Death Wish: Immoral solutions for real problems lead to interesting stories

New York 1974: Most residents have had enough of crime. The film “Death Wish” starring Charles Bronson tells the story of a man whose wife was murdered by criminals and whose daughter was put into a coma.

At night on the streets and in the neglected subway, sinister figures attack him with knives and pistols. He shoots them all! At the first screenings of the film, the audience cheered in the movie theaters.

Of course, vigilante justice is no option. We know this. But there is a deep sense of justice within us that rejoices when someone takes revenge. Films like this feel good. And you feel a little bit guilty for that feeling.

Such tensions make for interesting stories. The moral dilemma was perhaps the reason why this film did not get as good reviews as it deserved from many critics.