Every Actor Who Copied Liam Neeson's Taken Comeback - Ranked

13. Bruce Willis - Death Wish

Why The Actor Needed It: A blockbuster hero throughout the 80s and 90s, unlike his other contemporaries (Stallone, Van Damme) Willis was able to stay relevant as a respectable actor once the 'action star' bubble burst in the mid-90s.

Despite this, recent years have seen him drop from box-office draw to 'will-sleepwalk-through-anything -for-a-paycheque' VOD projects. It didn't help that he seemed like an epically unpleasant human being in several recent press appearances as well.

Film In Question: Joe Carnahan had developed a new take on the Charles Bronson 1974 original, attempting to explore the moral conflict of the main character as he becomes a vigilante. The producers instead pictured it as an event movie with Willis making his own Taken-style career resurrection.

Did It Work?: Despite the potential on the page, it doesn't. Carnahan's grey morality script conflicts with director Eli Roth's 'hurray-for-gore!' approach with the thematics, completely muddled as a result.

Still, there are enough thrills and decent moments to make a passable movie, that is, if Willis actually gave a damn. Sadly, he doesn't in the slightest; either looking bored or confused - and very very old.