Review of The Punisher (2004) by Wade H — 19 Aug 2014

Everybody loves a good revenge story. Ok, maybe love is a strong word. Indeed, "The Punisher" is a revenge story, but it is not a film I love. I do like this film though because it is a nice change of pace from the lighter, funnier Spider-Man and X-Men films. "The Punisher" is a dark, gritty film full of dark humor and graphic violence.

There are two things that most impressed me about "The Punisher". The first is that this is such a grounded, realistic film, that it hardly feels like a comic-book film. Yet, it pays a nice tribute to the comics. The second is the intricate, well thought-out plot. Frank's plan is so clever, and the best part of the film is watching the plan come together. Though incredibly violent, there is some really creative action here too. From all of this, you might wonder why I don't like this film more. The truth is, this could be a really great film, except for the simple fact that Punisher is not nearly as interesting a character as Spider-Man or Wolverine.

Despite this, Thomas Jane is wonderful as Frank Castle/Punisher, bringing the character marvelously to life. On the other hand, John Travolta gives a lifeless performance as bad guy Howard Saint.

"The Punisher" is a lot like "Daredevil", in that both films are very dark in tone. While "The Punisher" has some great action and an ingenious plot, the character is just not interesting or kid-friendly enough to reel in the family crowds that most super-hero films get. I, however, enjoyed "The Punisher" for its grittiness and boldness.