Trailer Park: Death Wish (2017) - Trailer 1

So, it has finally arrived. The first trailer for the Death Wish remake has arrived. When I first heard about it I thought, like I do about a lot of projects, I’ll believe it when I see it. It had been announced that Eli Roth would be directing and that Bruce Willis would be stepping into Charles Bronson’s legendary shoes. These announcements only enhanced the I’ll believe it when I see it feeling. Of course, there are those who decried the idea of a remake and others who seemed more than willing to give it a shot. Well, it is real, it is coming. What do you think?



Now, I am not an anti-remake guy; however, I am an anti-bad movie guy. Sure, they often go hand in hand, but let the remake prove to be a bad movie first. Now onto the movie at hand…



I will say that it has more of a John McClane: Retiree Vengeance than an actual Death Wish movie. That said, I have a feeling that I will be game for checking it out. Of course, the idea of a white man with a gun taking down minorities in Chicago while wearing a hoodie is likely to ruffle a few feathers. It is not exactly a movie about inclusiveness and togetherness. No, I do not think that is purposeful and no I don’t think that Eli Roth is trying to say anything. I believe it is just a by product of the story and setting.

I also do not think there should be anything that is off limits in filmmaking. Can a filmmaker decide he has lines he won’t cross? Sure. Can a potential viewer say that it isn’t something they want to see? Sure. Hell, I have said that about some things. Of course, I also don’t believe that watching potentially offensive stuff is the same as consent, nor do I think enjoying a movie with controversial content is the same as consent. Works of fiction and creativity can be enjoyed on that level without bringing our real world beliefs and feelings into the equation. Same can be said for the creators of said material, writing it is not condoning it or liking it in the real world, it is fiction and exists in a fictional world.

This Death Wish trailer really doesn’t feel like Death Wish to me. I can hope it is just the trailer, but it seems too upbeat, like it is trying to have fun rather than take us into the darkness. I hope the movie ends up having more edge to it, a little less AC/DC and one-liners. It is all about tone, and for me, this trailer does not have the right tone. It should be about a damaged man looking for vengeance, not, well, whatever this is.

Here's the poster: