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    Punisher: War Zone

    Movie » Punisher: War Zone released on December 05, 2008.

    The 2008 adaptation of "The Punisher" from martial artist director Lexi Alexander. The Punisher is portayed here as he is known in the comics.

    snowymountain's Punisher: War Zone review

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    Watch This Movie or You’re Punishing Yourself

    There are times when I wonder why do I do this to myself? After the first two movies which were horrible, why did I rent this third outing of Frank Castle? Why do I bother to rent these movies and watch them? Am I some sort of masochist? Thankfully, Punisher: War Zone reminds me of why I enjoy superhero movies. It contains everything that was lacking in the previous 1989 or 2004 Punisher movies and you should watch this movie, otherwise you’re just punishing yourself.

    First, the director made the brilliant choice to reboot the whole thing and forget the previous awful versions. She returns to Frank Castle’s roots and although this is not another origin story, we’re pretty much able to tell what happened that transformed Castle into the Punisher.

    Second, she chose Ray Stevenson to portray Frank Castle/Punisher. Like Dolph Lundgren, Stevenson is a pretty big guy. I was not impressed with Thomas Jane in the 2004 movie. Sure, he was fit and muscular; but it was a wiry and lean sort of musculature. He looked kinda scrawny to be honest. Stevenson came off as a walking tank that would bulldoze anything that got in his way and he looks a hell of a lot scarier than Lundgren.

    And most importantly, this movie had a REAL storyline to it. A revenge obsessed vigilante kills an undercover good guy by accident and he is left with horrible guilt over it. He has become what he has been fighting against all these years. Who will punish him? Meanwhile the widow and the daughter left behind by the dead guy is in trouble as his ID was exposed by the criminal thugs who want revenge and their money and suddenly the Punisher is back. His mission isn’t revenge, but redemption this time. And sure, there is a lot of blowing stuff up, explosions, blood and gore, and corpses strewn in Castle’s wake; but this time—there is a purpose in it. He’s protecting the innocent, not simply punishing the guilty.

    Fourth was that the supporting cast was there. Not like a dopey rhyming street guy or the trio of misfits who share an apartment building like the previous version but a cop assigned to bring in the Punisher and secretly feeding him information; a gunsmith who acquires and maintains his weapons; even the rogue FBI agent who wants to bring the Punisher down.

    I remember reading how the only reason why Batman was so popular was because of the Joker. A hero needs a good villain and that was what was definitely missing in the previous two movies. A true villain. Jigsaw (Dominic West) was that great. He was a spectacular villain in my opinion. Not only visually with his horrific scars, but his ruthlessness and twisted psychotic actions made me hate him.

    The movie reminded me of why the Punisher continues to exist and why he still needed. Because we need heroes like Super Man to give us hope just as we need heroes like the Punisher who are willing to do whatever it takes and kill those who are simply too irredeemable to allow to live.

    The special effects were spectacular compared to the other two movies. There are gory moments, bloody moments, bodies exploding and all that over-the-top kind of violence that I was expecting to see in the previous Punisher movies and failed to get. It’s mindless violence and it’s great fun to watch.

    RATING: 3 and 1/2 STARS

    Other reviews for Punisher: War Zone

      A Fun B-Movie ....Nothing More 0

      The only way to describe this film is balls to the wall crazy fun. This is as good as a Punisher film could get, I honestly don't think a better film staring Frank Castle can be made. The film is great for anyone who wants to shut their brain off and just watch a fun movie. Sure the acting is chessy, but to be honest that only comes from Dominic West and Doug Hutchison. Doug Hutchison is great in the movie and plays a character I'd love to see in the comics eventually, however I felt that maybe ...

      13 out of 13 found this review helpful.

      The Best We've Got 0

      Poor Punisher. He hasn't been treated with any respect in other media. The worst offender (that I've seen) is the 2004 Punisher movie with Thomas Jane. I originally got that and War Zone at the same time, and I watched the Jane one first. The only thing close to positive I can say about that movie is the costume looked pretty cool. I quickly got rid of War Zone, and seeing the type of reviews it got, I never looked back.Fast forward to 2013. It's been kind of boring, I love the Punisher even mor...

      3 out of 4 found this review helpful.

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