Okay, so you might be wondering why this random James Wan movie from 2007 ended up on this list, but hear me out. “Death Sentence” is loosely based on Brian Garfield’s novel of the same name, which is a sequel to his “Death Wish” novel, so technically that puts this film under the franchise’s umbrella. It has absolutely nothing to do with Charles Bronson, nor is it a remake of Michael Winner’s films, but a standalone film tangentially related to the series so many people hold near and dear. It’s also, for my money, a ridiculously fun vigilante thriller despite the initial critical disdain and flop at the box office.
Kevin Bacon stars as Nick Hume, a father who witnesses his son killed by a gang member who slashes his throat with a machete. The killer gets a light sentence because our legal system is broken beyond repair, so Nick takes matters into his own hands. Garfield notoriously hated the way the “Death Wish” films were turned into mindless action flicks that completely missed the point of his original novel, but spoke highly of the empathetic hand Wan applied to “Death Sentence.” Hume is a father pushed too far, but themes of survivor’s guilt coat every single action. For each bombastic action scene, there’s a wallop of heart to even the score.
Looking at the film within Wan’s filmography is also fascinating because Nick Hume is written with the same approach as every character Patrick Wilson has ever played in a James Wan horror film. “Death Sentence” zeroes in on why vigilante justice isn’t always the answer, and that violence begets more violence. It deserves a rewatch because it’s not just an underrated Wan film, but a totally underrated “Death Wish” film too.
Oh, and John Goodman plays a tough-as-nails arms dealer.