Film Review: "Death Wish" (2018).

"They came for his family. Now he's coming for them." This is Death Wish (2018). This vigilante action thriller film directed by Eli Roth, written by Joe Carnahan, and based on the 1974 film of the same name, directed by Michael Winner, and the 1972 novel of the same name by Brian Garfield. Dr. Paul Kersey is a surgeon who only sees the aftermath of his city's violence as it's rushed into his ER -until his wife and college-age daughter are viciously attacked in their suburban home. With the police overloaded with crimes, Paul, burning for revenge, hunts for his family's assailants to deliver justice. As the anonymous slayings of criminals grabs the media's attention, the city wonders if this deadly avenger is a guardian angel...or a grim reaper.

In 2006, development of the film began with Sylvester Stallone to direct and star. However, in 2009, Stallone dropped out of the film due to creative differences. In late January 2012, The Hollywood Reporter confirmed that Joe Carnahan to write and direct, with Liam Neeson and Frank Grillo to star. However, in February 2013, Carnahan left the project due to creative differences. He was replaced with Gerardo Naranjo, who was interested in casting Benicio Del Toro in the lead role; this version also never came to fruition. In March 2016, Paramount Pictures and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer announced that Aharon Keshales and Navot Papushado would direct. Russell Crowe, Matt Damon, Will Smith, and Brad Pitt were considered before Bruce Willis was cast. In May, Keshales and Papushado left the project after MGM declined to allow them to rewrite Carnahan's script, which had been approved by Willis. In June, Eli Roth signed on to direct, with Dean Georgaris, Scott Alexander and Larry Karaszewski rewriting Carnahan's script. By late September, Vincent D'Onofrio, Elisabeth Shue, Dean Norris, Kimberly Elise, Jack Kesy, Ronnie Gene Blevins, Beau Knapp, and Camila Morrone rounded out the film's cast. At the same time, principal photography began, and wrapped in late October. Filming took place in Chicago, Illinois and Montreal, Quebec, Canada.

The film stars Willis, D'Onofrio, Shue, Norris, Elise, Kesy, Gene Blevins, Knapp, and Morrone. Despite the best efforts this solid cast could muster, they were wasted and the performances they gave were ultimately, and sadly, mediocre and cliched. As for Willis, We know he can be a tough guy, but not so much the mild-mannered guy; he seems to be trying to split the difference the whole time.

Death Wish is a despicable movie, one that raises complex questions in order to offer bigoted, frivolous, oversimplified answers. The violence is excessive and the plot predictable, although there is some style to director Roth's approach. Roth's recourse to caricature when dealing with police and thugs, and his virtually overt sympathies with the confused, violent Willis, make for uncritical, simplistic viewing. A poisonous incitement to do-it-yourself law enforcement is the vulgar exploitation hook on which the film is awkwardly hung. Nothing more than a stylishly lacklustre exploitation vigilante thriller.

Simon says Death Wish receives:

Also, see my review for The Green Inferno.