Open-minded architect Paul Kersey returns to New York City from vacationing with his wife, feeling on top of the world. At the office, his cynical coworker gives him the welcome-back with a warning on the rising crime rate. But Paul, a bleeding-heart liberal, thinks of crime as being caused by poverty. However his coworker’s ranting proves to be more than true when Paul’s wife is killed and his daughter is raped in his own apartment. The police have no reliable leads and his overly sensitive son-in-law only exacerbates Paul’s feeling of hopelessness. He is now facing the reality that the police can’t be everywhere at once. Out of sympathy his boss gives him an assignment in sunny Arizona where Paul gets a taste of the Old West ideals. He returns to New York with a compromised view on muggers..
Underrated
A mild manured Paul Kersey (Charles Bronson) turns vigilante after his wife and daughter are attacked by muggers. The 1970’s were full of hard hitting and gritty dramas and while most of them get the credit they deserve this film has yet to get all the love I think it deserves. The film is certainly one of the most influential films of the decade but it’s also one of the best and most underrated. The story itself has become quite familiar over the years due to countless sequel and rips but there’s no denying that this first film still has enough power to make it stand up against all others. The acting of Charles Bronson often gets laughed at or called wooden but I think he was brilliant at playing the Bronson persona just like Bogart could do Bogart and McQueen could do McQueen. I think Bronson’s performance here is downright brilliant from start to finish and the actor hits all the right marks no matter what the scene calls for. I think Bronson works the best during the silent moment where he’s stalking the streets just waiting to get attacked. The look in Bronson’s eyes is priceless and his gentle walk tells us all we need to know about him. The direction is also very strong and I love the way the story is handled with respect and care and doesn’t try to make it exploitation like all the sequels. The film never becomes overly political but I’m sure some will try to pull or push it away due to their own moral beliefs and politics. The movie is a lot smarter than that and it just plays out and lets the viewer make up what they want.
Reviews
There are no reviews yet.