Review

In the film which started the "vigilante" action genre, Bronson stars as a New York businessman who seeks vengeance against society's criminal underworld for the death of his wife and the rape of his daughter. The film tries to balance gritty, violent action sequences with a supposedly thoughtful treatise on crime and punishment, but it's nothing more than an excuse for Bronson to blow away punks and street scum and having the audience cheer him while he's doing it. As a detective on Bronson's trail, Gardenia is actually quite good, giving more conviction to his part than it deserves. (Followed by 4 sequels)