''Death Wish'' is a 2018 American
action thriller film
Action film is a film genre in which the protagonist is thrust into a series of events that typically involve violence and physical feats. The genre tends to feature a mostly resourceful hero struggling against incredible odds, which include life ...
directed by
Eli Roth
Eli Raphael Roth (born April 18, 1972) is an American film director, screenwriter, producer, and actor. As a director and producer, he is most closely associated with the horror genre, having directed the films '' Cabin Fever'' (2003) and ''Hoste ...
and written by
Joe Carnahan
Joseph Aaron Carnahan (born May 9, 1969) is an American film director, screenwriter, producer and actor whose films include ''Blood, Guts, Bullets and Octane''; '' Narc''; ''Smokin' Aces''; ''The A-Team''; '' The Grey''; and ''Boss Level''. He al ...
. It is a remake of the
1974 film of the same name (which originated the
''Death Wish'' franchise), based on
Brian Garfield's
1972 novel. The film stars
Bruce Willis
Walter Bruce Willis (born March 19, 1955) is a retired American actor. He achieved fame with a leading role on the comedy-drama series ''Moonlighting'' (1985–1989) and appeared in over a hundred films, gaining recognition as an action hero a ...
as Paul Kersey, a
Chicago
(''City in a Garden''); I Will
, image_map =
, map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago
, coordinates =
, coordinates_footnotes =
, subdivision_type = Country
, subdivision_name ...
doctor who sets out to get revenge on the men who attacked his family.
Vincent D'Onofrio
Vincent Philip D'Onofrio (; born June 30, 1959) is an American actor and filmmaker. He is known for his supporting and leading roles in both film and television. He has been nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award.
His roles include Private Leonar ...
,
Elisabeth Shue
Elisabeth Judson Shue (born October 6, 1963) is an American actress. She is best known for her roles in the films ''The Karate Kid'' (1984), '' Adventures in Babysitting'' (1987), ''Cocktail'' (1988), '' Back to the Future Part II'' (1989), ''B ...
,
Dean Norris
Dean Joseph Norris (born April 8, 1963) is an American actor. He is best known for playing DEA agent Hank Schrader on the AMC series ''Breaking Bad'' (2008–2013) and its spin-off '' Better Call Saul'' (2020). He also portrayed town council ...
, and
Kimberly Elise
Kimberly Elise Trammel (born April 17, 1967) is an American film and television actress. She made her feature film debut in '' Set It Off'' (1996), and later received critical acclaim for her performance in ''Beloved'' (1998).
During her career, ...
also star.
A remake of the 1974 film was first announced in 2006, with
Sylvester Stallone set to direct and star, before dropping out. Carnahan was announced to write and direct after in 2012, but later dropped out too, although was given sole screenwriting credit despite his script being rewritten numerous times since. Roth joined as director in 2016, with filming taking place in Chicago that same year with director of photography
Rogier Stoffers
Rogier Stoffers, (born 9 November 1961) is a Dutch cinematographer known for his extensive work in both film and television, shooting movies like '' Quills'', ''John Q.'', ''School of Rock'', and '' Disturbia''. He has been nominated for a Primet ...
.
Mark Goldblatt
Mark Goldblatt is an Academy Award nominated American film editor and film director and president emeritus of the American Cinema Editors.
Brooklyn born Goldblatt studied at the University of Wisconsin and London Film School, where his instru ...
served as editor in post-production, while the score was composed by
Ludwig Göransson
Ludwig Emil Tomas Göransson (; ; born 1 September 1984) is a Swedish composer, conductor and record producer. He has scored films such as ''Fruitvale Station'', the ''Rocky'' franchise entries ''Creed'' and ''Creed II'', ''Venom'', and ''Tene ...
.
