Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- Graphic
- brooding
- provocative
- bleak
- 1970s crime movie night
- hard-edged action marathon
What critics said
Critics broadly found the film effective as exploitation entertainment but morally troubling and simplistic in its advocacy or presentation of vigilante violence.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Paul Kersey turns to street-level retaliation after the police fail to identify those responsible for the attack on his family.
The assault on Kersey's family transforms his view of crime and drives an escalating cycle of shootings across New York.
Kersey's Arizona assignment gives him a taste of Old West ideals that reshapes his response to New York muggers.
The film presents an emotionally charged vigilante fantasy while inviting controversy over whether it encourages antisocial behavior.
Films like Death Wish, and why
The Brave One
shares a vigilante crime thriller framework, urban violence, and morally conflicted revenge protagonist
Ms. 45
shares a rape and revenge premise, bleak urban atmosphere, and controversy over vigilante justice
Rolling Thunder
shares a revenge-driven crime narrative, antiheroic protagonist, and hard-edged 1970s action style
Movie Details
- Director
- Michael Winner
- Release Date
- 1974-07-24
- Runtime
- 93 min
- Rating
- 6.9 / 10 (992)
Cast
- Charles Bronson
- Hope Lange
- Vincent Gardenia
- Steven Keats
- William Redfield
- Stuart Margolin
- Stephen Elliott
- Kathleen Tolan
- Jack Wallace
- Fred J. Scollay
Where to watch in United States
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Death Wish about?
- After a devastating attack on his family, a New York architect becomes an increasingly uncompromising vigilante against the city's criminals.
- What is Death Wish like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Death Wish as brisk, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is Death Wish violent?
- Yes. Ember rates the violence in Death Wish as graphic.
- What did critics think of Death Wish?
- Critics broadly found the film effective as exploitation entertainment but morally troubling and simplistic in its advocacy or presentation of vigilante violence.
- Which films are like Death Wish?
- Films with a similar feel include The Brave One, Ms. 45, and Rolling Thunder.
- How long is Death Wish?
- Death Wish runs 93 minutes.
- Where can I watch Death Wish?
- In United States, Death Wish is available to rent or buy from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home.
