I can't call this a bad movie but its also hard to consider it good. Thomas Jane was a great choice for Frank Castle but he isn't given a chance to show his Punisher off. The story is slow and tries to be a Character study but misses the mark even on that. A little more action and a higher body count would really have helped this film. Travolta gets to ham it up and does a good job as the main Villian but even he wasn't given enough time to really develop the Character. I dont hate the movie.
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papanloveu27 September 2021
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Apart from one baffling and totally infuriating scene (one that was simply lousy and poorly conceived), The Punisher totally defied my initial expectations (that it would suck), and is actually quite good.
Frank Castle (Thomas Jane) is an ex soldier and undercover cop, completing one last job before he leaves the force permanently to spend more time with his family. The job of course goes a little awry and results in the unplanned death of one of the criminals. No biggie, he shouldn't have been a naughty boy in the first place. Only this naughty boy happened to be the son of one Howard Saint (John Travolta) who is a local underworld kingpin and drug-lord. Saint swears revenge on all and sundry and what revenge it is.
At the behest of his trophy wife Saint orders the wholesale execution of everyone that ever bought Castle a Christmas present. Luckily for them Castle is attending a family reunion so the bad guys can save petrol, and as requested they drop the entire family, Mum, Dad, cousins, Aunties and Uncles on the spot in cold blood. Castle wife and young son are left for near last for dramatic effect, and after a chase it is obvious that they will not appear in any sequel. Castle himself is left for dead, riddled with holes on a burning dock And this is where the bad guys screw up. Everyone else, and I mean EVERYONE ELSE at the soiree, are left deader than Lindsay Lohan's career, yet they have the primary target at their feet and neglect to put one in his temple just to make sure? Haven't they seen Zombieland? Some mysterious black guy (whose significance I just couldn't get) saves Castle and brings him back to health, and in a cheesy moment Castle just "happens" to find his son's T shirt with the Punisher skull logo on it, weeks after the shootings, on the beach.
Castle somehow gets back to the US unnoticed and sets about plotting his revenge and hitting the bottle, and not always in that order. He moves into what looks on the outside to be a squatter's residence but inside seems to be fully furnished and well maintained apartments. His neighbours are basically three, a fat guy, an "alternative" guy with a bunch of piercings and a chick who might scrub up well after a shower (it's Rebecca Romjin so we know she will).
Castle spends a while coming up with a way to ensure his revenge is particularly sweet, and above all convoluted and largely unnecessary seeing as how in the end he still walks into impossible odds with guns blazing. But it seems there were 60 odd minutes of screen time to fill so let's just go with it. The plan involves working through the chain of command up to Saint via his money, business, 2IC and finally his trophy wife.
Once the wheels are in motion Castle goes public and more or less tells everyone what's going to happen, but for ages neither the cops or the bad guys seem to be able to find him. When he does show up he invariably ends up killing people yet again no cops can catch him, and the forensic guys obviously don't look that hard for DNA or basic evidence.
There is some "more violent than usual in comic book films" action, a great one on one stoush involving an indiscreet and frankly monstrous assassin and a pretty funny faux-torture scene (as funny as torture can be I guess).
Travolta is a pretty good bad guy in this, largely because I think he is no longer a likable good guy unless you're a middle aged woman with recurring Grease flashbacks, and as Howard Saint he is always angry and seems to be talking with a mouthful of cotton wool. Jane is more efficient than I expected, he is pretty solid and believable in the action and fight scenes, plays the gruff p*ssed off loner well and spits out some pretty good, albeit dry, one liners. The final showdown between Castle and multiple bad guys is very entertaining and sees him exacting the appropriate level of revenge So that's the good bits, but a 7.5 can't be all good.
The bad:
* - The fat supposed comic-relief neighbour who mimes opera is terrible and annoying.
* - In one scene Castle must swerve to avoid the most clichéd reason in cinema, the kid running onto the road chasing a big red ball.
* - The cheesy way they decided to shoehorn the Punisher logo into the climax of the film, forced and distracting.
The awful:
* - A hired assassin comes to kill Castle, only he shows up at the diner where Castle is eating, pulls out a guitar case and sings him a song first!! Worse than terrible - f*cking annoying is more to the point. I squirm every time it comes up and reach for the remote. Removing this scene and opera-miming fat guy and this is an 8.
This was a pleasant surprise aside from my above whinges, a low key comic book movie with realistic violence and great character foundation. After all what could be more inspiring than watching everyone that features in your personal photo album being butchered in front of you.
Final Rating – 7.5 / 10. Don't be fooled by your pre-conceived opinions, this is better than you might think. -
ma-cortes30 June 2005The film talks on a police agent G man(Thomas Jane)called Frank Castle whose family(wife Samantha Morton and dad Roy Scheider) was wiped out by a mobsters (John Travolta,wife Laura Harring and son Ben Foster, besides Will Patton) retaliates,thus he executes an incredible revenge originating a bodycount about numerous baddies.He's helped by a freaks group (Rebeca Romijin Stamos and others). The final confrontation amongst the starring and the enemies is breathtaking and groundbreaking .
