Best Punisher

[scarlet-witch]

Bernthal. I absolutely love him in this role.

 

[Yowza]

Honestly, I think the character's background has been changed to such a large degree in each iteration might as well say they're playing separate characters.

The 80's action movie starring Lundgren might as well not call the Punisher but still in some oxymoronic kind of way gives off the best Punisher vibe as I can see the character even if the story details aren't down...

It would be pretty cool to utilize modern technology and have a movie set in the 80's (tough to make period pieces capture the essence of a certain time period perfectly but let's pretend) with a Vietnam veteran Punisher going through dark rain slicked alleyways with a synth soundtrack starring a younger Dolph Lundgren more based on source material but oh well.

As for the other movies... I saw the one with Thomas Jane in the movie theatre and had some issues with it and in hindsight I think it was a worse movie than I thought back then and is more Ennis's earlier rendition of the Punisher with other elements thrown in. As for Warzone, I didn't see that one as it just looked like it just wasn't able to pull off the Max version all that well although the actor looked like as drawn on the covers. I did see Bernthal's version and he did something all together different. It's back to the character's roots in a way but still seemed to be creating a lot to intertwine into the TV show.

I'll vote Lundgren.

 

[Dark Raven]

Honestly, I think the character's background has been changed to such a large degree in each iteration might as well say they're playing separate characters.

The 80's action movie starring Lundgren might as well not call the Punisher but still in some oxymoronic kind of way gives off the best Punisher vibe as I can see the character even if the story details aren't down...

It would be pretty cool to utilize modern technology and have a movie set in the 80's (tough to make period pieces capture the essence of a certain time period perfectly but let's pretend) with a Vietnam veteran Punisher going through dark rain slicked alleyways with a synth soundtrack starring a younger Dolph Lundgren more based on source material but oh well.

As for the other movies... I saw the one with Thomas Jane in the movie theatre and had some issues with it and in hindsight I think it was a worse movie than I thought back then and is more Ennis's earlier rendition of the Punisher with other elements thrown in. As for Warzone, I didn't see that one as it just looked like it just wasn't able to pull off the Max version all that well although the actor looked like as drawn on the covers. I did see Bernthal's version and he did something all together different. It's back to the character's roots in a way but still seemed to be creating a lot to intertwine into the TV show.

I'll vote Lundgren.

I wouldn't mind an 80s or late 70s Punisher movie with him as a Vietnam vet. But I'd like him also prowling New York subways with all the graffiti-ridden trains. I'd like it more similar to Death Wish.

But I wouldn't get Lundgren for the part. It's not that he didn't have a Punisher vibe. It's that he's too Nordic for my tastes. I prefer Punisher to look more like he's Italian, and Dolph doesn't look like that. Dolph would've fitted in as part of a Thor movie as a Viking warrior or Asgardian.

I think Bernthal has the best look, except that he hasn't ever fully utilised his look because he never seems to have quite the right length of hair or he's suddenly sporting a beard etc. I just want one scene of him looking completely classic with full hair, even at the sides, and with it slicked back, and no beard, and in full skull costume.

 

[Brian Braddock]

Voted Lundgren, who did a decent job in a limited, 80's action movie star kind of a way and was a dead ringer for Jim Lee's Frank Castle (honestly, I don't think theres been an actor cast since that has looked the part as good as him) and, apart from the lack of the skull the look is absolutely nailed, as is the tone of the movie which I feel is hugely underated and generally doesn't get the love it should.

At the risk of going off on a tangent - everyone's talking (quite rightly) about the cool ninjas is Netflix' D/D but Dolph's Punisher was taking them out in abandoned funhouses when Charlie Cox's Matt was still in junior school. t:. The opening scene of Frank taking out the mobsters is still great, as is the funhouse scene (mentioned above), the dock scene, the casino scene and the climactic dojo scene. Gossett Jnr brings some much needed gravitas and while, yes, it certainly has its issues and a low budget, somehow the lack of budget works - it adds to the violent, gritty, death-wish style vigilante vibe. And I love the score. I certainly enjoy it better than Hensleigh's 2004 disappointment (didnt feel Jane as Frank and Florida?) and definately enjoy it more than Alexander's 2008 messy disaster (same with Stevenson - didn't feel it), especially when you consider that they, Hensleigh in particular, had more advantages and less excuses to fail than P89.

Anywhoo - back to Frank - I did like Bernthal's portrayal and look forward to seeing more of him. Hell, maybe my opinion on who the best/favourite Frank my even change.

