Staff Reports
Comparing old movies with their modern remakes is like comparing bold, rich espresso with a diluted, sugary latte. Take “Death Wish,” for example. The original came out at a time when crime was through the roof. Paul Kersey, the protagonist, was every man’s hero. He didn’t tiptoe around the problem; he charged at it with the zeal of a knight. The film was provocative, and a franchise was soon born.
Fast forward a few decades, and we have the remake starring Bruce Willis. Now, don’t get me wrong, everyone enjoys a bit of Bruce Willis, but the remake starts with an emphasis on his kindness, his occupation as a doctor, and his social life. It’s like they decided they needed to give him a modern makeover, complete with humor and all. In the remake, there’s an added focus on Kersey’s emotional state and the morality of his vigilantism, portraying a specific mission of going after those who cost him his family, unlike the original, which showed a broader campaign against crime.
It seems the creators of the remake feared an audience might need a moral cushion to land on before swooping into the action. The audience wasn’t interested in a main character’s kindness quotient; they were on the lookout for justice, swift and bold. But the remake took its sweet time, simmering in modern-day bubbles of morality and political correctness before serving us what the audience initially craved.
Such differences aren’t surprising in today’s remake arena. Modern films often come coated in layers of character development, jokes, and softer narratives. It’s as if they are more concerned with ticking boxes instead of engaging the raw emotions audiences felt the first time around. One has to wonder if this reflects a broader societal shift.
In the end, perhaps the layers of modern filmmaking are a reflection of our complex times, but there’s something timeless in the original stories that drew us in with their fearless simplicity. Audiences need that bold, espresso-like narrative once in a while, where justice is upfront and unapologetic, and the villains don’t stand a chance. If only more filmmakers tapped into that undiluted gusto, today’s remakes might just pack the punch audiences still crave.