In the picture there are thriller,frenetic action ,drama suspense, emotion and a little bit of blood and gore. Runtime film is adjusted about two hours and isn't bored because is fast moving but happen amount events and for that is entertained and funny. The motion picture has a certain resemblance with Charles Bronson films of the series ¨Death Wish¨for the matter, the avenging, thus one personage ,¨the vigilante¨ makes of judge,jury and executioner. The yarn is an adaptation from a Marvel Comics character created by Gary Conway.Previously was realized the first version with Dolph Lundgren and Lois Gossett JR that was a flop and attained lukewarm reception by the public . However this rendition has obtained many success in the box office in spite of the violence is extreme and some scenes are crude and cruel. The interpretation of the principal actors are nice but the secondary cast with the quirky bunch are magnificent. Cinematography by Conrad W.Hall(Son of the mythic photographer Conrad L.Hall)is excellent. The pic is well directed by Jonathan Hensleigh. Rating: Above average. Well catching -
DarthBill20 April 2004A fairly good adaptation of the Marvel Comics vigilante character originally introduced in the Spider-Man comic books.
Former soldier and FBI man Frank Castle (exit Dolph Lundgren, enter Baltimore native Thomas Jane of "Deep Blue Sea" and "Dream-Catcher", who's about six or seven inches shorter than Dolph Lundgren but still pretty buffed up and also a naturally blond man having dyed his hair black to match the character's appearance in the comics) has retired from the action and is looking forward to living a quiet life with his wife and kid. While attending a family reunion at the beach (Roy Scheider plays his dad) Frank's family is attacked by assassins sent by Howard Saint (John Travolta) to avenge the death of one of his sons from Frank's last mission. In a shot similar to the original "Mad Max" (1979), Frank's wife and son are brutally run over with a giant truck while his father, brothers and in laws are gunned down. After being beaten to a pulp and shot in the chest and nearly blown to bits, Frank is saved by a local and nursed back to health. Naturally, he is enraged at the heartless murder of his family and goes after Howard saint, his wife, son, and secretly gay lawyer, thirsting for revenge. He sets up his base of operations in a run down building with three misfit neighbors - a sexy but unloved waitress, a guy with lots of piercings in his face, and an over weight Asian guy.
In many ways closer to the comic book than the earlier film, this one manages to get the skull shirt in there and remembers to at least mention that Frank was originally a soldier before going and making him a cop/FBI guy. Thoug Thomas Jane is not as physically imposing as Dolph Lundgren, he still manages to be a fairly menacing yet sympathetic figure. John Travolta delivers his usual joyful villain routine. Rebecca R-Stamos of the X-Men films (and yes, I know she's separating from her husband John) plays the sexy but unloved waitress who's spent the last few years trying to keep undesirable men out of her panties but once she gets an eyeful of Frank she wants to get into his pants because he's a strong, confident Alpha male who sticks up for the underdog and tries to steer Frank away from his suicide new life style. Rebecca is okay in this role, certainly no worse than any other comic book movie love interest.
One thing that surprised me about this film was how much humor was in it, whether it was Frank's fight with a giant blond Russian thug or his torturing the informant to be by threatening to blow torch him while actually burning a thing of meat while poking him in the back with an ice pop ("You are not a nice person."). Also worth noting is Frank's response to being told that obviously he's upset: "I used to get upset when I had a flat tire... when a plane was delayed... when the Yankees won the series..." Still, despite this humor, the film is never as ridiculously unbalanced as "Daredevil" or as disconnected as "Hulk" (both released in 2003). I was also expecting a little more violence, but all in all I was satisfied with what I got.
So far this is probably the best of the non-X-Men/Spider-Man Marvel movies. Of course, studios have a tendency to NOT give the lesser known characters a suitable running time to establish who they are because they ARE lesser known and try to compensate by making them fast paced. Once studios learn not to do this, better superhero films will become more common. -
slightlymad2229 October 2014Plot In A Paragraph: Retired under cover agent Frank Castle (Thomas Jane) goes on a murderous rampage after his family are all killed on the orders of a money launderer (John Travolta) in revenge for his son dying during his last case.
I liked this movie quite a lot, it has some very funny dark humour and a great score.
I quite like Thomas Jane as an actor, and think it's a shame what happened to him over the Stallone movie "Bullet To The Head" as I think he would have made the movie better. He does a superb job of all of Frank Castle's various emotions. He deserved to be getting he bigger and better roles than he is. Will Patton does OK as Travolta's right hand man and best friend. For his brief time on screen, Roy Scheider brings style and panache to the overblown violent proceedings early on.
But I thought Travolta was at his hammiest. Definitely not one of his finest moments.
I'm surprised this never got a sequel. -
Flagrant-Baronessa30 October 2006Producers and distributors alike can try to market this as a superhero movie all they want but the fact is that at the end of the day The Punisher is an action movie no more, no less. That is not to say it is a bad achievement, for the end product is fun, exhilarating and stylish. I do however feel it is extremely important to debunk the 'comic book' label since it is both unjustly applied and it will perhaps generate false expectations from the mainstream audience.
