The Punisher

Rating:
Summary: 100% BETTER THAN DAREDEVIL!
Review: I first saw "The Punisher" on the third day of its release and must say that for a comic-book adaptation, I was quite impressed! Alot of people think that it's a bad idea to make a remake to the 1989 original, but I beg to differ. The new 'Punisher' is more original and clean (easier to follow) and the plot to it is NOT as farfetched as its previous version. The characters are very interesting and easy to get to know once you see them and the action is non-stop edge-of-your-seat thrills and excitement! (I wouldn't be surprised if some of the scenes used in the film were inspired by some of that in the comics!) The storyline is also nicely told, and compared to the 80s one, there are absolutely NO plot holes! Thomas Jane plays the anti-hero (the title character), Frank Castle while John Travolta plays a spectacular performance as the diabolical madman, Howard Saint, a crime boss who dispatches his men to kill off Castle's family. After this horrible tragedy, Castle is left for dead, but survives a near death and decides to track down and kill (or PUNISH) the ones responsible! With an amazing assortment of weapons and slick skills, Castle battles an angry mob of crimminals, including Heck, a sharp-shooting guitarist, a bone-crushing Russian, and finally, Howard Saint and his son in a daring finale climatic showdown which ends with a BANG! (Not to mention a BOOM!)

OVERALL: This is THE #1 comic-book live-action movie of all time since the 2002 version of "Spider-Man" and is indeed grand golden entertainment for ANY action fan! One of my favorite movies of the year and it should be yours too! ^_^ See it today and get ready for "Spider-Man 2", another Marvel movie coming this May 2004!!!!

Rating:
Summary: Great Action Movie (and this from a girl)
Review: I have to admit, my reason for going to see this movie was Thomas Jane. I had seen the previews and thought he was hot. So I went opening day and I wasn't disappointed. Great action film with a good story, good characters, good plot, and lots of gun-firing, bomb-blasting action (okay, I'm girl so deal with the inadequate descriptions!).

The movie doesn't just jump into Frank Castle (played by Thomas Jane) being The Punisher but rather builds to it from his job as an FBI Special Agent to the murder of his family to his quest to avenge those deaths. Very emotional the killings of his family. You feel this guy's loss and you want him to go after Howard Saint (played by John Travolta) and his wife (played by Laura Harring), who are responsible for the deaths of his loved ones.

Thomas Jane really has some big muscles. Sorry, I just had to say it!

Castle, after recovering from injuries he suffered at the hands of Saint's men and son, methodically devises a plan to avenge his family. I like this because you would think most people would be ready to pick up a gun and just go in blazing. But that's not how he does it. This guy is an ex-Marine, ex-Special Agent in the FBI. He prepares himself for the war and when it begins, it doesn't stop until the ending. He's very, very methodical in his plans to eradicate the world of Howard Saint and his associates. It was ingenious, really. I would tell but I don't want to spoil the movie.

Seriously, I hope they make a sequel to this movie if for nothing but to see Thomas Jane in this role again. I think he was the best part of the movie. He really made me feel for his character. John Travolta was okay I suppose, and that's really a diss coming from me, a lover of all things John Travolta. But he was the bad guy so I couldn't really associate with him. His character got more interesting towards the end (you'll know what I'm talking about once you see the movie). The smaller parts with RRS and BF were done well.

I basically just loved the movie and am even contemplating going to see it again. You should definitely go see this movie! It is awesome! Well worth the 7 bucks you will spend. Two hours of intense action, but full of drama and comedy as well. Two thumbs up. Five stars. Everything!

Rating:
Summary: "The Punisher" is the first great action thriller of 2004!!
Review: I just checked out "The Punisher" at the theater a couple of days ago, and let me just say that the film was action-packed from pulse-pounding start to heart-stopping finish! The direction of Jonathan Hensleigh (screenwriter for "Armageddon") was nothing short of excellent or intense! This new version of "The Punisher" was, without a doubt, way, way better than the old 1989 Dolph Lundgren version, especially since this popular Marvel comic-book adaption explains more of the Frank Castle character in-depth, etc. The performance of Thomas Jane ("Dreamcatcher") as Frank Castle/The Punisher was extraordinary! The finest performance of Jane's career! The performance of John Travolta ("Get Shorty"), back in bad-guy form as Castle's villainous counterpart, Howard Saint, was electrifying and powerful! Travolta's best villainous performance since "Swordfish" and "Face/Off"! Rounding out the cast are Rebecca Romijn-Stamos ("X2: X-Men United"), Will Patton ("Entrapment"), Roy Scheider ("Jaws"), Laura Harring ("Mulholland Dr."), Ben Foster ("Liberty Heights"), and Samantha Mathis (Travolta's "Broken Arrow" co-star), in which they, too, gave unforgettable performances alongside the two leads!

