Death Wish

Play trailer

2:18

Death Wish

R

1974

1h 33m

Crime

Drama

Play Trailer

Watchlist

Watchlist

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.

Watch on Fandango

Stream Now

Critics Consensus

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

Read Critics Reviews

Maureen Orth

Newsweek

11/02/2021

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.

Go to Full Review

Variety

03/01/2007

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

Go to Full Review

Geoff Andrew

Time Out

01/26/2006

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.

Go to Full Review

Keith Garlington

Keith & the Movies

03/15/2023

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.

Go to Full Review

Matt Brunson

Film Frenzy

02/05/2023

3/4

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

Go to Full Review

Gregory Mims

New Pittsburgh Courier

12/13/2021

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.

Go to Full Review

Read all reviews

Ashequl I

@Tofa13 Jul 20

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.

See more

Joaquin U

@Joaquin1 Apr 6

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.

See more

D M

@JoeyBidunce Mar 25

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

See more

James H

@JamesAnthony101 Jan 3

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

See more

Robert M

@Texflex Dec 21

Not worth your time.

See more

Danuel W

@DJWilliams Nov 10

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

See more

Read all reviews

Read More

Read Less

WRITE A REVIEW

EDIT REVIEW

POST RATING

Michael Winner

Director

Charles Bronson

Paul Kersey

Hope Lange

Joanna Kersey

Vincent Gardenia

Frank Ochoa

Steven Keats

Jack Toby

William Redfield

Sam Kreutzer

View more videos

Busting

17%

52%

Busting

Watchlist

Year of the Dragon

55%

53%

Year of the Dragon

Watchlist

Thieves Like Us

79%

72%

Thieves Like Us

Watchlist

Foxy Brown

58%

65%

Foxy Brown

Watchlist

Bring Me the Head of Alfredo Garcia

77%

85%

Bring Me the Head of Alfredo Garcia

Watchlist

Discover more movies and TV shows.

View More

Death Wish: Trailer 1

2:18

View more videos

View more photos

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

Join The Newsletter

Join The Newsletter

Cookie Settings