Although The Punisher is adapted from Marvel Comics, the R-rating alone should be blunt indicator of the path it intends to take. Half an hour into the film it still leaves us clueless and oblivious to the dark turn it will twist into. During which Thomas Jane undergoes an apt transformation of character from heartfelt family man on that one last undercover op to a hard-boiled, brooding vigilante who downs whiskey, swears, tortures and broods. The catalyst for this development is the brutal murder of his family and now he's out to get the hierarchy of villains (headed by John Travolta) only he isn't just out for vengeance or justice he's out to punish. In a corrupt city of thugs, Frank Castle becomes the judge, jury and executor.
What is so refreshing about Thomas Jane in the part of Punisher is that he is a sprawling surge of old school with a splash of Clint Eastwood protagonist the detached, effortless action hero who is too cool for romantic interests, with hardcore one-liners and a merciless approach to duels. In this way, he is easily one of the most successful 'superhero' actors of the new millennium. But alas, Jane went unnoticed and Punisher did poorly at the box office probably BECAUSE it adopted this off-beat, old-school style to acting and action.
I also want to comment on said action, which was spectacular. Truth to be told, I have been waiting a long time to say that about a film. Usually it's the obligatory "the visuals are stunning" or "it's extremely fast-paced and kinetic" but here the sheer hand-to-hand combat is the film's goldmine because it moves back into close character mode instead of the epic scenarios that Batman, Superman and Spiderman dish out to keep out interest. It's gloriously gritty, graphic and dirty which unfortunately also begs the question of where the $33,000,000 budget went. Did they spend it all on late night taco runs?
For that matter, The Punisher is far from devoid of faults. Its fatal flaw stems, in part, from what made it a good film in the first place: its sparseness of effects, general minimalism and lack of superhero formula. Rather it is a model-kit assembled from seedy old-school revenge action movies, the type you'd sort of casually catch a bit of on TV one night.
7 out of 10 -
Not sure if I've ever watched this all the way through. At over two hours long it takes its time laying its story out, but still manages to be a pretty breezy watch. Thomas Jane as our title character is pretty great, as is the whole scene with Kevin Nash as The Russian. On the other hand, Travolta plays an odd bad guy as he's never really "bad" other than in one scene, and I'm not sure why cops don't seem to exist in this after the opening sequence. However, there's some nice influences from The Crow series, and if you didn't realize it was 2004 than that post-grunge soundtrack is here to remind you.
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Boba_Fett113813 May 2006This is a very straight forward action flick with lots of violence and tough characters. Fans of the action genre will most definitely not be disappointed by this movie.
From the start on, you know that this movie is a violent one that doesn't hold back. After we've seen the entire family of Frank Castle being killed (and I mean every single last family member, both young and old) you know that this movie is going to be different from most other action movies. It's a movie that is very straight forward and doesn't hold back but at the very same time it doesn't try to force, or go too much over-the-top. I think this is most probably thanks to the directing skills of Jonathan Hensleigh and the talented cast that was involved with this movie that makes it a very enjoyable, cool and still somewhat credible, summer-action-flick.
The story is basically very simple and is set around one very simple good old fashioned concept; vengeance, or maybe even better said; punishment. It's not really a sort of action movie that needs much story. The characters, both the main 'hero' and the main villain are interesting enough to carry the entire movie and make it a very pleasant one to watch. Even though the main 'hero' is pretty dark and brutal himself, you still root for him because you understand him.
Thomas Jane is pretty good as the leading man and he proves that he is a great and perhaps somewhat underrated action movie star. It's always a pleasure to see John Travolta in a villainous role and he certainly also does not disappoint in this movie. Same goes for Will Patton, who also was really great in this movie (he's beginning to look old and fat now by the way.). Roy Scheider also shows up in a small role, or better said cameo as Frank Castle Sr. Kevin Nash plays a pretty cool role as a Russian hit-man. The fight sequence between him and the main character was one of the highlights of the movie to me.
But seriously, were all those sequence's with the Punisher's neighbors really necessary? I understand that they were put in the movie to still give the main character an humane and more soft side but the sequences just didn't worked out good enough and perhaps only were distracting from the main plot line. The sequences also are really a waste of Rebecca Romijn's qualities. She doesn't get to do anything good or interesting in the movie. Why did she even agreed to be in this?
It's nothing too memorable all and the action and story themselves are nothing more than average but it's the straight-forwardness of the movie that makes me regard this one as an above average one, that has more to offer than the average, simple action flick. The style of the movie also ain't bad and hopefully we'll hear more from director Jonathan Hensleigh (who already is a successful writer of many well known action movies) in the future.
7/10
http://bobafett1138.blogspot.com/ -
ccthemovieman-14 November 2005I was surprised how good this movie was, not stupid as I figured. It's another one of those based-on-a-comic book hero films that seem to be popular nowadays (Hellboy, Batman, Sin City, Spiderman, Superman, etc.)
However, this was the not the cartoon-like film I expected. It was more of a pretty brutal revenge-crime movie. It's a rough movie, pure and simple.
Believable? Of course not. Some of the action is ludicrous but the most ridiculous of all - the fight against the huge Russian, is actually the most fun of the action scenes. The rest is just plain mean as the hero's entire family gets wiped out by gunman and "The Punisher" (Thomas Jane) goes after them after almost being killed himself.