''Death Wish'' was released in the North America by
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc., also known as Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures and abbreviated as MGM, is an American film, television production, distribution and media company owned by Amazon through MGM Holdings, founded on April 17, 1924 ...
and internationally by
Annapurna Pictures
Annapurna Pictures is an independent American media company founded by Megan Ellison in 2011, that specializes in film production, live theatre production, television through its Annapurna Television division, and video game publishing through i ...
on March 2, 2018, and
underperformed at the box office, only grossing $49.6 million worldwide against a $30 million budget. The film received generally negative reviews from critics; many criticizing its depiction of gun violence in comparison to then-recent mass shootings, claiming it as spreading "right-wing" and "pro-gun" messages, with Roth denying said claims.
Plot
Trauma surgeon
Trauma surgery is a surgical specialty that utilizes both operative and non-operative management to treat traumatic injuries, typically in an acute setting. Trauma surgeons generally complete residency training in general surgery and often fel ...
Paul Kersey lives with his wife, Lucy, and daughter, Jordan, in
Chicago
(''City in a Garden''); I Will
, image_map =
, map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago
, coordinates =
, coordinates_footnotes =
, subdivision_type = Country
, subdivision_name ...
. When the family visits a restaurant with Paul's brother Frank, Miguel the valet secretly copies their address after hearing that they plan to stay out. However, Paul is suddenly called to the hospital, and Jordan and Lucy return home just as three armed criminals break in, leading to Lucy being killed and Jordan left in a coma from being severely beaten.
Paul becomes frustrated with the lack of police progress on the case, contemplating purchasing a firearm. When a gang member is brought to the hospital and his gun falls out, Paul secretly takes it and practices shooting. He later uses it to stop a carjacking, injuring his left hand in the process. A captured video of the carjacking goes viral, earning Paul the nickname "Grim Reaper". After treating a boy who was attacked for refusing to sell drugs for a dealer calling himself the "Ice Cream Man", Paul guns him down in broad daylight.
News reports consistently demonstrate divided opinions of support and condemnation of Paul's developing war against violent criminals. After realizing that one of his deceased patients is Miguel, Paul takes his phone, leading him to a liquor store which
fences
A fence is a barrier enclosing or bordering a field, yard, etc., usually made of posts and wire or wood, used to prevent entrance, to confine, or to mark a boundary.
Fence or fences may also refer to:
Entertainment Music
* Fences (band), an Amer ...
stolen goods. The owner, Ponytail, recognizes Paul and messages another criminal, Fish. Fish sneaks in and accidentally kills Ponytail while trying to shoot Paul. Fish identifies the second member of the group, Joe, before Paul kills him. The cops visit Paul to discuss the case; afterwards, he destroys the phones to cover his tracks. Finding Joe at an auto body shop, he tortures him. Joe divulges that the third robber, Knox, murdered Lucy, before Paul kills him.
Knox calls Paul, arranging to meet in a nightclub bathroom where they exchange fire and wound each other. Paul gets away while Knox goes to the police and gives them a physical description of Paul. Arriving home, Paul is confronted by Frank, who then answers the front door and is questioned by the detectives of his brother's whereabouts. During the intervention, the hospital calls to tell Paul that Jordan has regained consciousness.
A week later, Paul leaves the hospital with Jordan as Knox cases his house for an ambush. Paul glimpses a man running across the lawn and orders Jordan to hide and call the police. After killing Knox's men, Paul is shot and wounded by Knox, but manages to pull out a hidden rifle he purchased earlier and kills him. The police arrive and accept Paul's story after he hints he is done with vigilantism.
Months later, Paul drops off Jordan at
New York University
New York University (NYU) is a private research university in New York City. Chartered in 1831 by the New York State Legislature, NYU was founded by a group of New Yorkers led by then- Secretary of the Treasury Albert Gallatin.
In 1832, th ...
. Spotting a man stealing a bag from a bellhop, he calls out and points a
finger gun
The finger gun is a hand gesture in which a person uses their hand to mimic a handgun, raising their thumb above their fist to act as a hammer, and one or two fingers extended perpendicular to it acting as a barrel. The middle finger can als ...
at him.
