Death Wish (1974)

This vigilante action film directed by Michael Winner stars Charles Bronson as Paul Kersey, an architect turned vigilante after his wife is murdered during a home invasion. The movie garnered controversy for its perceived support of vigilantism in the face of rising crime rates in 1970s America. Winner's gritty direction captures the era's urban decay, while Bronson's performance as a man driven to take justice into his own hands is memorable.