A smart aspect of this film was inserting a bit of humor in it, such as the two nerds down the hallway who befriend "The Punisher."
The sometimes-juvenile but interesting action scenes, the diverse characters in here and the humor all combine to make this better than anticipated.
No, it's anything but a thinking man's movie, but it IS entertaining and harmless if you look at everything tongue-in-cheek. -
TimLax5126 January 2006This movie came onto the scene with very little fanfare. It isn't a CGI powerhouse. There's no Matrix/Kill Bill style fight scenes. But what it lacks in modern trends it more than makes up for in a good old fashioned revenge plot. Touting a story that would have been fit for a Clint Eastwood flick like Outlaw Josey Wales or Hang 'em High, the Punisher takes the viewer on journey into the soul of a gritty vigilante. Thomas Jane plays the lead role to perfection, his voice acting is incredible. Although this isn't your daddy's (or Dolph's) emotionless Punisher. He is much more cerebral here than in most of the other media he has popped up in, and more human, but not any more humane. Using the tried and true style of fist fights and pyrotechnics this movie keeps the character rooted in his all too mortal persona. The supporting characters turn in equally descent roles, the likes of John Travolta worked well, although nothing outstanding. No doubt about it, Thomas Jane ran away with this one. He's just a normal guy doing super-normal things, with a lot of gunfire and explosions to boot. If you are in the target demographic (Male aged 17-30) you will definitely enjoy this film. If not, proceed at your own risk.
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christian12321 November 2004Based on the popular Marvel Comics character, The Punisher is Frank Castle (Thomas Jane), a former military man working as an undercover agent for the FBI. When his family is killed by the mob as payback for his last job for the government, he goes on a vengeful rampage against them.
Generic story aside, The Punisher is still a very enjoyable revenge film. It is a little over the top on the violence but it never becomes too ridiculous or disgusting. I have never read any of the comics so I can't say if this is a faithful adulteration. I can say that the film is likable even if you have never read the comic books. About the actual film, the main character is very strong and he has a nice image. The whole film is very stylish and it just looks and feels creepy. It has a nice atmosphere that fits the story so well. Director Jonathan Hensleigh did a good job at that but the story isn't as good as the style. It's weak, generic and by the numbers so this keeps the movie from really breaking out.
The acting is pretty average, nothing really notable or interesting. Thomas Jane looks intimidating as The Punisher but his performance is pretty dull. It is kind of the point but it just doesn't make for an interesting hero. Rebecca Romijn-Stamos was okay again nothing special. John Travolta was a complete joke as Howard. I used to respect him as an actor and he has made some pretty good movies. However, his performance here is very weak and it's hard to take him seriously as an actor.
The action scenes are violent yet still watch able. They don't break any new ground but they should keep the audience entertained. The film's running time is a long 124 minutes. To say the least, this film could have been edited. There were too many slow spots and pointless scenes. There were some pointless subplots that went nowhere as well as some pointless characters. Some people may also not like the film because the main character isn't really a hero. It may be difficult to root for someone like The Punisher since he isn't very likable. Ultimately, The Punisher is still a better film than Man on Fire and it does make a decent revenge film. In the end, the film is pretty generic but it's still a slick action film that's worth checking out. Rating 7/10 -
perica-4315113 September 2020This is a cool movie based on a comic book, but with a lot of interesting details added making it a cult favorite. Panned by ideologically possessed critics due to its endorsement of vigilante justice, this movie has such cool original details like country music guitar assassin, Russian cartoon-like strongman, a bit dim north of the eyebrows, and some wooden acting by JohnTra volta. Criminally underrated, so I am giving extra points for that.
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disdressed1230 December 2006I really enjoyed the Punisher.I thought Tom Jane was convincing in the title role.John Travolta was a bit weak as the main villain,i'll admit.the movie is ultra violent to be sure,with no end to the action.lots of things blow up.Rebecca Romijn played the(sort of) love interest and did a good job with her character.there are are a few other known actors in the mix,who are all competent in their roles.Country singer Mark Collie is terrific in a small role as a hit-man.The basic premise is that Nick Castle, FBI agent, played by Tom Jane is undercover and the operation goes horribly wrong,leading to the death of Bobby Saint, son of corrupt businessman Howard Saint, played by John Travolta.as retaliation for the death,Castle's family is brutally murdered ,leading to the genesis of the Punisher/AKA Nick Castle.the movie won't win any awards but as pure entertainment,it works. 7* out of 10
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josephtheowl29 January 2007I remember at the advance screening of this, I heard one guy say "It makes Hellboy look like Titanic." What the movie did was make the Punisher character much more palatable for American audiences. By making the Punisher two-dimensional and less controversial, they took away the emotional pain and helplessness readers of the comic book sympathized with when the cruelty of life corrupts a good man.
In the comics, Castle comes back from a grueling tour in Vietnam and wants to spend the rest of his life with his wife and 2 children in peace. But while they're enjoying a Sunday picnic in the park, they witness a Mafia hit and are subsequently murdered, only Frank (barely) survives. He's a victim and survivor of senseless violence, and when Frank becomes the Punisher, it isn't to "punish" the bad guys. He believes that society has gone insane, and his only purpose left in life is to force it to make sense. He's a vigilante and anti-hero, not because he kills or uses guns, but because he couldn't care less about law and order. Which even in real life, have failed countless people.
