“Death
Wish”
Movie
Review
Death Wish is a 1974 American neo-noir vigilante action thriller
film based on Brian Garfield's novel of the same name. Directed by Michael
Winner, the film stars Charles Bronson as Paul Kersey, a vigilante architect
who turns vigilante after his wife and daughter are attacked during a home
invasion and his wife dies from her injuries. It is the first film in the Death
Wish film series.
At the time of its release, the film was criticized for caution
and advocated unlimited punishment for criminals. The novel is said to have
condemned vigilantism, while the film embraced the idea. The film was a
commercial success.
Paul Kersey is a successful, middle-aged architect and family
man who lives happily in Manhattan with his wife Joanna. One day, Joanna and
their grown daughter, Carol—who is married to Jack Toby—are followed home
from D’Agostino’s by three thugs. The trio, disguised as delivery
men, breaks into Kersey's apartment. Upon finding that Carol and Joanna only
have $7 on them, the thugs attack them, beat Joanna, rape Carol, and flee.
Arriving at the hospital, Paul is devastated to learn that Joanna has died from
her injuries. After his wife's funeral, Paul has an encounter with a mugger in
a dark street. Paul fights back with a homemade weapon, causing Mugger to flee,
while Paul is shocked and excited by the encounter.
Paul’s Boss sends him to Tucson, Arizona to visit Ames Jainchill,
a client on a residential development project. A few days later, Ames invites
Paul to dinner at his gun club. Paul's pistol marksmanship at the target range
impressed Ames. Paul reveals that he was a conscientious objector while serving
as a combat medic during the Korean War. His hunter-father taught him to handle
guns, but after the elder Kersey was mortally wounded by a second hunter,
Paul's mother made him swear never to use guns again. Paul was successful in
helping Ames develop residential housing. Ames drives Paul back to the Tucson
airport and gives Paul a gift for his work on the development, which he places
in Paul's checked luggage.
Back in Manhattan, Paul learns from Jack that Carol is
devastated by her rape and mother’s death; Carol is now catatonic and
selectively mute. With Paul's blessing, Jack commits Carol to a mental
institution. Paul learns that Ames gave him a nickel-plated colt
police-positive revolver and a box of ammunition. He loads it up and goes for a
night walk when he is kidnapped at gunpoint. Paul shot the mugger, freaked out,
ran home, and vomited. The following night, Paul travels through the city in
search of dangerous and violent criminals; Of course, over the next few weeks,
he kills several thugs, either by presenting himself as a convenient victim and
engaging in conflict or by watching them attack other innocents.
NYPD Inspector Frank Ochoa investigates vigilante murders. His
department narrows it down to a list of those who have recently had a family member
killed by assassins or have been involved in combat. Ochoa immediately became
suspicious of Paul and was about to arrest him when the District Attorney
intervened and told Ochoa, "We don't want him." The district
collector and the police commissioner did not want the figures to come out that
Paul's awareness had greatly reduced street crime; They fear that if the
information in question becomes public knowledge, the entire city will descend
into surveillance chaos. If Paul were to be arrested, he would surely be
branded a martyr. Ochoa doesn't like the idea and instead relents to
"scare him".
One night, Paul shot two more muggers, wounding a third in the
leg. Paul follows the mugger and locks him in a warehouse. He challenges him to
pull the mug faster, Wild West style and the unconscious man escapes, bleeding.
Young patrolman Jackson Reilly finds Paul's gun and hands it to Ochoa, who
tells him to forget he found it. Ochoa arrives at the hospital where Paul is
recovering and agrees to secretly dispose of Paul's revolver in exchange for
Paul leaving New York City permanently. Paul takes over Ochoa's deal and his
company agrees to transfer him to Chicago, while Paul tells the media that he
is the victim of another scam.
Paul arrives at Union Station in Chicago by train. Greeted by a
corporate representative, he observes the harassment of a young woman. He
forgives himself and helps the young woman. As the stablemates make obscene
gestures, Paul makes a ginger gun and smiles at them.
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