Best Punisher movie so far?

[Punisher Rising]

Indeed.

I think The Slavers would definitely be best for the next Punisher film, something very dark and disturbing that would have the character be taken seriously onscreen after the cartoonishness of PWZ (a film I like a lot, don't get me wrong). I'm sure a plot like The Slavers is something Jane would love to do and something that would definitely have him onboard if he were to ever reprise Frank. I also think a movie combining In The Beginning and Up Is Down And Black Is White into one movie would be good, both stories were not only loaded with action but were also very personal for Frank.

 

[Reflex]

The way I always imagined The Punisher transitioning to the big screen was to take a story like Tom Clancy's 'Without Remorse'. A highly trained soldier living quietly on his own, still doing work for the government from time to time, gets involved with a girl who's taken from him by a criminal element and he systematically goes after them.

A calm, intelligent, deadly individual. Basically your Bourne or Taken style. Enough of this full-auto, shooting from the hip, two guys shooting at one another from 5 feet away and not hitting anything. Walk into a room with 2 bad guys, double tap each, done. Why do filmmakers not see that this is a better way to do things? Is it less interesting to them? It's not a difficult choice for me.

 

[TheWrathOfGod]

War Zone is the best adaptation of Ennis Punisher.

 

[S. Grundy]

War Zone is the best adaptation of Ennis Punisher.

Marvel Knights maybe, and those weren't really even Ennis best. But what they were claiming with this movie was that it was a MAX inspired film, and in that sense it's a piss poor adaptation. Getting a couple of shots framed to look like the comic and shoehorning in a bunch of characters from the comic for no real reason, does not make it even a good adaptation of what Ennis did with MAX. The atrocious/cliched dialogue not withstanding. Which brings up another thing, PWZ plainly and simply lacked wit, funny accents and people getting shot in the face does not equal black comedy. The 2004 Punisher film, had the same issue, though for everything that fell kinda flat, it genuinely had some darkly funny moments that did work.

 

[The Overlord]

This is a race to the bottom. Its like having 3 garbage cans and being forced to be choose to eat out of one them.

 

[TheWrathOfGod]

Marvel Knights maybe, and those weren't really even Ennis best. But what they were claiming with this movie was that it was a MAX inspired film, and in that sense it's a piss poor adaptation. Getting a couple of shots framed to look like the comic and shoehorning in a bunch of characters from the comic for no real reason, does not make it even a good adaptation of what Ennis did with MAX. The atrocious/cliched dialogue not withstanding. Which brings up another thing, PWZ plainly and simply lacked wit, funny accents and people getting shot in the face does not equal black comedy. The 2004 Punisher film, had the same issue, though for everything that fell kinda flat, it genuinely had some darkly funny moments that did work.

Ennis was in his prime with Welcome Back Frank and the MK series. Hell his mini, War Zone, was even a return to that run. MAX lacked the heart and comedy of the MK title and used profanity to further story instead of creativity. Punisher: War Zone is as close to a comic on screen as possible and you should be thankful that they even gave it a shot. The comedic relief in PWZ came from Jigsaw and Microchip, not the violence. PWZ is one of the best NEW adaptations of a comic and surpasses The Dark Knight on almost all levels.

 

[S. Grundy]

Welcome Back, Frank was very good, but the MK stuff wasn't there were a few good stories, but the majority was pretty bad. Yeah, I'm not going to be thankful they took a half backed attempt at the Punisher with PWZ, that's like the director just flipped through the comic, saw a bunch of colors and violence and didn't really bother with a story. And you know what, the comic relief wasn't funny, it was annoying and dumb.

I don't drink the kool-aid for The Dark Knight, that movie was good and showed what you could really do with a movie based on a comic propriety but it wasn't great. That said, Punisher: War Zone was huge step back to the days of Schumacher.

 

[lordkilljoy]

you guys are out of your ****ing minds if you like the lame ass 2004 film better then warzone. the action and violence in warzone is hysterical and just damn right good you cant go wrong with that. but face it people the punisher will never be taken seriously. all punisher films will fial so they need to either let it die or just make a good violent animated film for dvd and not no damn computer crap either

 

[S. Grundy]

Yeah liking a movie that has a plot, good dialogue and good performances from the actors over a movie with some pretty good action scenes, that is ****ing crazy.

 

[rogue trooper]

War Zone is the best adaptation of Ennis Punisher.

Exactly. It had the appropriate absurd humor from "Welcome Back, Frank", and others like "Business As Usual"(where he and Wolverine fought midget gangsters).

 

[Carlo Comicus]

Horrible movie.

 

[ObakeTora]

My dear Punisher faithfuls, there was never any decent Punisher film made. !. You had bad acting stoner Dolph Lundgren without the skull and Microchip living in the sewers, 2.) Tom Jane the alcoholic loser who blasted the third film yet starred in the sharing and caring hour crap fest that is the 04 film/ 3.) Come on, Joel Schumacher would be proud.

My opinion for reading Punisher titles for 20+ years now? You need to adapt every great Punisher story (i.e, Mother Russia, The Slavers, Circle of Blood, Barracuda arc, Born) the same way Watchmen was done. Punisher is complex and most directors think he's some lame reiteration of Rambo. No, Puns is a tactical genius, an excellent hand to hand combatant, and resourceful, none of the three films captured the dopeocity of the Punisher. All those movies are horrib;e, and as a Punisher fan I'm just mad enough to get a job.


[EDIT] WHY THE HELL HASNT THIS GUY BEEN APPROACHED TO PLAY PUNISHER ALREADY!!!!!!!!!?????

A. He's over 50 (born 1946)
B. He's buff
C. If he came to my house and told me he'd kill me I'D CRAP MY PANTS!
D. He's frikin Italian!!! The most overlooked aspect of Frank Castiglione!!!!!!
E. He was born in frikin New York!!! Ahh! The agony!!!!