Cast
*
Bruce Willis
Walter Bruce Willis (born March 19, 1955) is a retired American actor. He achieved fame with a leading role on the comedy-drama series ''Moonlighting'' (1985–1989) and appeared in over a hundred films, gaining recognition as an action hero a ...
as Dr. Paul Kersey, a trauma surgeon turned vigilante known as The Grim Reaper
*
Vincent D'Onofrio
Vincent Philip D'Onofrio (; born June 30, 1959) is an American actor and filmmaker. He is known for his supporting and leading roles in both film and television. He has been nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award.
His roles include Private Leonar ...
as Frank Kersey, Paul's brother
*
Elisabeth Shue
Elisabeth Judson Shue (born October 6, 1963) is an American actress. She is best known for her roles in the films ''The Karate Kid'' (1984), '' Adventures in Babysitting'' (1987), ''Cocktail'' (1988), '' Back to the Future Part II'' (1989), ''B ...
as Lucy Kersey, Paul's wife
*
Dean Norris
Dean Joseph Norris (born April 8, 1963) is an American actor. He is best known for playing DEA agent Hank Schrader on the AMC series ''Breaking Bad'' (2008–2013) and its spin-off '' Better Call Saul'' (2020). He also portrayed town council ...
as Detective Kevin Raines
*
Beau Knapp
Beau Christian Knapp (born April 17, 1989) is an American actor. He is known for his roles in '' The Signal'' (2014), '' Run All Night'' (2015), and '' Southpaw'' (2015). Knapp portrayed a lead villain in ''Death Wish'' (2018), the sixth installm ...
as Knox
*
Kimberly Elise
Kimberly Elise Trammel (born April 17, 1967) is an American film and television actress. She made her feature film debut in '' Set It Off'' (1996), and later received critical acclaim for her performance in ''Beloved'' (1998).
During her career, ...
as Detective Leonore Jackson
* Stephanie Janusauskas as Sophie
*
Camila Morrone
Camila Rebeca Morrone Polak (; born June 16, 1997) is an American actress and model. She is the daughter of actors Maximo Morrone and Lucila Polak; and was also raised in part by actor Al Pacino (who served as a parental figure during his long ...
as Jordan Kersey, Paul and Lucy's daughter
*
Jack Kesy
Jack Kesy () is an American actor. On television, he has portrayed Gabriel Bolivar on the FX horror drama ''The Strain'' (2014–2016) and Roller Husser on the TNT dark comedy ''Claws'' (2017–19). He also played Black Tom Cassidy in the Marve ...
as Tate "The Fish" Karp
*
Ronnie Gene Blevins
Ronnie Gene Blevins (born June 20, 1977) is an American character actor. He is best known for his role as small-time criminal Willie Russell in the 2013 film '' Joe'', directed by David Gordon Green.
Career
His TV credits include '' NCIS'', '' ...
as Joe
*
Len Cariou
Leonard Joseph Cariou (; born September 30, 1939) is a Canadian actor and stage director, best known for his portrayal of Sweeney Todd in the original cast of '' Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street'', for which he won the Tony Award ...
as Ben, Paul's father-in-law
*
Kirby Bliss Blanton
Kirby Bliss Blanton (born October 24, 1990) is an American actress. She is known for her roles as Kirby in the comedy film '' Project X'' and as Amy in the horror film '' The Green Inferno''.
Life and career
The youngest of four children, she gr ...
as Bethany
*
Wendy Crewson
Wendy Jane Crewson (born May 9, 1956) is a Canadian actress and producer. She began her career appearing on Canadian television, before her breakthrough role in 1991 dramatic film ''The Doctor (1991 film), The Doctor''.
Crewson has appeared in ma ...
as Dr. Jill Klavens
*
Mike Epps
Michael Elliot Epps (born November 18, 1970) is an American stand-up comedian and actor. He played Day-Day Jones in ''Next Friday'' and its sequel, ''Friday After Next'', and also appeared in ''The Hangover'' and '' The Hangover Part III'' as "Bl ...
as Dr. Chris Salgado, Paul's coworker
*
Luis Oliva as Miguel
Production
Development
Development on the film began already back in 2006, when
Sylvester Stallone announced that he would be directing and starring in a remake of ''
Death Wish'' (1974). Stallone told
Ain't It Cool News
Ain't It Cool News (AICN) is an entertainment news website founded by Harry Knowles and run by his sister Dannie Knowles since September 2017, dedicated to news, rumors, and reviews of upcoming and current films, television, and comic book pro ...
