Death Wish

Year: 2018
Director: Eli Roth
Cast: Bruce Willis, Vincent D'Onofrio, Elisabeth Shue, Dean Norris, Kimberly Elise, Camila Morrone, Beau Knapp, Jack Kesy, Ronnie Gene Blevins, Len Cariou


Plot: When a trio of robbers kills his wife and puts his daughter in a coma, ER doctor Paul Kersey becomes a vigilante and embarks on a path of vengeance.


Review: I hadn't seen the original Death Wish starring Charles Bronson, but I have watched Kevin Bacon's Death Sentence, which is an offshoot of the Death Wish franchise. Compared to Death Sentence, Eli Roth's remake of Death Wish feels a little more light-hearted. Don't get me wrong, Roth does take the matter of revenge quite seriously, it's just that Death Sentence was very sombre in its approach, while this remake throws in some humor every now and then.

Roth, with a script by Joe Carnahan (which has been re-written by two other people), cleverly takes the opportunity to address the issue of gun violence by inserting scenes of radio deejays discussing the pros and cons of vigilantism, but ultimately, since this film is about taking the law into your own hands, it certainly leans more towards buying guns to solve your problems, which certainly doesn't bode well for those advocating against the issue. Nevertheless, the film more or less works as a gritty thriller, more so than a straight up action movie, so don't go in and expect a Die Hard kind of movie. Since it's Eli Roth we're talking about, there is a decent amount of violence, so that's something to look forward to.

Bruce Willis, who has spent the last few years making B-grade action flicks with very little enthusiasm on his face, is more convincing here when he's taking on the bad guys. Whenever he's not doing so, his lack of interest is blatantly obvious, especially in the first act. Willis is still capable of gunning down scumbags with ease, and violently tortures one in a garage (which you've seen in the trailer). Vincent D'Onofrio fares better as Willis' younger brother Frank, who's trying to turn away from a life of crime and is now forced to keep Willis out of trouble. I only wished D'Onofrio had gotten involved a little in the vigilante acts, or at least gave Willis a few pointers.

Naturally, the cops here are portrayed as being somewhat incompetent, with Dean Norris and Kimberly Elise as the detectives chasing Willis. As for the villains, they are mostly a random set of bad guys with very little distinction between them, unlike Death Sentence where they are more fleshed out. Beau Knapp shows some potential as the lead robber but doesn't get enough time to really stand out. Blue Bloods' Len Cariou shows up in a minor role as Willis' father in-law, and makes an impression with his stand on vigilantism.

While Roth should be commended for inserting just enough humor to not make this film feel too funny, there are a few other things that didn't feel right. For instance, Willis gets incredibly lucky a few times during confrontations with the bad guys. The entire illegal pawn shop sequence is a prime example of this. Plus there's this annoying blonde who greets Willis when he attempts to buy a gun...Roth should have toned down her enthusiasm a few notches. 

In conclusion, Death Wish is a decent Willis vehicle, which would have been better if Willis put in more gusto into his acting. (7/10)