Death Wish

Movie Review #2964 DEATH WISH.

Remake of the 1974 Charles Bronson vehicle which, coincidentally was my very first R16 movie. I think I'd just turned 14 and me and my ole schoolmate Robert Crockett donned our best platformed shoes to convince the ticket lady we were of age (and at least this time I didn't ask for half!).

Anyway this one has Brucie Willis in the main role and this time he's a doctor not an architect, which begs the question what happened to the Hippocratic Oath when it comes to the doc blowing away bad guys after his wife is attacked in a robbery gone wrong. Sufficiently cringeworthy in some scenes when the retribution is being dished out and Dr Willis proves to be no slouch when figuring ways to best do so.

Unfortunately a very average script makes it all a bit bland and predictable and it lacks the edginess of the original. No real noteworthy performances either as it's not really a noteworthy performance movie although everyone's second-favourite actor Vincent D'Onofrio turns in a decent shift as the little brother.

Yes violent & blood-curdling but not overly so and Brucie's inventive ways of getting bad dudes to talk is about the only creativity present. The original also spawned a bunch of sequels, hope that doesn't become the fate of this reboot.

 7/10.