My dream film happens when I hear Circle of Blood being adapted, starring Sylvester Stallone, I just hope he doesnt get too old, or Jesus returns before this film happens. Meh anyway I gotta clean the litterbox now.

 

[Kable24]

Nothing like a 5'9" Punisher.

 

[S. Grundy]

My dear Punisher faithfuls, there was never any decent Punisher film made. !. You had bad acting stoner Dolph Lundgren without the skull and Microchip living in the sewers, 2.) Tom Jane the alcoholic loser who blasted the third film yet starred in the sharing and caring hour crap fest that is the 04 film/ 3.) Come on, Joel Schumacher would be proud.

My opinion for reading Punisher titles for 20+ years now? You need to adapt every great Punisher story (i.e, Mother Russia, The Slavers, Circle of Blood, Barracuda arc, Born) the same way Watchmen was done. Punisher is complex and most directors think he's some lame reiteration of Rambo. No, Puns is a tactical genius, an excellent hand to hand combatant, and resourceful, none of the three films captured the dopeocity of the Punisher. All those movies are horrib;e, and as a Punisher fan I'm just mad enough to get a job.

Actually the Tom Jane Punisher was a tactician, he did recon on top of setting up contingencies for himself.

The thing is, if Jane had gotten his way with the sequel and was able to get Walter Hill to direct the movie, it probably would have been the perfect or close to as perfect as it could have been. A gritty violent crime story, that's all a Punisher film really needs to be.

 

[weezerspider]

I really like '04 and War Zone. The Dolph one.... eh not so much. I voted for War Zone simply because Jigsaw is awesome in it. I like them both pretty equally. They are guilty pleasures.

 

[I_am_iron_man]

Yeah, at least people enjoys more watching PWZ than Punisher (2004).

Tom Jane is a good actor but c'mon...He's not Frank Castle. He's not Punisher.

Yes maybe the movie has some good dialogues, maybe the movie has some good action scenes, maybe the movie has a plot...You can make a good movie, but if the actor he's not perfect as Punisher...It's stupid. Jane isn't a reliable Punisher than Stevenson or Lundgren.

 

[samsnee]

I loved the Ray Stevenson more just because it was so over-the-top ridiculous, and did not take itself seriously one bit. Jane's Punisher tried to play him too sympathetic, and he seemed toned down for the general audience.

 

[S. Grundy]

Tom Jane is a good actor but c'mon...He's not Frank Castle. He's not Punisher.

Yes maybe the movie has some good dialogues, maybe the movie has some good action scenes, maybe the movie has a plot...You can make a good movie, but if the actor he's not perfect as Punisher...It's stupid. Jane isn't a reliable Punisher than Stevenson or Lundgren.

No, he was.

I loved the Ray Stevenson more just because it was so over-the-top ridiculous, and did not take itself seriously one bit. Jane's Punisher tried to play him too sympathetic, and he seemed toned down for the general audience.

Going by the Year One comic he played Castle just right. And by the end of the movie, when his downward spiral is complete, he is shown to be an efficient killing machine.

 

[FCEEVIPER]

I hated them all equally, but if I had to choose:

The Punisher-2004, Tom Jane and John Travolta

 

[I_am_iron_man]

No, he was.
....
Going by the Year One comic he played Castle just right. And by the end of the movie, when his downward spiral is complete, he is shown to be an efficient killing machine.

In fact Jane is a perfect Frank Castle of the origins but he's bad and not reliable as Punisher. While Stevenson is better as Punisher than Castle.

 

[CrimsonMist]

In fact Jane is a perfect Frank Castle of the origins but he's bad and not reliable as Punisher. While Stevenson is better as Punisher than Castle.

That's completely unfounded! You can't say Jane was a good Frank Castle but not a good Punisher because the whole movie was an ORIGIN MOVIE! He's NOT SUPPOSED TO BE IN FULL PUNISHER MODE UNTIL THE END! And those last 15/20 minutes? Very satisfying, because now he's embraced what he is and what he's going to become! And unfortunately, Jane got jerked out of a sequel due to awful scripts and we NEVER got to see where Jane was gonna take the character.

Stevenon had the benefit of starring in a film where Castle was in full Punisher mode. From the ideas Jane had for a sequel, it seems to me he would have been THE Punisher. His ideas for the character and where to take Castle were perfect. Lions Gate and Lexi Alexander ruined that.

 

[[A]]

Now that I see that Stallone pic in there.. I wonder if people who liked P:WZ liked Rambo 4 too..?

 

[S. Grundy]

In fact Jane is a perfect Frank Castle of the origins but he's bad and not reliable as Punisher. While Stevenson is better as Punisher than Castle.

What does that even mean, "not reliable"? He had the look (because remember he wasn't always drawn like the beefed up Clint Eastwood in the MAX series), acted more like a soldier than either the '89 film or PWZ, and when he got to killing, he did it efficiently. Not to mention he brought a quality to the character, and emotion that the other films lacked.

 

[CrimsonMist]

Now that I see that Stallone pic in there.. I wonder if people who liked P:WZ liked Rambo 4 too..?

I loved the new Rambo. It had far more of an emotional depth than War Zone did(if it could even be said that War Zone had depth at all). The violence and villains were deadly serious and not played for laughs at all. It wasn't campy at all either.

 

[S. Grundy]

I loved the new Rambo. It had far more of an emotional depth than War Zone did(if it could even be said that War Zone had depth at all). The violence and villains were deadly serious and not played for laughs at all. It wasn't campy at all either.

But which one had the worse Julie Benz performance?

And the violence in Rambo in addition to not being played for laughs, it was a lot more visceral.