, "Instead of the Charles Bronson character being an architect, my version would have him as a very good cop who had incredible success without ever using his gun. So when the attack on his family happens, he's really thrown into a moral dilemma in proceeding to carry out his revenge." He later told the publication that he was no longer involved after "creative differences" and became busy with work on other projects.
In a 2009 interview with
MTV though, Stallone stated that he was again considering the project. In late January 2012, ''
The Hollywood Reporter
''The Hollywood Reporter'' (''THR'') is an American digital and print magazine which focuses on the Hollywood film, television, and entertainment industries. It was founded in 1930 as a daily trade paper, and in 2010 switched to a weekly larg ...
'' confirmed that a remake would be written and directed by
Joe Carnahan
Joseph Aaron Carnahan (born May 9, 1969) is an American film director, screenwriter, producer and actor whose films include ''Blood, Guts, Bullets and Octane''; '' Narc''; ''Smokin' Aces''; ''The A-Team''; '' The Grey''; and ''Boss Level''. He al ...
. The film was originally set to star
Liam Neeson
William John Neeson (born 7 June 1952) is an actor from Northern Ireland. He has received several accolades, including nominations for an Academy Award, a British Academy Film Award, and two Tony Awards. In 2020, he was placed 7th on ''The I ...
and
Frank Grillo
Frank Anthony Grillo (born June 8, 1965) is an American actor and martial artist. He played Brock Rumlow in the Marvel Cinematic Universe films '' Captain America: The Winter Soldier'' (2014), '' Captain America: Civil War'' (2016), '' Avengers ...
. Carnahan too left the project in February 2013 due to "creative differences",
but received sole writing credit for the completed film. He was replaced as director with Gerardo Naranjo, who was interested in casting
Benicio Del Toro
Benicio Monserrate Rafael del Toro Sánchez (born February 19, 1967) is a Puerto Rican actor and producer. He has garnered critical acclaim and numerous accolades, including an Academy Award, a BAFTA Award, a Golden Globe Award, two Screen ...
in the lead role; this version also never came to fruition.
Casting
After the completed script lay dormant for 3 years, It was brought back up in March 2016, when
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc., also known as Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures and abbreviated as MGM, is an American film, television production, distribution and media company owned by Amazon through MGM Holdings, founded on April 17, 1924 ...
announced that
Aharon Keshales
Aharon Keshales ( he, אהרון קשלס; born 16 April 1976) is an Israeli film director, screenwriter, and film critic.
Biography
Keshales was born in Jaffa, Israel, to a Sephardic Jewish family. He grew up in Bat Yam, Israel. He served as a ...
and
Navot Papushado
Navot Papushado ( he, נבות פפושדו; born 4 March 1980) is an Israeli film director and screenwriter.
Early life
Papushado was born in Haifa, Israel, to a Sephardic Jewish family. He resided in the northern Galilee community settlement ...
would direct the film. Willis was chosen for the role of Paul Kersey, others that were considered for the role were
Russell Crowe,
Matt Damon
Matthew Paige Damon (; born October 8, 1970) is an American actor, film producer, and screenwriter. Ranked among ''Forbes'' most bankable stars, the films in which he has appeared have collectively earned over $3.88 billion at the North Ameri ...
,
Will Smith
Willard Carroll Smith II (born September 25, 1968), also known by his stage name The Fresh Prince, is an American actor and rapper. He began his acting career starring as a fictionalized version of himself on the NBC sitcom '' The Fresh ...
,
Brad Pitt,
Liam Neeson
William John Neeson (born 7 June 1952) is an actor from Northern Ireland. He has received several accolades, including nominations for an Academy Award, a British Academy Film Award, and two Tony Awards. In 2020, he was placed 7th on ''The I ...
