10 Underrated Vigilante Movies of the 1970s Worth Revisiting

1. "Death Wish" (1974)
You're walking down a New York street, 1974. Pollution? Check. High crime rates? Double check. Enter Paul Kersey, a mild-mannered architect. His world flips when his wife is killed and daughter raped. He grabs a gun and turns vigilante. No training montage, no cape, just a man on a mission.

But Kersey isn't seeking revenge—oh no. He's painting the town red, but not with graffiti. He targets muggers, thieves, anyone who catches his eye. Kersey stirs the pot, and the city is split. Some see him as a savior; others, a loose cannon. Injustice? He's the judge, jury, and occasionally, executioner.

2. "Billy Jack" (1971)
Picture the Vietnam era. Protests? Plenty. Civil unrest? You betcha. Billy Jack—half-Navajo, ex-Green Beret—puts his lethal skills to use in the American Southwest. He guards a "Freedom School" where idealistic youngsters are educated.

The locals? Let's just say they aren't mailing welcome cards. Harassment turns to violence. Billy goes from protector to vigilante. While his kicks are high and roundhouse, his intentions remain shadowy.

Does he tread the path of justice, or is this simply an avenue for his aggression? Whichever way the coin lands, Billy Jack makes his stand, against cops and corrupt politicians alike.

3. "Rolling Thunder" (1977)
Ever wonder how a man endures torture as a POW, only to return to a home he can barely recognize? That's Major Charles Rane for you. Rane comes back from Vietnam with silver dollars, one for each year of captivity.

Thugs seeking those very coins invade his home, maim him, and kill his family. Rage bubbles, and what does a man with one hand do? He rigs a hook, sharp as a hawk's talon. He teams up with his friend, Johnny, to track down the killers in a seedy Mexican bar. Outnumbered, but never outgunned, the duo takes on the villains.

Justice comes at the barrel of a shotgun, in bursts of roaring thunder.

4. "Walking Tall" (1973)
Meet Buford Pusser, an ex-wrestler turned lawman, except he's not just enforcing the law; he's etching it on the town with a big ol' stick. Yes, a literal piece of lumber. The Tennessee town reeks of corruption, overrun by moonshiners and crooked cops.

Buford runs for sheriff, wins, and proceeds to clean up the place. With his wooden stick as the instrument of justice, he smashes stills, breaks up gambling joints, and fights off an assassination attempt or two. Is it me, or does this man redefine the phrase 'tough love'?

5. "Straw Dogs" (1971)
Dust off those philosophy books; it's time for an intellectual exercise in rural England. American mathematician David Sumner moves to his wife's homeland, seeking tranquility.

Little does he know that quietness can be more unsettling than uproar. Harassment escalates into violence. Fed up, David fortifies his home. The attackers become the attacked. It's a fortress of solitude, but instead of a cape, David dons a steely resolve.

Nails, boiling oil, firearms; it's not a siege, it's an intellectual's descent into primal survival. Are these mere straws that break the camel's back, or the bricks that construct a monument of revolt?

6. "The Outfit" (1973)
Two words: Mobster. Heist. Meet Earl Macklin, a career criminal who has the Mob knocking at his door. Literally. They killed his brother, and he wants retribution. What's the plan? Not a hit job, but to hit them where it hurts: the cash flow.

Robbing the Mob's businesses, one after another, he's not a hero. Not even an anti-hero. He's a man settling a debt. The game of cat and mouse intensifies. Earl's a rolling stone, gathering not moss but an arsenal for his final showdown with the Mob kingpin.

7. "Hard Times" (1975)
Charles Bronson enters the scene again, but this time as a drifter named Chaney in Depression-era New Orleans. How does a man make a living when the country's on its knees? Fistfighting. Yes, in back alleys and makeshift rings, Chaney's fists land him cash and a reputation. But as his punches strike harder, so does the reality of the life he's chosen.

Every win racks up enemies, and he's got more than just contenders to worry about. Loan sharks, racketeers, and even his manager Speed are pieces on a chessboard. Will Chaney make his final move before the clock runs out?

8. "Mr. Majestyk" (1974)
Meet Vince Majestyk, a Vietnam vet and melon farmer. No, that's not a typo. When local hoodlums try to force him into using their labor, Vince takes the law into his own hands. Sure, he ends up behind bars for it, but not even prison can hold this man's drive for justice.

He breaks out, but not to flee the law; he's going back to farming. Yet, the mob's not done with him. He's tough as nails but cool as a cucumber. In a climactic showdown, Vince proves that messing with a man's melons is a surefire way to bite the dust.

9. "Scarecrow" (1973)
Max and Lionel, two drifters with a plan: to start a car wash. Glamorous? Not a chance. Gritty? You bet. Lionel's just out of the Navy, Max from prison. As they hitchhike across America, they clash with law enforcement, ex-wives, and even each other.

It's a rickety train of friendship headed to a precarious destination. The vigilante angle? They're not targeting villains; they're targeting life's injustices. Their justice isn't served in a courtroom but on the road, one mile at a time.

10. "Dirty Mary Crazy Larry" (1974)
Say hello to Larry, a NASCAR driver, and Deke, his mechanic. Add Mary, a one-night stand who refuses to be left behind. What do they want? $150,000 from a supermarket heist. High-speed chases? Count on it. Helicopter pursuits? Absolutely. It's a cat-and-mouse game, but who's the cat?

Larry finds himself up against not just the law but his own increasingly unstable team. As the stakes heighten, so do the RPMs. One thing's clear; this road has no exits, only a dead end.