The original Punisher movie angered some comic book fans at the likeness; this Punisher, played by Dolph Lundgren, doesn't have that trademark skull shirt (this is still debatable as to if it's needed, though it is the only real way of *seeing* the character as an iconic anti-hero form the comics). But there really are more legitimate reasons to find the film, directed by Mark Goldblatt and written by Boaz Yakin, flawed and not satisfying some twenty years after its release. It still carries that "80's" action feel and not always in a good way. Some of the story its just silly, even if it is based off the comics, such as Frank Castle having as his place of residence after his wife and son are killed being the sewers. Unless you're a Ninja Turtle, does it make much sense to squat in the sewers? Perhaps if you're into being naked and meditating before going out and killing whatever comes one's way.
There's a lot of violence in this Punisher, but only a handful of instances where the action really connects on a "YES!" level. There's a shootout at at a harbor between lots of bad-guys (Castle looking on with a sniper's view) and it's competently staged and with some brutal blood, but its not really exciting. There's a scene where Frank Castle, on the look-out for the last BIG mob to kill (this being the Yakuza or whatever), finds the children of the mobsters that have been kidnapped by the Yakuza-whatevers, and gets them on a bus. There's a near-great chase here, kind of like the switcharoo of the climax of Dirty Harry. There's some decent acting (decent but only on-par with other action vehicles of the period) between Lou Gossett Jr and Lundgren when he is finally captured (for the moment) and is scolded for his form of vengeance.
And there's the climax, but that starts to unravel and go between the silly pre-Kill Bill style theatrics of action staged rampantly among dojo-looking sets, and some legitimate drama involving the son of the BIG baddie who did such horrors onto Castle's family. A lot of the plot is very basic so it's not even worth repeating here, but worse is anything resembling decent acting. Lundgren does alright with his character, but rarely do we see any life put into him. In a seemingly daring scene where Lundgren is tied up and threatened with some weapon that might cut off his arm or other, there's not much drama because of how lax the actor looks in the scene. When he's over-the-top, Lundgren can do wonders. As a simple hero going through the beats, it's just... OK.
The whole film is really overall just OK, but will this be alright for Punisher fans who come to this after the two recent 21st century offerings that have left some wanting more (the Thomas Jane and Ray Stevenson Punisher movies)? Perhaps. It is guilty-pleasure territory with a good deal of its awfully ramped up violence and kills, and some of the baddie-acting crosses over into delicious camp. But not quite enough really; when it comes to that era of Marvel movies before they really started to come into their own in the late 90's and early 00's (think Howard the Duck and the unreleased Fantastic Four, or 1992 Captain America while we're at it), it's one of the better ones, but that isn't saying much. 5.5/10
There's a lot of violence in this Punisher, but only a handful of instances where the action really connects on a "YES!" level. There's a shootout at at a harbor between lots of bad-guys (Castle looking on with a sniper's view) and it's competently staged and with some brutal blood, but its not really exciting. There's a scene where Frank Castle, on the look-out for the last BIG mob to kill (this being the Yakuza or whatever), finds the children of the mobsters that have been kidnapped by the Yakuza-whatevers, and gets them on a bus. There's a near-great chase here, kind of like the switcharoo of the climax of Dirty Harry. There's some decent acting (decent but only on-par with other action vehicles of the period) between Lou Gossett Jr and Lundgren when he is finally captured (for the moment) and is scolded for his form of vengeance.
And there's the climax, but that starts to unravel and go between the silly pre-Kill Bill style theatrics of action staged rampantly among dojo-looking sets, and some legitimate drama involving the son of the BIG baddie who did such horrors onto Castle's family. A lot of the plot is very basic so it's not even worth repeating here, but worse is anything resembling decent acting. Lundgren does alright with his character, but rarely do we see any life put into him. In a seemingly daring scene where Lundgren is tied up and threatened with some weapon that might cut off his arm or other, there's not much drama because of how lax the actor looks in the scene. When he's over-the-top, Lundgren can do wonders. As a simple hero going through the beats, it's just... OK.
The whole film is really overall just OK, but will this be alright for Punisher fans who come to this after the two recent 21st century offerings that have left some wanting more (the Thomas Jane and Ray Stevenson Punisher movies)? Perhaps. It is guilty-pleasure territory with a good deal of its awfully ramped up violence and kills, and some of the baddie-acting crosses over into delicious camp. But not quite enough really; when it comes to that era of Marvel movies before they really started to come into their own in the late 90's and early 00's (think Howard the Duck and the unreleased Fantastic Four, or 1992 Captain America while we're at it), it's one of the better ones, but that isn't saying much. 5.5/10