,
Kurt Russell,
Michael Keaton
Michael John Douglas (born September 5, 1951), known professionally as Michael Keaton, is an American actor. He is known for his various comedic and dramatic film roles, including Jack Butler in ''Mr. Mom'' (1983), Betelgeuse in '' Beetlejuice'' ...
,
Christopher Lambert,
Dennis Quaid
Dennis William Quaid (born April 9, 1954) is an American actor known for a wide variety of dramatic and comedic roles. First gaining widespread attention in the late 1970s, some of his notable credits include '' Breaking Away'' (1979), '' The ...
,
Richard Gere
Richard Tiffany Gere ( ; born August 31, 1949) is an American actor. He began in films in the 1970s, playing a supporting role in '' Looking for Mr. Goodbar'' (1977) and a starring role in ''Days of Heaven'' (1978). He came to prominence with ...
,
Mel Gibson
Mel Columcille Gerard Gibson (born January 3, 1956) is an American actor, film director, and producer. He is best known for his action hero roles, particularly his breakout role as Max Rockatansky in the first three films of the post-apoca ...
,
Harrison Ford,
Don Johnson
Donnie Wayne Johnson (born December 15, 1949) is an American actor, producer and singer. He played the role of James "Sonny" Crockett in the 1980s television series ''Miami Vice'', for which he won a Golden Globe, and received a Primetime Emm ...
,
Peter Weller,
Ron Perlman,
Stephen Lang
Stephen Lang (born July 11, 1952) is an American actor. He is known for roles in films including '' Manhunter'' (1986), '' Gettysburg'', '' Tombstone'' (both 1993), '' Gods and Generals'' (2003), '' Public Enemies'' (2009), ''Conan the Barbaria ...
,
Michael Biehn
Michael Connell Biehn ( ; born July 31, 1956) is an American actor, primarily known for his roles in science fiction films directed by James Cameron; as Sgt. Kyle Reese in '' The Terminator'' (1984), Cpl. Dwayne Hicks in ''Aliens'' (1986), and ...
,
Tommy Lee Jones
Tommy Lee Jones (born September 15, 1946) is an American actor and film director. He has received four Academy Award nominations, winning Best Supporting Actor for his performance as U.S. Marshal Samuel Gerard in the 1993 thriller film '' The ...
,
Jeff Bridges
Jeffrey Leon Bridges (born December 4, 1949) is an American actor. He has received various accolades throughout his career spanning over seven decades, including an Academy Award and two Golden Globe Awards.
Bridges comes from a prominent ac ...
and
Arnold Schwarzenegger. In May, Keshales and Papushado quit the project after MGM declined to allow them to rewrite Joe Carnahan's original script, which had been approved by Willis. In June,
Eli Roth
Eli Raphael Roth (born April 18, 1972) is an American film director, screenwriter, producer, and actor. As a director and producer, he is most closely associated with the horror genre, having directed the films '' Cabin Fever'' (2003) and ''Hoste ...
signed on to direct, with the script being rewritten by
Scott Alexander and Larry Karaszewski
Scott Alexander (born June 16, 1963) and Larry Karaszewski (; born November 20, 1961) are an American screenwriter, screenwriting team. They are best known for writing postmodern biopics with larger-than-life characters. They coined the term " ...
. On August 25, 2016,
Vincent D'Onofrio
Vincent Philip D'Onofrio (; born June 30, 1959) is an American actor and filmmaker. He is known for his supporting and leading roles in both film and television. He has been nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award.
His roles include Private Leonar ...
was cast alongside Bruce Willis to play Paul Kersey's brother, ''
Breaking Bad'' actor
Dean Norris
Dean Joseph Norris (born April 8, 1963) is an American actor. He is best known for playing DEA agent Hank Schrader on the AMC series ''Breaking Bad'' (2008–2013) and its spin-off '' Better Call Saul'' (2020). He also portrayed town council ...
also joined Willis in the film. On October 7, 2016,
Kimberly Elise
Kimberly Elise Trammel (born April 17, 1967) is an American film and television actress. She made her feature film debut in '' Set It Off'' (1996), and later received critical acclaim for her performance in ''Beloved'' (1998).
