Eli Roth
Death Wish

I think that before talking about this film, one must ask a question: what do I concretely expect from the remake of a perfect film, unbeatable for a thousand different reasons? Because it is clear that this is a fundamental aspect to objectively evaluate this work, leaving aside for a moment all devotion and emotional aspects (which nonetheless are not negligible overall). Only after this process can we then move on with the due tranquility to discuss the remake of "Death Wish" directed by Eli Roth, based on a screenplay by Joe Carnahan, naturally based on the novel by Brian Garfield and mainly on the first film of the series starring the legendary Charles Bronson and directed by Wendell Mayes.

Having said that the story essentially picks up the same plot as the first film (with some differences, such as Paul Kersey being a doctor instead of an architect here...), the main aspects to consider concern the protagonist and his psychological interactions with other characters and the context in which the story is set. The project seems to have been in the works for some time, and in place of Bronson, the choice finally fell on Bruce Willis. The actor is certainly no stranger to donning the guise of the action man and the "vigilante": on one hand, it is commendable that he does not attempt to repeat Bronson's character but to reinvent it according to his own characteristics, on the other hand, it must be said that these are unsuitable for the context, as we also cannot fail to notice, once again, a certain fatigue that has characterized all his performances for some time now.

But the most interesting considerations obviously concern the historical contextualization. It is clear that in the seventies, "Death Wish" fit perfectly into a historical context that strongly demanded the production of such films and prompted analyses of a psychological and social nature (thoroughly explored in classic films such as "Taxi Driver" or "Il giocattolo" by Giuliano Montaldo) which are completely absent here. But this is not so much because crime has disappeared today, nor has the widespread demand for "justice", especially if expressed summarily. Just as the chronicles of our country in the recent period tell us: from everything that happened before, during, and after the elections (the case of Macerata is emblematic). But from this point of view, the film completely lacks any form of analysis, and this is surprising: if we think about the tears of President Barack Obama (whose greatest failure - inevitably - was indeed the fight against gun usage and possession) in January 2016 after the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting in Newtown, Connecticut. Considerations that, apart from the direct comparison with the super-classic film of 1974, render this film a vigilante thriller like many others, with a story as linear as it is unsurprising and lacking in particular insights and plot twists.