The part of the movie that really took a step into absurdity was when the Saint family's hit men killed his family. His ENTIRE family. I almost busted a gut laughing when one guy tried to escape a hail of gunfire by boarding a dingy. It's like if Batman had his mom, dad, third cousin Scooter, crazy uncle Joe and goldfish Goldy killed. It cheapens the effect of losing the few closest people to you when they show all these other obscure people dropping like flies. I also laughed when Castle's mom got shot in the leg because Thomas Jane's reaction was so unnatural. But by this point the movie was irredeemable anyway. -
"The Punisher" is a shining example of revenge and vigilante-style justice done right. It's also yet another comic book adaptation done properly. I thought this movie was one of the best I have seen in a long time. In the compendium of comic movies, this falls just shy of the two X-Men movies and Spider-Man but easily surpasses Batman, Batman Begins, Superman and The Hulk. The fact that it is an R-rated movie will kill any possible chance of decent box-office numbers, but it was a necessary step to take, and the quality of the movie just makes up for it. Hopefully this was Thomas Jane's breakout role, as he was outstanding and has the potential to be a contender to Ben Affleck, Hugh Jackman, Colin Farrell, and Matt Damon as the next big action star. If you like action movies, check out this movie. If you like comic book adaptations, check out this movie. Heck, if you just like movies in general, The Punisher is two hours well-spent. Like Thomas Jane himself says, "Frank Castle is dead. Long live The Punisher."
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drawlife22 November 2014It's very fun.
What makes this film work is Thomas Jane's performance as Frank Castle. He nails this role like the way Robert Downey Jr. or Hugh Jackman nail their performances as Iron Man and Wolverine. He's that good and that fun to watch on screen.
Frank Castle aka The Punisher is one of my favorite Marvel characters, director and writer Jonathan Hensleigh does a good job bringing the character to life. Combine that with Thomas Jane's performance, it's pure gold. The characterization and performance of Frank Castle is the film's bright spot. Action sequences and the kills are fun to watch. Hensleigh pays tribute to many action films from the 70's and 80's, one particular is the scene where Frank's wife and child are dead pays homage to Mad Max.
The film does a great job building up Frank Castle's arc. Here is where Johnathan Hensleigh poured his heart and soul into. Everything to do with Frank Castle is all pure gold, however the same cannot be said for the villain. John Travolta does a pretty good job being a merciless business man Howard Saint, and he is obviously has fun with the role. Even so it's very cliché and very two-dimensional despite some good moments.
The supporting cast is good, some have more prominent roles than others. This is a very grim film, but it also adds some layers of levity to ease some tension as it provides some decent humor coming from Ben Foster and John Pinette who portray his neighbors Dave and Bumpo. Eddie Jemison who at first is a lackey for the Saint's becomes his inside man and provides some good wisecracks. Rebecca Romijn portrays Joan, a neighbor and potential love interest, but her character isn't very expanded and is just sort of there. Will Patton is Howard Saint's right hand man and he also delivers a good performance as he gets all the dirty work done for him, but he isn't very fleshed out either.
Although The Punisher's plan is set up brilliantly, I found that it took forever to get it going, I understood what was happening, but I felt as if he could have moved forward with the plan at a more faster and accelerated rate. It only slows the film down in some parts. But make no mistake, when his revenge or so called "punishment" plan is fulfilled, as an audience member you will be pretty darn satisfied.
The Punisher is good film, and out of the three attempts that were brought to the screen, this one is the clear champion. It's not perfect, but it's fun and provides many tense and cringe- worthy moments and plenty of violence. In the end it's Thomas Jane's performance alone that makes this film work.
7.5/10 -
The connections you could make from this who's who of an action extravaganza is limitless...except for the title role's Thomas Jane! You've got Travolta, X-Men's original Mystique (Romijn-Stamos), and The Last Stand's Angel (Ben Foster), Jaws' own Roy Scheider, Will 'Armageddon' Patton, and some cameos that'll win you every turn! And then there's the Marvel story without a single superhero in it!
Revenge never looked so satisfying than when it's done to avenge your wife and son's murder. Now imagine revenging your whole extended family, and Punisher makes more sense!
