Death Wish

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2:18

Death Wish

R

1974

1h 33m

Crime

Drama

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

66%

Tomatometer

32 Reviews

69%

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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Ashequl I

@Tofa13 Jul 20, 2026

Death Wish (1974) is a gritty, atmospheric, and highly compelling thriller that serves as the blueprint for the modern revenge movie. Charles Bronson gives an iconic performance as a mild-mannered man who transforms into a cold, relentless vigilante after a brutal tragedy destroys his family. The screenplay presents a fascinating, dark concept—a man essentially becoming a serial killer targeting criminals to clean up a broken society. Set against the bleak, claustrophobic backdrop of 1970s New York City, the film's tense atmosphere and strong character motivation keep you completely engaged throughout. While the dialogue can feel a bit dated and simple at times, the sheer power of the narrative and its dark "real-world Batman" premise make it a brilliant, highly enjoyable watch.

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Joaquin U

@Joaquin1 Apr 6, 2026

Entertaining. It's a classic. No movie was created out of context, and this is right there when New York was a dumpster fire of crime and violence. Surely, people back then in the theatre cheered when Paul Kersey took on the scum. Solid cast. Bronson never changes in any film, but it's good to see Bronson not changing as usual. If you want "professional" reviews or criticisms, look for reviews of that era. It's a travesty to have millennial "movie critics" given their takes on stuff they don't understand.

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D M

@JoeyBidunce Mar 25, 2026

CLASSIC. One of the all time best movies and the start of the franchise.

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James H

@JamesAnthony101 Jan 3, 2026

Watched this movie when I was like 12, my father was a huge Charles Bronson fan. Out of all the films this is most likely the best, enough fun and vengance to have a good time, a good classic form the 70s

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Robert M

@Texflex Dec 21, 2025

Not worth your time.

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Danuel W

@DJWilliams Nov 10, 2025

You really do feel it for this main character, almost justifies his vigilante run throughout this movie.

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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

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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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