Review of Death Wish (2018) by Regina P — 05 Aug 2018

The original film's title is so ubiquitous that this, unnecessary, 2018 remake really needs no plot summation. Paul Kersey, played by a bored-looking Bruce Willis, embarks on a campaign of vigilantism after his wife and daughter are brutally attacked during a home invasion. This reimagined version relocates the action from New York, to present-day Chicago, which is a wise move, considering the increasingly volatile criminality in said city at the current time.

However, that is pretty much the extent of the 'wise moves' made here. The original was an interesting film, as it offered something in the way of social commentary by asking if self-appointed justice could ever be tolerated if the effect is a reduction in crime. Here there is no such nuance - it is nothing more than revenge-porn. That is not necessarily a bad thing, however the film fails to even satisfy fans of that genre, by offering no relationship between the criminals and the 'Grim Reaper' dishing out the justice. We never see the perpetrators of the original crime, so have no idea if Kersey is even targeting the guilty individuals.

You could argue that is a commentary on the impersonal nature of vigilante justice, but this is an Eli Roth film and I don't think he is capable of such subtlety. Another misstep here, is that Kersey is shown as 'enjoying' his work - rushing hime afterwards to relive his exploits through reporting in the media. This is a stark contrast to the original, where Charles Bronson's character vomits after committing his first murder, so appalled is he at his actions. There is also some frivolous humour added that seems at odds with the tone of the film - some of the deaths are almost Final Destination-like, in their execution, for example. There are also no real consequences to any of Kersey's actions - this coupled with his apparent enjoyment of his new hobby, give the film a clumsy moral ambiguity that seems to directly contradict the message of the original movie, and make this ultimately a pointless enterprise and an unsatisfying experience.