Left for dead, Frank Castle picks off his family's assailants one by one, and even tricks them to kill each other! Sweet, sweaty, brutal deaths in the hands of an ex-undercover cop with unlimited supply of weapons- very John Wickean! Not your ordinary Marvel story, but a darker, vengeful take on justice, like Batman but without the cowl! -
TBJCSKCNRRQTreviews23 February 2005Watching this movie after waiting for the chance to do so for so long, I was more than a little excited to see it. I have read The Punisher comic books for a few years, and have loved him ever since I first read a story with him. My favorite story of his would have to be the Welcome Back, Frank series, so I was naturally thrilled when I found out that this movie was so heavily based on it. I've watched the trailers so many times that I can repeat all the lines and I've read everything I could find about the film. Clearly, I was looking very much forward to seeing it, and I expected quite a bit from it. Amazingly, it surpassed my expectations and proved to be far better than I could have ever imagined. The plot is great. It's a mix of various The Punisher story lines, mainly derived from Welcome Back, Frank coupled with some new, original stuff(I think... I haven't read all the comics). The pacing is solid and the film takes off pretty much instantly. The direction is clearly inspired by Sergio Leone and westerns in general, which only elevates it even more. The film stays in the viewers mind for much longer than the recent action-flicks that seem to appeal mostly to teenagers with low attention spans(Van Helsing, Blade: Trinity). The acting is mostly good, in a few cases great, and in one or two cases bad. Thomas Jane is The Punisher. I don't mean he plays him well, I'm not saying that he brings the character alive, I'm saying he is him, he becomes him. I haven't seen the Dolph Lundgren version of the film, but I'm willing to bet an astounding sum of money that it's nowhere as good as this film. I can't see Dolph as Frank Castle. I just can't. He has the muscle, but he hasn't got the brain or the charisma. Mark Collie makes a great Harry Heck(though he wasn't a big character in the comics). Kevin Nash was a great choice for The Russian, though he didn't really have to do much acting... but his fighting was excellent. Ben Foster makes a credible Spacker Dave. John Pinette made an OK Mr. Bumpo. I didn't entirely buy Rebecca Romijn-Stamos as Joan, though. She was too sexy and sensual to be Mousy Joan(who was a fragile, nervous, tender girl in the comic). Some of the villains and minor characters are slightly over- or underplayed, but it didn't really bring the movie down, I think. The characters are well-written, credible and interesting. The action is intense and brutal. Very brutal. Perfect for The Punisher. I won't tell you what exactly you'll see in this film, because it would be a sin to ruin the surprise for any of the fans. Suffice to say, if you like the violence in the comics, you'll enjoy the action scenes. Without a doubt. The whole things is a treat for any fan of The Punisher... the one-liners, the humor, the action... all perfect in style and mood. Now, up until now, I've praised this movie, and you might be wondering why I didn't rate it higher than I did. But here comes the one negative thing about the film; the budget was clearly not big enough for the film and for what the director wanted, and it shows. It will definitely discourage some from seeing the film that the action doesn't have enough cuts and isn't always as intense as it should be, not to mention how much of the action just screams "we didn't have enough money to do this properly, but here it is anyway". I have a philosophy on things like that... "if you can't do it right, don't do it at all". Unfortunately, the director was either stubborn or just didn't care, so he didn't do anything to really hide this. The scenes are presented as if they look exactly like they are supposed to, which really takes the viewer out of the illusion, makes it seem less real. It felt like El Mariachi, only with better actors and without the tight editing that made Robert Rodriguez' low-budget action flick work. Keep in mind, this is the only complaint I have, and it doesn't make the film unwatchable, not by a long shot. It might make you want to watch it less times than you typically would an action piece like this, though. All in all, definitely worth watching if you're into vigilante/revenge films. I recommend it to fans of The Punisher comics, particularly the Welcome Back, Frank series as well as anyone who enjoys a solid action film and/or a vigilante flick, not to mention a good western. An unusually realistic comic book movie, and definitely one of the better of the bunch. 7/10
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whpratt114 January 2007John Travolta, (Howard Saint) played an entirely different role than I have ever seen him portray. He plays the role of a real underworld mob boss who loses his son and is bound and determined to find out just who is responsible for his loss. The guy he is looking for is Frank Castle/The Punisher (Thomas Jane), Frank Castle was an FBI agent and had a very sweet and loving wife and also a young son who he rarely was able to spend time with because of his many assignments all over the globe. Frank decides he is going to retire and has a big party for a family reunion. It is from this point on in the film when things start to get real interesting and the film escalates into one big action filled film with all kinds of cruel hatred and murder after murder and beatings you will not be able to believe. This film had me glued to the TV Screen from beginning to the very end. If you have not seen this film, by all means get to see it soon.
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LeonLouisRicci1 September 2014Underrated, Violent, and Grim, this R-Rated Marvel Comics Movie is Fairly Accurate in Tone to the Comic Books that have been Around Since 1974 when the Character Debuted in the Amazing Spider-Man Book.
The Punisher Became a Relentless Vigilante with Little Remorse and Used Stylized Ultra-Violence as His MO. In this Movie Thomas Jane Manages to Brood with Believability and is Stone-Faced Serious, just Like His Comic-Book Persona.
The Film may be a Tad Too Long with John Travolta's Villainous Character and Assorted Sub-Plots, but it doesn't Manage to Detract from the Power of the Revenge Story and the Part with the Neighbors, Highlighted by Ben Foster's Gen-X Slacker. This and a Few Other Satiric Highlights do Lighten the Film just a Bit, Like the Hired Killer from Memphis.
There are Other Outstanding Scenes like the Hard-Nosed Fight with the Russian, and the Ending as The Punisher is just Nasty and Brutal in a Movie that is Brutal from the Beginning.
Fans of the Comic will Most Likely Like it as will Action Movie Junkies that Appreciate R-Rated Comic Book Movies that Don't Hold Back.
Note...If you liked this there is a follow up Movie, Punisher War Zone (2008) that is even More Violent and is an Over the Top Treat for Frank Castle Fans.