During her career, ...
and
Camila Morrone
Camila Rebeca Morrone Polak (; born June 16, 1997) is an American actress and model. She is the daughter of actors Maximo Morrone and Lucila Polak; and was also raised in part by actor Al Pacino (who served as a parental figure during his long ...
were cast in the film to play Detective Jackson and Jordan Kersey.
Later on October 17, 2016,
Ronnie Gene Blevins
Ronnie Gene Blevins (born June 20, 1977) is an American character actor. He is best known for his role as small-time criminal Willie Russell in the 2013 film '' Joe'', directed by David Gordon Green.
Career
His TV credits include '' NCIS'', '' ...
was cast in the film.
Filming
Principal photography
Principal photography is the phase of producing a film or television show in which the bulk of shooting takes place, as distinct from the phases of pre-production and post-production.
Personnel
Besides the main film personnel, such as a ...
began in September 2016 in
Chicago
(''City in a Garden''); I Will
, image_map =
, map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago
, coordinates =
, coordinates_footnotes =
, subdivision_type = Country
, subdivision_name ...
,
Illinois
Illinois ( ) is a state in the Midwestern United States. Its largest metropolitan areas include the Chicago metropolitan area, and the Metro East section, of Greater St. Louis. Other smaller metropolitan areas include, Peoria and Rockf ...
. Later in October 2016, it began filming in
Montreal, Quebec
Montreal ( ; officially Montréal, ) is the second-most populous city in Canada and most populous city in the Canadian province of Quebec. Founded in 1642 as '' Ville-Marie'', or "City of Mary", it is named after Mount Royal, the triple-pe ...
,
Canada
Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering over , making it the world's second-largest country by tot ...
.
During filming, Roth had spent a lot of time with multiple detectives in Chicago to get some important details about police stations correct.
Release
In June 2017, it was announced
Annapurna Pictures
Annapurna Pictures is an independent American media company founded by Megan Ellison in 2011, that specializes in film production, live theatre production, television through its Annapurna Television division, and video game publishing through i ...
would distribute the film on behalf of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures and release it on November 22, 2017. However, in October 2017, it was announced it was being delayed until March 2, 2018 and that MGM would handle the film's distribution in the United States, with Annapurna Pictures handling its international distribution. It was speculated the delay was due in-part to the
mass shooting in Las Vegas several days prior.
[
]
Reception
Box office
''Death Wish'' grossed $34 million in the United States and Canada, and $14.5 million in other territories, for a worldwide total of $48.5 million, against a production budget of $30 million.
In the United States and Canada, ''Death Wish'' was released alongside ''Red Sparrow
''Red Sparrow'' is a 2018 American spy thriller film directed by Francis Lawrence and written by Justin Haythe, based on the 2013 novel of the same name by Jason Matthews. The film stars Jennifer Lawrence, Joel Edgerton, Matthias Schoenaerts, ...
'', and was projected to gross $10–20 million from 2,847 theaters in its opening weekend. It made $4.2 million on its first day (including $650,000 from Thursday night previews) and $13 million in its opening weekend, finishing third behind '' Black Panther'' ($66.7 million in its third week) and ''Red Sparrow'' ($17 million). 55% of its audience was male, while 89% was over the age of 25. It dropped 49% to $6.6 million in its second weekend, finishing at 7th.
Critical response
The film was widely panned by critics. On review aggregation website Rotten Tomatoes
Rotten Tomatoes is an American review-aggregation website for film and television. The company was launched in August 1998 by three undergraduate students at the University of California, Berkeley: Senh Duong, Patrick Y. Lee, and Stephen Wang ...
, the film holds an approval rating of based on reviews and an average rating of . The website's critical consensus reads, "''Death Wish'' is little more than a rote retelling that lacks the grit and conviction of the original—and also suffers from spectacularly bad timing." On Metacritic
Metacritic is a website that aggregates reviews of films, TV shows, music albums, video games and formerly, books. For each product, the scores from each review are averaged (a weighted average). Metacritic was created by Jason Dietz, Marc ...
