was the case at all. He's playing a laid back surgeon and I thought he was quite believable. Of course, like Bronson, he has an "everyday man" look to him and people can connect with his pain and they can cheer for him when he sets out to seek his revenge. Willis perfectly nails this character and makes for someone you care for and want to see succeed in taking out the bad guys. The supporting players offer up some good performances as well. Vincent D'Onofrio is very good in the role of the brother and I also liked Dean Norris as the detective working the case.
As I said, I think this is Roth's best film as a director. He handles the exploitation gunplay very well and I thought he didn't take it too over-the-top to where it takes you out of the story. I also thought he handled the drama nicely and this features his best direction when it comes to the suspense that he builds up during the invasion as well as the ending. To say he delivers a crowd pleaser would be the best way to put it but that's exactly what he's done. There were some flaws here and there including the use of an AC/DC song that just doesn't work.
A lot of the mainstream reviews have been beating this film due to the current times as well as the film's message that protecting yourself and seeking vengeance is the answer. Look, there's nothing wrong with a film being political or with people trying to make it political. The original film hit with controversy so it's okay for this one to do so as well. With all that being said, DEATH WISH delivers what people would expect out of it and I was pleasantly surprised with how good it was.
*** (out of 4)
Remake of the 1974 Charles Bronson classic has Bruce Willis playing successful surgeon Paul Kersey whose perfect life comes crumbling down when his wife (Elisabeth Shue) and daughter (Camila Morrone) are violently attacked by some thugs. When it becomes clear that the police aren't going to be able to do anything, Kersey gets a weapon and goes out for vengeance.
Whenever it comes to a remake you somewhat have to state your stance on the original. To me the original DEATH WISH is one of the greatest movies of its era and it's never gotten the credit that it deserves. It probably doesn't get the credit it deserves because the four sequels were trashed by critics and it seems the negative reaction to them had people forgetting the original. I personally loved the original film and I enjoyed the four sequels as well as the countless rip-offs that popped up over the decades. I'm just a vigilante type of person when it comes to films.
I must say that I haven't really enjoyed any movie from Eli Roth and I was really worried when he was announced as the director but I think he has turned in his best work. Is this version of DEATH WISH a masterpiece like the original? No it's not as there are certainly some flaws in the picture but at the same time the movie works in all the ways that it was meant to. The first hour of the film plays it pretty straight like the original as we get a really good drama with some intense sequences including the invasion. The last forty-minutes or so turns into a more violent exploitation film so you're basically getting the first five film rolled into one.
This was billed as a comeback for Willis and I think he delivers a good performance here. I've read some reviews that said he looks "tired" but I don't think that was the case at all. He's playing a laid back surgeon and I thought he was quite believable. Of course, like Bronson, he has an "everyday man" look to him and people can connect with his pain and they can cheer for him when he sets out to seek his revenge. Willis perfectly nails this character and makes for someone you care for and want to see succeed in taking out the bad guys. The supporting players offer up some good performances as well. Vincent D'Onofrio is very good in the role of the brother and I also liked Dean Norris as the detective working the case.
As I said, I think this is Roth's best film as a director. He handles the exploitation gunplay very well and I thought he didn't take it too over-the-top to where it takes you out of the story. I also thought he handled the drama nicely and this features his best direction when it comes to the suspense that he builds up during the invasion as well as the ending. To say he delivers a crowd pleaser would be the best way to put it but that's exactly what he's done. There were some flaws here and there including the use of an AC/DC song that just doesn't work.
A lot of the mainstream reviews have been beating this film due to the current times as well as the film's message that protecting yourself and seeking vengeance is the answer. Look, there's nothing wrong with a film being political or with people trying to make it political. The original film hit with controversy so it's okay for this one to do so as well. With all that being said, DEATH WISH delivers what people would expect out of it and I was pleasantly surprised with how good it was.