MOVIE REVIEW: Punisher: War Zone, Michelle Likes It!

MOVIE REVIEW: Punisher: War Zone, Michelle Likes It!

I’ve always been pretty ambivalent about the Punisher as a character. I understand him, and I did collect the comics back in the day, but he’s always been a one note kind of guy. He’s obsessed with extracting vengeance – usually in the most brutal, straightforward way possible.  While I liked the last two films, the Producers tried to have it both ways – they wanted the mindless violence, but then they tried to give him a “heart.” The point of the Punisher is, he’s relentless, heartless, and views the world in pure black and white, good and evil and that’s it.

The new Punisher: War Zone is exactly what a Punisher film should be and that’s both good and bad. It’s over the top blood and gore, relentless, humorless (except for a couple of unintentional rolling on the floor moments), and hopeless. I don’t go to a Punisher film expecting a good story, acting, or even good production values.  The first few minutes of the film was hard to get through.

The acting was painful and casting Ray Stevenson to play Frank Castle (The Punisher) was a mistake. He’s wrong for the part, but then at the same time, this isn’t a character that requires a lot of charisma (he’s shadowy) or a lot of speechifying. He just needs to be able to point a gun and fire. Stevenson has no IT factor he’s just blank.  Did I mention how gory this movie is? It was refreshing to watch a Hard R Punisher film. I’m not one who complains when films get sanitized for the PG-13 crowd, but it really does impact the Punisher as a character. Lexi Alexander revels in the violent nature of the character and material. Again, this, is both good and bad because it is who the Punisher is but it will turn off anyone who isn’t part of the small niche that knows anything about The Punisher.

Final Grade B

EM Review by
Michelle Alexandria
Originally Posted 12.06.08