Death Wish
Director: Michael Winner
Year Released: 1974
Rating: 2.0
Former "conscientious objector" Charles Bronson turns on his inner vigilante when his wife (Hope Lange) is murdered and his daughter raped by thugs (including Jeff Goldblum, billed as Freak #1!) ... and surprisingly, the police aren't altogether displeased with his doing-their-job-for-them. Though very crude and contrived - there are no shortage of thugs to go after Charles Bronson (really, who would ever attack one of the Magnificent Seven!?) - and shameless in its extreme right-wing views (every man needs a gun!), it does raise a couple interesting points, like whether or not Mill's 'greater good' principle can apply here - in other words, if the killing of a few thugs as a preventative measure keeps other thugs off the streets and lowers the crime rate (thereby assisting with the safety of other citizens), is it that bad? The debate starts ... now.