, the film has a weighted average score of 31 out of 100, based on 32 critics, indicating "generally unfavorable reviews". Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of "B+" on an A+ to F scale.
The ''Chicago Sun-Times
The ''Chicago Sun-Times'' is a daily newspaper published in Chicago, Illinois, United States. Since 2022, it is the flagship paper of Chicago Public Media, and has the second largest circulation among Chicago newspapers, after the ''Chicago ...
''s Richard Roeper
Richard E. Roeper (born October 17, 1959) is an American columnist and film critic for the ''Chicago Sun-Times''. He co-hosted the television series '' At the Movies'' with Roger Ebert from 2000 to 2008, serving as the late Gene Siskel's success ...
gave the film 2 out of 4 stars, writing, "Even with the social commentary, ''Death Wish'' isn't trying to be some intense, gritty, ripped-from-the-headlines docudrama ... A number of gruesome scenes are staged like something out of one of those ''Final Destination
''Final Destination'' is an American horror franchise that includes five films, two comic books, and nine novels. It is based on an unproduced spec script by Jeffrey Reddick, originally written for ''The X-Files'' television series, and was ...
'' movies, with a bowling ball, a dart, a wrench and other conveniently handy items used as weapons of singular destruction. It's essentially revenge porn." Michael Phillips of the ''Chicago Tribune
The ''Chicago Tribune'' is a daily newspaper based in Chicago, Illinois, United States, owned by Tribune Publishing. Founded in 1847, and formerly self-styled as the "World's Greatest Newspaper" (a slogan for which WGN radio and television a ...
'' gave the film 1 out of 4 stars and said, "For a while, director Roth plays this stuff relatively straight, and Willis periodically reminds us he can act (the grieving Kersey cries a fair bit here). The script contains a reference to AR-15
An AR-15-style rifle is any lightweight semi-automatic rifle based on the Colt AR-15 design. The original ArmaLite AR-15 is a scaled-down derivative of Eugene Stoner's ArmaLite AR-10 design. The then Fairchild Engine and Airplane Corporatio ...
rifles; by the end, Willis goes full Willis when his adversaries return to the sanctity of the family home."
Many critics noted the timing of the film's release, coming less than three weeks after the Stoneman Douglas High School shooting in Parkland, Florida alongside the positive portrayal of American gun culture. Jeannette Catsoulis of ''The New York Times
''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid d ...
'' called the film "imbecilic", and criticized its jokey tone and "morally unconflicted" approach to its subject matter. Similarly, ''The Guardian
''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper. It was founded in 1821 as ''The Manchester Guardian'', and changed its name in 1959. Along with its sister papers ''The Observer'' and ''The Guardian Weekly'', ''The Guardian'' is part of the Gu ...
''s Amy Nicholson criticized the film for " latliningthe politics and aturatingthe pathos", and for insulting both sides of the gun control argument.
''The Hollywood Reporter
''The Hollywood Reporter'' (''THR'') is an American digital and print magazine which focuses on the Hollywood film, television, and entertainment industries. It was founded in 1930 as a daily trade paper, and in 2010 switched to a weekly larg ...
''s John DeFore noted that the film does not attempt to "use genre metaphors to address real national debates", making the original film "look philosophical by comparison", and he also noted the improbable and contrived nature of Kersey's mission. Writing for the ''Los Angeles Times
The ''Los Angeles Times'' (abbreviated as ''LA Times'') is a daily newspaper that started publishing in Los Angeles in 1881. Based in the LA-adjacent suburb of El Segundo since 2018, it is the sixth-largest newspaper by circulation in the U ...
'', Justin Chang called the film "a slick, straightforward revenge thriller as well as a sham provocation, pandering shamelessly to the viewer's bloodlust while trying to pass as self-aware satire". Chang compared the film unfavorably to ''Death Sentence
Capital punishment, also known as the death penalty, is the state-sanctioned practice of deliberately killing a person as a punishment for an actual or supposed crime, usually following an authorized, rule-governed process to conclude that ...
