Ephemeris of the Mind (Film Review) The Punisher
Time to read: 2 min read
Movie Poster
Come on god, answer me. for years I'm asking why, why are the innocent dead and the guilty alive? Where is justice? Where is punishment? Or have you already answered, have you already said to the world here is justice, here is punishment, here, in me.
Previous Marvel film reviews:
- Punisher: War Zone
- Spider-Man 3
- Spider-Man 2
- Spider-Man
- Morbius
- Venom: Let There Be Carnage
- Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings
- Black Widow
- Black Panther
- Venom
- The Punisher (2004)
Review
Dolph Lundgren stars as the violent vigilante Frank Castle, also known as The Punisher. After Frank’s family is murdered by the Mafia, he has relentlessly hunted down Mafia members. Due to the Mafia’s weakness, a more ruthless organization muscles its way into the city.
I had always thought that War Zone is the live-action Punisher film closest to the comics but this first iteration probably is. I can see each scene being translated from a panel in the comic book. Because the film feels so loyal to the comic book, it can feel superficially cartoonish at times. Some of the scenes are very corny and the dialogue can be very stiff. Lundgren is typically stiff and emotionless but that actually works with the character of Frank Castle. The supporting cast, which includes Louis Gossett Jr.’s detective and Jeroen Krabbé’s thespian, are good foils for Lundgren’s Castle. The villains are, like their counterparts from the comics, very exaggerated.
Conclusion
Generic 80s action film.