Death Wish Review: 2 Ups & 7 Downs

1. It's A Dull, Pointless Remake

Was anyone really asking for a Death Wish remake, especially one starring Bruce Willis in the major nadir of his career and in this political climate no less?

That's not to say there wasn't a subversive route for the film to take, but instead it decides to retool the Bronson-starring original - which wasn't exactly a brilliant movie to begin with - into a soulless, meandering revenge thriller the likes of which has been done literally hundreds of times over the last 40-plus years.

Clearly, MGM hoped they could pimp a long-dormant franchise out for a fast, easy revival, but at least its mediocre box office showing to date has already killed that prospect dead.

Though in no sense is Death Wish a good movie, there are at least a few promising elements that manage to shine through everything that sucks. Here's what worked...