After his wife is murdered by street punks, a pacifistic New York City architect becomes a one-man vigilante squad, prowling the streets for would-be muggers after dark.
Poisonous incitement to do-it-yourself law enforcement is the vulgar exploitation hook on which Death Wish is awkwardly hung.
– ,
Variety,
1 Mar 2007
fresh:
The movie has an eerie kind of fascination, even though its message is scary.
– Roger Ebert,
Chicago Sun-Times,
23 Oct 2004
rotten:
It's a despicable movie, one that raises complex questions in order to offer bigoted, frivolous, oversimplified answers.
– Vincent Canby,
New York Times,
9 May 2005
rotten:
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.