To celebrate the release of RED DAWN on DVD and Blu-Ray in the UK this week, THN has taken a look back at films from today and indeed days gone by to count down the best movie vigilantes to appear on screen.
Dirty Harry
“The question is do I feel lucky? Well, do ya, punk!” Clint Eastwood is cool cop, Harry Callahan, who takes the law into his own hands when hunting down serial killer, Scorpio.
Inglorious Basterds
“…once we’re in enemy territory, as a bushwhackin’ guerrilla army, we’re gonna be doin’ one thing and one thing only… killin’ Nazis.” Brad Pitt and his team of vigilantes aim to change history as we know it.
Red Dawn
In this remake of the 1980s cult classic, the United States is invaded by North Korea. It is up to a group of teenagers nicknamed, ‘The Wolverines’, to help save their town from enemy occupation.
The Dark Knight Trilogy
Bruce Wayne is a billionaire businessman and playboy but he isn’t one to completely fritter his money away. A winged suit and a batmobile allows Wayne to assume the role of Batman, a hero hell bent on protecting Gotham City from people such as The Joker and Bane.
Death Wish
Charles Bronson stars as a vigilante in perhaps Michael Winner’s most well-known picture. The film centres on Paul Kersey, a man whose wife is murdered and daughter assaulted by robbers. He then decides to take the law into his own hands and sets out to kill the muggers of Manhattan.
Taken
“… I will look for you, I will find you and I will kill you.” Liam Neeson is the dad everyone wants. His daughter is kidnapped and using ‘a very particular set of skills’ he goes vigilante to find her.
Harry Brown
Michael Caine plays the renegade OAP, Harry Brown, whose best friend, Len, is killed by local gang. Brown decides to avenge Len’s death and fight to rid his neighbourhood of these violent youths.
Kick Ass
Normal teenager, Dave Lizewski, becomes the superhero, Kick-Ass, but he can’t protect the city on his own. The controversial, foul mouthed and ruthless Hit-Girl joins Kick-Ass in his quest to bring down a local drug lord.
Taxi Driver
One of the most iconic films of the last century sees Robert De Niro play discharged marine, Travis Bickle. He not only mutters the immortal words, ‘You talkin to me?’ but he goes beyond the law to save 12 year old prostitute, Iris, who was played by a young Jodie Foster.
Django Unchained
“I like the way you die boy.” Another Tarantino film comes in the form of his most recent, Django Unchained. Django sets out on a journey to rescue his wife from slavery under grotesque plantation owner, Calvin Candie but not everything goes to plan. Dynamite and lots of bullets eventually see vigilante Django win his wife back whilst getting revenge over her captors.
RED DAWN is out now on UK DVD and Blu-Ray.
