Death Wish

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2:18

Death Wish

R,

1974,

1h 33m,

Crime/

Drama

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Death Wish: Trailer 1

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Death Wish: Official Clip - Shot and Bleeding

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Death Wish: Official Clip - Followed Home

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Death Wish: Official Clip - The Vigilante's Still Out There

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Death Wish: Official Clip - Stalked in the Park

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Death Wish: Official Clip - Draw!

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Death Wish: Official Clip - Cowboy Stunt Show

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Death Wish: Official Clip - Subway Shooting

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Death Wish: Official Clip - Get a Transfer

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Death Wish: Official Clip - What Else You Got?

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Death Wish: Official Clip - Wrong Alley, Right Time

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Watchlist

66%

32 Reviews

Tomatometer

66%

10,000+ Ratings

Popcornmeter

66%

Tomatometer

32 Reviews

66%

Popcornmeter

10,000+ Ratings

Once a mild-mannered liberal, New York City architect Paul Kersey snaps when intruders break into his home, murdering his wife and violently raping his daughter. A business trip to Tucson, Ariz., lands him a gift from a client, a revolver he uses to patrol the streets when he returns home. Frustrated that the police cannot find the intruders, he became a vigilante, gunning down any criminal that crosses his path. The public finds this vigilantism heroic.

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Critics Consensus

Death Wish is undeniably exploitation fare -- and also undeniably effective.

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Maureen Orth

Newsweek

Nov 2, 2021

Director Michael Winner, an Englishman, has created a simplistic urban Western of good guys and bad guys that will conform to every paranoid's crime fantasies.

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Variety

Mar 1, 2007

Poisonous incitement to do-it-yourself law enforcement is the vulgar exploitation hook on which Death Wish is awkwardly hung.

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Geoff Andrew

Time Out

Jan 26, 2006

Winner's recourse to caricature when dealing with police and thugs, and his virtually overt sympathies with the confused, violent Bronson, make for uncritical, simplistic viewing.

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Keith Garlington

Keith & the Movies

Mar 15, 2023

4/5

It’s both fascinating and uncomfortable, as a story like this should be. Not everything clicks, especially in the final act. But it’s still a well-made thriller that’s worth more than a mere surface level reading.

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Matt Brunson

Film Frenzy

Feb 5, 2023

3/4

Although it’s about as complex as any random episode of The Beverly Hillbillies, it’s nevertheless effective agitprop.

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Gregory Mims

New Pittsburgh Courier

Dec 13, 2021

Although we may find the views expressed in Death Wish unacceptable on any level, still, the basic story line, despite its idiotic perspective, might have made an interesting film, had it been handled properly.

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John J

@dannyLeboi

Nov 10, 2025

Honestly makes me scary to meet Charles Bronson in person. Test Review.

Harry S

Feb 24, 2019

The mother of your modern vigilante/action flick. While it may have been criticized for its celebration of vigilante violence, I think that this film is still a good and necessary reflection on the social inequalities and crime in America. It's an interesting film, with a good performance by Charles Bronson, although I found his emotions to be stiff, which is quite weird. But the music is also very cool. And while older and not as gory, it's also superior to its 2018 remake. Overall, we can call it an vigilante classic for sure. Recommended!!

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Jan 31, 2019

The best thrilling movie ever made! With the best movie character ever portrayed: Charles Bronson as Paul Kersey!

Draco L

Nov 20, 2018

A genre-defining film.

Aug 5, 2018

The best of the original series and a classic. Not suitable for children.

Poe G

Mar 31, 2018

We have seen this scenario in many westerns. Nevada Smith- Outlaw Josey Wales-Magnum Force . The individual with the gun gets revenge or saves society when govt .cant do the job or is absent. Shane is a similar story. So I see this as an urban western. The champion or individual taking direct action. Outside the normal process. In westerns outside the process of society is the norm. This does have a definite racist component. 3.5 stars. I have seen worse movies and better.

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Michael Winner

Director

Charles Bronson

Paul Kersey

Hope Lange

Joanna Kersey

Vincent Gardenia

Frank Ochoa

Steven Keats

Jack Toby

William Redfield

Sam Kreutzer

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Death Wish: Trailer 1

2:18

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Synopsis

Once a mild-mannered liberal, New York City architect Paul Kersey snaps when intruders break into his home, murdering his wife and violently raping his daughter. A business trip to Tucson, Ariz., lands him a gift from a client, a revolver he uses to patrol the streets when he returns home. Frustrated that the police cannot find the intruders, he became a vigilante, gunning down any criminal that crosses his path. The public finds this vigilantism heroic.

Director: Michael Winner
Producer: Hal Landers, Bobby Roberts, Michael Winner
Screenwriter: Wendell Mayes
Distributor: Paramount Pictures
Production Co: Dino De Laurentiis Company
Rating: R
Genre: Crime, Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Jul 24, 1974, Original
Release Date (Streaming): Aug 10, 2016
Runtime: 1h 33m

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