Note 2...The First Appearance of The Punisher in Film was done in (1989) starring Dolph Lundgren. An Ultra-Low Budget Affair that didn't have a clue. The Producers didn't even bother to have Him wear the Trademark skull logo. Unforgivable. -
Thanos_Alfie13 January 2022"The Punisher" is a Crime - Drama movie in which we watch an undercover FBI agent seeking revenge after losing his entire family. He tries to find who is responsible for this massacre in order to take his revenge.
I enjoyed this movie very much because it had a simple but nice plot that contained plenty of action, violence and much of suspense. It was also dark, something that fitted to the concept of the movie, revenge. The direction which was made by Jonathan Hensleigh was very good and he did an excellent job on the way that he presented his main character along with his whole story. In addition to this, the interpretation of Thomas Jane who played as Frank Castle was simply amazing and he made the difference. All in all, I have to say that "The Punisher" is an interesting movie and I recommend you to watch it. -
happyendingrocks15 January 2011For anyone familiar with the Punisher comic book series, the notion of a film in which the titular vigilante is reduced to a nonsensical bore seems like an impossibility. Perhaps it is a credit to the film-makers of this disjointed revenge vehicle that they accomplish that staggering feat. At least they achieved something.
This overlong and largely nonsensical bit of mayhem strips away nearly every facet of the advertised character and instead offers us a stone-faced and wholly unlikeable entity who doesn't ultimately offer a satisfying payoff to the quest for vengeance the plot implies we're supposed to invest ourselves in. The bulk of the film seems tacked on to pave the way for a franchise, yet this initial outing does nothing to encourage or justify any further exploration of the Punisher's savage mission.
By completely disregarding the origin outlined in the comic series, the film-makers set themselves up for fans' "foul" cries from the onset, and nothing in this movie even attempts to reconcile the on-page Punisher with the one in this far-removed and inherently uninteresting re-imagining. The Punisher is one of the few Marvel "heroes" whose metamorphosis has stood the test of time, and it's downright shocking how many liberties are taken with that genesis here. While most of the Marvel characters who have made the transition from panel to screen have been subtly hampered by their quaint formative elements (almost all of which are grounded in the fear/awe of the post-nuclear '60s, which dates them by implication), The Punisher is a timeless creation whose transformation arises as a result of the brutal murder of his wife and son, a distinction which puts him in the "everyman" category so crucial to the revenge flick sub-genre.
Thomas Jane attempts to channel the steely resolve necessary to bring this archetype to life, but so little time is spent on his emotional transformation that we're left wondering whether he's haunted by the injustice done to his family because it's a callous, life-shattering act of violence, or simply because he knows he's SUPPOSED to be haunted by it. The only grieving we see our Punisher burdened with is a singular flashback scene that recounts the events we've already seen unfold, which strips the film of the complex disintegration of a relatively normal husband and father that we see essayed in the source material.
Since the Punisher himself has virtually no character, we are instead forced to explore a slew of ancillary characters, none of whom add anything to the stilted narrative. The introduction of the Costa Rican "shaman" who eventually nurses Jane back to health is a mindless diversion since all this supposedly important presence ultimately does is spout a telegraphed line to set up Jane's equally predicable "God is going to have to sit this one out" catchphrase. Likewise with each of the three moderately to mind-numbingly annoying neighbors who populate Frank Castle's micro-verse. Two seem to be on hand simply to provide comic relief, which is a bit unsettling since neither of them are funny. The damaged, one-dimensional Rebecca Stamos character serves only as an unrequited love interest whose attraction to Castle seems based solely on him beating up her obsessive ex-boyfriend. We are also forced to spend time with two disposable and ultimately pointless hit men, both of whom easily succumb to Castle's murderous talents and are clearly only in the movie to set up the unspectacular action sequences that spell their demise.
In a film full of useless people, the absence of the Microchip character becomes a glaring omission. In the original comics, Microchip served as both an ethical beacon and an invaluable resource, which balanced the homicidal prerequisites of Castle's meted "punishment" and offered a plausible explanation for his seemingly unlimited access to weaponry and technology. In this incarnation, Castle is a lone wolf, yet still has access to top-shelf weaponry and has the wherewithal to build an armored car that ends up being destroyed in battle, yet inexplicably re-appears in perfect condition by the film's coda. Unfortunately, so much of this film makes no sense that Castle's acquisition of his arsenal and his invincible ride become two of the more passable plot holes.
Even at its most extreme, the basic thread followed in the Punisher comic series had a grounding in the off-panel world that lent it a keen sense of realism. In this film, Castle's covert activities instead open the door for scrutiny, and when we actually stop to consider the implications of revealing himself to his ex-peers in the police force, his afore-mentioned securing of his weaponry, his ability to rent an apartment despite his legal status as "deceased", and the fact that it takes several of blasé villain John Travolta's henchmen being murdered for him to get around to sending his goons over to Castle's place of residence, the sloppy plot crumbles under the weight of its ineptness.
