Take out the dirt, the horses, and the classic tumble weed blowing across the main drag of a hard town and you have Death Wish. The main character Paul is the lone ranger left to take the law into his own hands because the corruption of city life it more than the judicial system can handle. The best part of it all- he is doing it for free.
One scene I found very compelling in relation to society and culture is the conversation with the police once they find out who the "vigilante" of NYC is. There is a mention that more police are needed- one for every citizen- however, a back comment is made that "No one would be able to pay the taxes". Taxes are what it comes down to when safety is questioned. More money means more protection. No wonder Paul took the hard fight of justice into his hands, and he was man enough to pull the trigger- FOR FREE!!
Death Wish (1974)
It would be an obvious notation to relate this vigilante to any number of comic book "heroes" however, Death Wish goes beyond fighting crime at the beckon for help. Paul did the opposite- he looked for trouble. This is the observation that separates Paul from any hero. Society did not get so bad that people were calling for help, Paul in turn was just as no good as the muggers he shot.
Back in the day of the wild west- if you had a gun and a decent shot, you could very well be a town sheriff. Paul might have gotten in touch with his inner Clint Eastwood while he traveled out west and felt the life sucking heat of the desert and saw a few slithering things- but really he was taking out his anger in a moral less society by capping a few punks.
If there is any lesson to be learned from this so called vigilante it is: If ya ain't wearin a star on your chest, you're gonna be run outta town by the men who are.
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