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The Punisher [2004]
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Editorial
Amazon.co.uk Review
The impressively muscular chest of Tom Jane is the focal point of The Punisher, a movie based on a Marvel Comics superhero. Frank Castle (Jane, Deep Blue Sea) retires from the FBI, which means--as any moviegoer expects--that his family is toast. Howard Saint (John Travolta, Face/Off), a shady Florida businessman whose son was killed in Castle's last mission, orders a hit not only on Castle's wife and child, but also on his parents and a whole bunch of aunts, uncles, cousins, and so forth. The killers shoot Castle himself in the chest, but he inexplicably survives and--as any moviegoer expects--sets out to even the score. Implausibly, given his sometimes curious and roundabout methods, he succeeds. Also featuring Will Patton (Armageddon) as an oily thug, Laura Harring (Mulholland Drive) as Saint's fleshpot wife, and Rebecca Romijn-Stamos (X-Men) as a waitress with bad taste in men. --Bret Fetzer
Could have been (alot) better... Disappointing!
Review date: 2008-10-20 Rating: 4 out of 10
Like some poeple have already admitted, I'm not the biggest comic book buff and I do not know a great deal about the Punisher history. But I do like to think i know action films, and this barely was one...
I would in no way say this movie is bad, but i think the most appropriate word is "WEAK".
Eventhough I reckon Tom Jane probably was the best choice for the character, he could've been allowed to play the character alot darker. The man has a giant skull on his t-shirt for god's sake!
I mean, why the hell did he need 3 useless neighbour buddies...? They served no purpose entertainment value-wise. But only to show that Frank Castle was still a nice guy with morales (kinda going against the whole "Frank Castle is dead, I Am The Punisher...!).
And he showed no belivable remorse, just seemed to drink an look somber.
As far as the action goes, i found myself waiting for those intermitant moments throughout the film. Only to be mildly let down each time. The Russian fight was good, but everything else including the family slaughter was all so..... mundane. I mean if someone murdered my ENTIRE family, and I run out onto the deck and see it, i think i have more to say than "Jesus...".
The action eventhough cool, carried no weight with it. You really don't care about whats he's doing, just counting the bodies as he does... Whoever thinks this action is gory or 'severe' really hasn't watch many dark films...!
And personally i think John Travolta was a bad choice for a bad guy; no darkness, no charisma. Just a petty businessman.
Give this film to Chris Nolan or even Robert Rodreguiez and you probably would've had the years biggest blockbuster. And before anyone mentions the budget, RR does all his movies with minimal money. And you dont need money to be good (or dark).
Not a bad film, just a poor effort.
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Reviews
Worthless, literally
Review date: 2008-08-05 Rating: 2 out of 10
The Punisher is one of the worst films I have watched in a while, and not the kind of bad like certain films I just don't like, but rather a certifiably bad example of how to make an awful film. While I would count myself as a bit of a comics buff, I'm not that into Punisher, and I still hated the movie, so I can only imagine how much the fans hated it. From what I knew about Frank Castle, he was a character not unlike Batman but without the moral code, a vigilante in the true, murderous sense of the word. As a Batfan, I thought it would be refreshing to see a character who takes revenge that extra bit further and actually kills those responsible for causing his pain. Thus, I gleefully handed over £4 for the film in Asda, looking forward to what I predicted would be a least a Daredevil-grade Marvel offering, if not exactly scaling the dizzying heights of Spider-Man 2 or Blade.
I could tell from before I even started the film that I would have trouble enjoying it, from the score used on the DVD menu. Too old school, all Hollywood strings and not unlike something you would hear knocked out for some old action flick. Not the gritty, percussive, energetic score I would have picked to accompany how I felt the story should be told (as most probably are, I was already familiar with the very basics of The Punisher mythos, so I decided to go ahead and make a few predictions). After a few minutes had passed I had a feel for the cinematography and camerawork as well, all three rooting this film firmly in the past. This is no modern action film, and sadly suffers for it. As the film went on I was subjected to awful performances (a simpering John Travolta topping the list, followed up by an infuriating and misguided turn from the usually-great Ben Foster), worse dialogue, characters I really couldn't care less about, more crap score music, action scenes so devoid of excitement I wondered how the director got the job, a silent Kevin Nash (yes, the wrestler) with the stupidest haircut I've ever seen and so many half-assed "deep" plot threads thrown together I often thought I was watching a clip show comprising several different movies.
Worst of all, rather than being kick-ass, awesome and everything man with a skull on his shirt SHOULD be, Tom Jane's Punisher was a personalityless drone, outing himself to the public instead of playing it safe or letting everyone think he was dead, and messing about with photography and silly mind games instead of just using his limitless artillery to bust into Travolta's weakly guarded house and mow down every goon in sight. Plus, all his enemies knew where he lived (which isn't explained and is TOTALLY illogical) but they only sent one or two really rubbish assassins after him.
In summary, this is right after Blade Trinity as the worst of the big Marvel movies. While not quite as bad as any of my least favourite films, its not something I would recommend, although some of the hilarious line readings I wouldn't mind watching again for a quick giggle. I'm going now to hopefully clean the taste out of my, er, brain, with something decent. Toodeloo.
DESCENT COMIC-BOOK REVENGE MOVIE...
Review date: 2008-07-13 Rating: 8 out of 10
...that lives from its lead actors Thomas Jane and John Travolta. Otherwise quite descent and violent. Not a "must see", but you probably won't regret it if you do so.
Does exactly what it says on the tin
Review date: 2008-06-26 Rating: 8 out of 10
Critics, what planet are some of them on?
So this film was slated because it was too violent and not realistic enough?
It's The Punisher! In the comics he is a one man army on a vigilante mission to avenge the slaughter of his whole family and cleanse the world of evil criminals. How can you possibly make that realistic?!
For those of us that weren't born in a bubble and know what The Punisher is all about, this film hits the nail right on the head.
Yes there is a stupid amount of action, violence and killing. Yes he does get shot half a million times and still survives. No, he doesn't ever run out of bullets and no, it isn't realistic. But it is exactly like the comic!!!
Who wants realism? was Spiderman realistic? I doubt it, or at least I've never seen him scaling any buildings near me.
This film is a fantastic tale of a man dedicating is life to avenging the slaughter of his family by a big time criminal syndicate.
If you are looking for mindless killing, ridiculous amounts of weapons and cheesy one liners then this is the film for you.
Enough said!
excellent film
Review date: 2008-06-07 Rating: 8 out of 10
great comic book thriller thats a great throw back to the hard edged revenge thrillers of the 70s.this is hard,violent and very nasty recommended
Product Details/Specifications
Actor(s):
Thomas Jane
Samantha Mathis
Laura Harring
Will Patton
John Travolta
Creators:
Thomas Jane (Primary Contributor)
John Travolta (Primary Contributor)
Jonathan Hensleigh (Writer)
Amir Jacob Malin (Producer)
Andreas Grosch (Producer)
Andreas Schmid (Producer)
Andrew Golov (Producer)
Anson Downes (Producer)
Michael France (Writer)
Director(s):
Recording label: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
Manufacturer: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
EAN: 5035822651937
Binding: DVD
Number of items: 1
Format: PAL, Widescreen,
Release date: 2005-01-24
Number of discs: 1
Aspect ratio: 2.35:1
Audience rating: Suitable for 18 years and over
Region code: 2
Running time: 123 minutes
Theatrical release date: 2004-04-16
Language: English (Subtitled)
Language: Hindi (Subtitled)
Language: English (Original Language)