Don't even get me started on Castle's meticulously plotted revenge scheme, in which he misleads Travolta into killing his own wife and best friend. This is ostensibly done to force Travolta to endure the loss and grief his murderous orders created for Castle, yet Travolta's punishment occurs mere seconds after the reveal, which leaves precious little time for Travolta to react to the results of the carefully crafted ploy. In the end, when our villain gets his come-uppance, we're left wondering why simply shooting all parties involved wouldn't have been a more effective and economical use of The Punisher's time.
When the lone non-superhero in the Marvel film canon is the one whose tale is hardest to swallow, something has clearly gone wrong. And when said character has been previously brought to life in a more convincing fashion by Dolph Lundgren, we're clearly dealing with a problematic film. Frank Castle already lost his family. He certainly didn't deserve this. -
cariart11 January 2006Audiences have become so accustomed to being overloaded by CGI effects in recent comic book adaptations that the idea of a tougher, leaner approach seemed to catch viewers and critics off-guard, when this latest adaptation of "The Punisher" premiered. Sadly, most critics chose to ignore the very qualities that made this film so special, never accepting that the story is closer in spirit to "Sin City" than "Spider-Man" or "Daredevil". Now that the film is available on DVD, I invite everyone to take a second look at this dark tale of the fine line one man walks between Justice and Vengeance...you may be surprised by how good it really is! The film is carefully constructed to allow viewers an opportunity to see dedicated undercover cop Frank Castle in action, and to understand the caring, loving family man Frank Castle was...before mob boss Howard Saint, and his equally ruthless wife, Livia (played by a remarkably low-key John Travolta and Laura Harring), takes vengeance for their son's death by ordering the brutal execution of Castle's entire family. As conceived, with total conviction, by Thomas Jane, Castle is so completely traumatized that he 'lets go' of what remained of his compassion, and becomes a human weapon, devoid of pity, living only to see justice done, in equal measure to the crime.
This is not someone you can easily 'warm up' to, and as the movie evolves into a series of executions, you may actually start to feel more sympathy toward the Saints and their henchman, Quentin Glass (the ever-watchable Will Patton) than in Castle. But screenwriter Michael France, and co-writer and director Jonathan Hensleigh, both well-versed in the Marvel comic character, add three quirky 'innocents' (Rebecca Romijn-Stamos, Ben Foster, and John Pinette), who Castle warms up to, somewhat, and must ultimately protect. He will never recover the compassion that he lost, but he realizes that for many being brutalized, he is the only hope they have, giving him a purpose to live for.
Unlike the earlier, Dolph Lundgren "Punisher", hampered by a minuscule budget and two-dimensional acting, this version makes the most of its small budget, with first-class acting (including a VERY welcome cameo by Roy Scheider), incredible stunt and pyrotechnic work, and a storyline that offers far more depth than you might expect in a comic book adaptation.
I sincerely hope a sequel is made, as this will be a film that will grow in stature as audiences realize how good it actually is! -
The undercover agent Frank Castle (Tom Jane) kills the son of the powerful mobster Howard Saint (John Travolta) in Tampa during an FBI operation. Howard orders his gangsters to execute the whole family of Frank, who is on vacation in a family reunion in Porto Rico. He miraculously survives the attack, and becomes "The Punisher", executing the criminals without trial.
This version of "The Punisher" is a good action movie, supported by a great cast with names such as John Travolta, Will Patton, Tom Jane, Rebecca Romijm-Stamos, Roy Scheider, and an enjoyable story. There are some good lines, such as when Frank says: "-It is not a vengeance, it is punishment!"; or when the man who saved Frank says to him: "- Go with God", and he asks to leave God out of his business. I personally prefer the Dolph Lundgren's version of 1989. The 2004 version is a higher budget film, with a constellation of stars, but the other version is darker and with more action. My vote is seven.
Title (Brazil): "O Justiceiro" ("The Vigilante") -
jayce227914 November 2005If Batman Begins is the perfect adaptation from comic book character to big screen hero, The Punisher is the perfect example of how to destroy a great comic book character. The first thirty minutes are boring and unoriginal. Whereas Christopher Nolan made good use of the first half of Batman Begins to present a credible transition from rich man's son to Dark Knight, Jonathan Hensleigh bores viewers to death by picturing Frank Castle as the perfect American family man who then loses his beautiful wife and perfect son in a cheap Mad Max rip off. In contrast, the 1989 low budget but far superior version started off smack in the middle of the action with a seriously disturbed ex cop already on the rampage and the reason for his decline into madness was gradually explained by means of flashbacks and memories form Louis Gousset Jr trying to bring his old friend back into a sane life. But whereas the comic book Punisher, brought to life by similarly huge 6' 6" Dolph Lundgren in the first movie, becomes a bitter, meaner than hell, cold blooded killer without compassion, the 05 Frank Castle turns into your friendly neighborhood watchman who uses an ice cream cone to "torture" his first victim. Batman Begins also has its share of humor, but it is subtle and not out of place. The bad guys don't fare much better. Whereas Jeroen Krabbe also had his share of trouble with the Yakuza in the 80s version, at least he was a serious gangster not to be taken lightly. John Travolta is a looser who can't stand his own against other mobsters and is being pushed around by his wife. Message to all Punisher fans: go rent the 1989 version or just stick to the written word, but don't spent any money on this monstrosity which shows no respect whatsoever to a great comic book series.