"The Punisher" puts the focus on Frank Castle (Jane), a man who has seen too much death in his life, first as a former Delta Force operative and later as an undercover FBI special agent. He has managed to beat considerable odds, and is finally moving out of the field and into a normal life with his wife, Maria (Mathis), and young son, Will. On his final assignment, Castle plays his undercover role perfectly, but the operation spins out of control and a young man, Bobby Saint (James Carpinello), is inadvertently killed in the process. The end result places the FBI on the wrong side of Tampa businessman Howard Saint (Travolta) and his glamorous wife, Livia (Harring). Notwithstanding their glossy social profile, the Saints are no genteel Florida couple; behind their copious wealth are violent beginnings, underworld ties -- and a chilling capacity for brutality. Inflamed by the death of their son, the Saints are willing to risk their newfound legitimacy on a wholesale mission of blood-vengeance. Castle's worst nightmare is about to come true, as Howard Saint and his lieutenants unleash hell at the Castle family reunion, with Maria and Will killed in the process.

But Castle, to his everlasting torment, survives. Until this moment, he has spent his entire life adhering strictly to the law. However, experience has taught him that the law cannot adequately penalize the people who murdered his family. Drawing upon all he has learned in 20 years, Castle sets in motion a plan to punish the murderers. He takes up residence in a dilapidated tenement building in Tampa's industrial district, where his fellow tenants include Joan (Stamos), a waitress at a nearby diner who is trying to put her life back on track; Dave (Foster), a gangly twenty-something with a face full of piercings; and Bumpo (John Pinette), a rotund gourmand who rarely leaves his home.

In preparing his revenge, Castle thoroughly familiarizes himself with the habits and routines of the Saint family. He traces the movements not only of Howard and Livia, but also their surviving son, John (also played by Carpinello), and Howard's second-in-command, lawyer Quentin Glass (Patton). Armed with this essential knowledge, Castle launches his first salvo against Saint's business interests. Stunned that Castle is not only alive but causing him harm, Saint marshals his forces in an attempt to shut Castle down permanently. He soon turns to the underworld's network of hired assassins, recruiting the laconic Memphis legend Harry Heck (Mark Collie) as well as the blonde behemoth known only as the Russian (WWE superstar Kevin Nash).

Castle's plan is proceeding apace, but his mission has the unintended effect of placing his fellow tenement dwellers in danger. Yet Joan, Dave, and Bumpo rally for their neighbor, even at great personal risk. This makeshift family -- forgotten men and women with no one to protect them -- brings Castle the one thing he least expects: redemption. His personal goal achieved, Castle realizes that his life's work has just begun. As The Punisher, he will provide justice for ordinary people and exact retribution from society's villains.

In conclusion, "The Punisher", to me, is a whole lot better than recent Marvel comic-book duds as "Daredevil" and "The Hulk"! Also, "The Punisher" has it all: lots and lots of action that keeps you on the edge of your seat, powerful storyline, some laugh-out-loud humor, and a pulsating soundtrack! "The Punisher" is an absolute DVD must-have to any collection when it's released!

Rating:
Summary: Awesome
Review: I thought the plot was great, awesome fight scenes, some humor mixed in made for an incredible movie. Definitely followed up to what I would hope to expect for a Punisher movie. Bringing back the Rambo bow to the screen was nice to see as well. I definitely hope they make a sequel considering I think this is a much better Marvel movie than spiderman.

Rating:
Summary: THE PUNISHER WILL BE BETTER THAN DAREDEVIL
Review: If for no other reason, the Punisher should be better than Daredevil thanks to NOT having Ben Affleck in the movie. I don't see a problem with a $30 million dollar Budget. Unlike Spiderman, Hulk, or even Daredevil, the Punisher will require very little in the way of special effects.

