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Topic: Punisher: War Zone

Tyler Potts
Expert Film Handler

Posts: 159
From: Anderson, SC, USA
Registered: Sep 2008

posted 12-05-2008 01:42 AM

Rating 2/5.

Lionsgate makes a gorey dumbed down version of the 2004 release.

Basically, if you sat through Max Payne, see this to make yourself feel better. The action's is great and is really the only shining moments in this film. At least they're in NYC this time, but you don't feel anything for this version of Frank Castle. Thomas Jane gave a great dead behind the eyes, alcoholic, self destructive Punisher. Stevenson gives one who's going to punch you so hard it makes your face explode (this happens).

Couple odd things like the main bad character giving himself his nickname, Castle running through the streets and subways of New York and crossing traffic in full battle attire while everyone else shuffles by without caring (yet somehow the cops can't get a lead on him in 5 years?), and Dominic West actually gave a believable goomba performance.

Hell, might as well see it if you built it.

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Carey Barber
Expert Film Handler

Posts: 143
From: Newport News, VA, USA
Registered: Jan 2003

posted 12-06-2008 08:36 PM

This was a little disappointing...I felt that it started off kinda promising, but fell off pretty bad after about 20 minutes or so.

Good points:

- Ray Stevenson does a good job. He has the look and style of the Punisher. This was a good casting decision. I have nothing against Tom Jane as an actor, but he was just not right for the Punisher.

- The action is bloody constant and constantly bloody.

Bad points:

- Ray Stevenson aside, almost all of the actors were terrible. This is especially true of the villains. They came off as cheesy rather than scary. (I submit the criminal/acrobats as Exhibit A.)

This kind of corniness is okay for other franchises (Spider-Man for exampe) but the Punisher should have villains that are gritty and fairly realistic. - The worst was the main villian, Jigsaw. His make-up was TERRIBLE. I was reminded of Tommy Lee Jones' version of Two-Face. The way he talks is cheesy and over the top. Since the main antagonist was so lame and un-scary, it made the whole movie suffer.

- The other villian, "Loony Bin Jim" was equally awful. Both characters tried to sound scary but end up just sounding stupid.

- The scene where they go around recruiting various ethnic gangs...Wow. This was just terrible. How many movies have had scenes just like this, where all the gangs are dressed uniformly and stereotypically based on ethnicity? It is time to put that cliche to rest.

Grade: C-

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