'' (2007), citing the lack of consequences that Kersey faces.
Some reviewers stood in defense of the film. Peter Howell of the ''Toronto Star
The ''Toronto Star'' is a Canadian English-language broadsheet daily newspaper. The newspaper is the country's largest daily newspaper by circulation. It is owned by Toronto Star Newspapers Limited, a subsidiary of Torstar Corporation and pa ...
'' stated that "Roth and Carnahan do an OK job updating ''Death Wish''", and that the film accurately depicts the "casual way that Americans acquire and use guns". He felt, though, that Liam Neeson
William John Neeson (born 7 June 1952) is an actor from Northern Ireland. He has received several accolades, including nominations for an Academy Award, a British Academy Film Award, and two Tony Awards. In 2020, he was placed 7th on ''The I ...
would have been a better choice for the lead role. Matthew Rozsa of '' Salon'' agreed that the film's release was timed poorly, but argued that "mass shootings have been ubiquitous for so long that I doubt there ever would have been an appropriate release date for a vigilante fantasy. ... It exists everywhere in our culture, from movies and video games to the right-wing talking points that regularly thwart gun control legislation." Rozsa considers ''Death Wish'' his guilty pleasure
A guilty pleasure is something, such as a film, a television program, or a piece of music, that one enjoys despite understanding that it is not generally held in high regard, or is seen as unusual or weird. For example, a person may secretly like ...
, recommending it as a "success" as well as "a competent popcorn muncher that moves at a brisk pace, is about as engaging as your average ''Law and Order
In modern politics, law and order is the approach focusing on harsher enforcement and penalties as ways to reduce crime. Penalties for perpetrators of disorder may include longer terms of imprisonment, mandatory sentencing, three-strikes laws a ...
'' episode and contains an appropriately glowering (if somewhat bored looking) Bruce Willis." The ''San Francisco Chronicle
The ''San Francisco Chronicle'' is a newspaper serving primarily the San Francisco Bay Area of Northern California. It was founded in 1865 as ''The Daily Dramatic Chronicle'' by teenage brothers Charles de Young and Michael H. de Young. The ...
''s Mick Lasalle called it "way better than all the ''Death Wish'' sequels" and "easily the second best ''Death Wish'' movie ever made, and not a distant second."
Accolades
39th Golden Raspberry Awards
The 39th Golden Raspberry Awards was an awards ceremony that honored the worst the film industry had to offer in 2018. The Golden Raspberry Awards, also known as the ''Razzies'', are awarded based on votes from members of the Golden Raspberry Fo ...
(February 23, 2019)
* Worst Actor (Bruce Willis
Walter Bruce Willis (born March 19, 1955) is a retired American actor. He achieved fame with a leading role on the comedy-drama series ''Moonlighting'' (1985–1989) and appeared in over a hundred films, gaining recognition as an action hero a ...
) (nominated)
* Worst Prequel, Remake, Rip-off or Sequel (nominated)
Notelist
References
External links
*
''Death Wish''
at MGM Studios
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc., also known as Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures and abbreviated as MGM, is an American film, television production, distribution and media company owned by Amazon through MGM Holdings, founded on April 17, 1924 a ...
*
*
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Death Wish
Death Wish (film series)
2018 action thriller films
2018 crime drama films
2018 thriller drama films
2010s vigilante films
American action thriller films
American crime drama films
Remakes of American films
American films about revenge
American thriller drama films
American vigilante films
2010s English-language films
Films about murderers
Films based on American crime novels
Films directed by Eli Roth
Films scored by Ludwig Göransson
Films set in Chicago
Films set in hospitals
Films shot in Chicago
Films shot in Montreal
Films with screenplays by Joe Carnahan
Home invasions in film
Medical-themed films
Political controversies in film
Film controversies
Film controversies in the United States
Annapurna Pictures films
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer films
Vertigo Films films
Films produced by Roger Birnbaum
2010s American films