The Story will change slightly from the comics. Undercover FBI agent and former Marine Frank Castle (Thomas Jane) is devastated when his wife and children are killed when they accidentally witness a mafia hit, and with nothing left to lose, decides to dedicate himself fully to the eradication of crime (organized and otherwise) from America, as an army, assassin, judge and jury all rolled up into one man (and a whole lot of guns): The Punisher. Wearing a menacing black battle suit with a white skull emblazoned on his chest, the Punisher first sets his sights on the crime syndicate that was responsible for the murders of his family. Along the way, his vendetta quest leads to the son of Howard Saint (John Travolta), a former underworld boss who had gone straight, but the death of his son leads him to get back into crime, and guess who's he gunning for...? (Harring plays Travolta's wife; Romijn-Stamos plays Joan, a woman who assists the Punisher; Pro Wrestler Kevin Nash plays a Russian assassin.)

I've seen Jane in a couple of movies, Deep Blue and Dreamcatcher and he was pretty good. Anyone has to be better than Dolph Lundgren. I expect this to be short on plot and big on flying bullets and explosions. Travolta will add some star power and I predict this will be a money-maker.

Rating:
Summary: Better than expected
Review: Much better than the 1989 direct to video adaptation which starred Dolph Lundgren in the title role, the Punisher, the latest film adapted from a Marvel comic, succeeds where Hulk and Daredevil failed. Capturing the feel of the comic (for the most part anyway), this ultra violent actioner finds undercover agent Frank Castle's (Thomas Jane, perfectly cast) retirement and bliss destoryed when his entire family is murdered by money laundering mobster Howard Saint (John Travolta in oily villian mode). Castle survives, and vows revenge against the people who ruined his life. Director/co-screenwriter Jonathan Hensleigh knows the source material for the most part, with scenes and characters taken directly from classic issues of the comic. Hardcore fanboys may not be too happy with some differences between the film and the comic (such as the change of scenery from New York to Tampa for one), but the overall film is more than satisfying. Plus, the epic fight between Frank and the Russian (wrestling star Kevin Nash) is one of the best filmed fights in recent memory. The great casting is also a highlight, with Will Patton as a sadistic gangster, Mulholland Drive's Laura Harring as Saint's wife, Rebecca Romijn-Stamos as Frank's neighbor Joan, Samantha Mathis as Frank's wife, and Ben Foster (excellently cast) as Frank's heavily pierced neighbor Spacker Dave.

Rating:
Summary: ALL THE REVENGE, ALL THE WEAPONS OF THE COMICS
Review: This is one of the better Marvel adaptations from comic book to the big screen. Nowhere near as good as SPIDERMAN but it does draw heavily, and satisfyingly from its comic book roots. Most of the changes to the character are improvements. Frank Castle is a retired undercover FBI agent. In his last assignment the son of Howard Saint, a Florida crime lord, is killed while waiving a gun around during a bust.

Saint sends a hit team in to wipe out Castle and his entire family during a reunion. Though badly injured, Castle is not killed. Months later, he returns to punish Saint and his men, as the Punisher.

The movie provides an explanation for the death head symbol on his chest--it was a T-shirt given to him by his son shortly before he was killed. Castle assembles an arsenal of exotic weaponry, much of which belonged to his father. In his down hours, Castle builds a reinforced car to combat those that might try to kill him.

Castle then gets to what the Punisher always did best--find creative ways to kill the bad guys and set them up for killing. Other than the death head symbol, there are no comic book trappings. No colorful tights or super heroics. Castle takes a pounding. Saint sets a guitar toting Mariachi type called Harry Heck out to kill the Castle, and later "The Russian." Graphic violence, but fun.

There are plenty of shootouts and explosions in the Punisher, to make you forget your troubles. Just remember it's based on a comic book, so there are some big plot holes. But even Castle's loser apartment neighbors are lovable and amusing.

A good time at the movies.

Rating:
Summary: Decent But Could've Been Better
Review: This movie seemed like it was rushed. I was also expecting more of a bada$$ heavy then say John Travolta. He has never really played a decent bad guy. Though I must say that the action was decent though not spectacular. I was expecting a more bombastic movie more on the level of Spiderman, which by far has been the best translation of a comic book to big screen. With the Punisher there were too many dry spells in between the action. And why in the world does Frank Castle reveal that he is alive in the middle of the film? Wasn't the whole point of being the Punisher or calling himself the Punisher was declaring that the old man that he was is dead? The plot was a little disjointed but overall a decent movie, I wouldn't say that it was better than Daredevil though.