 

[ripse]

Thomas Jane is best of the best Punisher All of Time

and Ray Stevenson is Dark version Punisher likely Marvel Knights Comic

 

[Joe Von Zombie]

Tom Jane had the potential to be the best Punisher because of how passionate he was about the material, but the movie that surrounds him is just awful. Having re watched them recently because of this thread, I actually think his Punisher film is easily the worst of the three. War Zone works as a grindhouse take on the character and Lundgren's movie works as 80's action schlock, but Jane's Punisher is tonally all over the place and way too campy for the type of film it's trying to be.

 

[MessiahDecoy123]

The guy who plays Crossbones from Purge 2 and 3.

 

[Joe Von Zombie]

The guy who plays Crossbones from Purge 2 and 3.

I'm starting to wonder if folks have actually watched those films because he's merely posing as a vigilante and the end of the second film completely ruins it.

 

[Milk Tray Guy]

Thomas Jane

 

[Brian Braddock]

The guy who plays Crossbones from Purge 2 and 3.

Yep, Grillo would have made for a great Frank Castle.

 

[Yowza]

I wouldn't mind an 80s or late 70s Punisher movie with him as a Vietnam vet. But I'd like him also prowling New York subways with all the graffiti-ridden trains. I'd like it more similar to Death Wish.

But I wouldn't get Lundgren for the part. It's not that he didn't have a Punisher vibe. It's that he's too Nordic for my tastes. I prefer Punisher to look more like he's Italian, and Dolph doesn't look like that. Dolph would've fitted in as part of a Thor movie as a Viking warrior or Asgardian.

I think Bernthal has the best look, except that he hasn't ever fully utilised his look because he never seems to have quite the right length of hair or he's suddenly sporting a beard etc. I just want one scene of him looking completely classic with full hair, even at the sides, and with it slicked back, and no beard, and in full skull costume.

I suppose there's Tim Bradstreet's cover art with the slicked back look as the look you'd like Bernthal to go for? I think the more militaristic crewcut fits Bernthal better (perhaps he's more comfortable with a certain look to be able to project the character better as well?).

Anyway, I think multiple looks would suit the character. One thing I liked about Lundgren's portrayal was the zombie like deadpan expression the character always had as he went out prowling the piers at night (call it bad acting perhaps but seemed to fit). I think the character needs to be sort of a flatline to make the movie audience note little nuances the character exhibits from time to time with a sort of layered mystery that makes people wonder of another question each time one's answered. One thing I liked of Ennis's Max run (some stuff not like) was that the character rarely spoke with dark dialogue boxes appearing giving minor insight into what the character was thinking when he briefly appears during some of the story arcs (seems to cause a bit of consernation and alarm each time he appears like some sort of monster of sorts).

I think the movie should steer away from simply having him be a family man turned vigilante but more of someone whose always been a certain way but just needed the right events to happen to go along with the unchanging course the character ultimately takes as the Punisher. Tiger-Tiger, the Vietnam limited series, along with brief moments from the first Max story arc provide a bit of depth to the character not had before but I think earlier Punisher material (so not feel like an Ennis movie) could be utilized while maintaining the Max style by borrowing only some elements to make something grounded yet unrelenting and storydriven is what I'd like to see.

 

[The Overlord]

I wouldn't mind an 80s or late 70s Punisher movie with him as a Vietnam vet. But I'd like him also prowling New York subways with all the graffiti-ridden trains. I'd like it more similar to Death Wish.

But I wouldn't get Lundgren for the part. It's not that he didn't have a Punisher vibe. It's that he's too Nordic for my tastes. I prefer Punisher to look more like he's Italian, and Dolph doesn't look like that. Dolph would've fitted in as part of a Thor movie as a Viking warrior or Asgardian.

I think Bernthal has the best look, except that he hasn't ever fully utilised his look because he never seems to have quite the right length of hair or he's suddenly sporting a beard etc. I just want one scene of him looking completely classic with full hair, even at the sides, and with it slicked back, and no beard, and in full skull costume.

To me focusing on Bernthal's hair is focusing too much on the icing and not enough on the cake.

Frank having a buzz cut because he is in the military makes sense and Frank's hair was never important to the character, as long as the hair is black, its fine.

Really Bernthal had the most to work with, so he is the best Punisher. Thomas Jane is second best, he seems really passionate and I like Punisher 04 better then those other films, but that film is still not great and does not feel like the Punisher.

 

[psylockolussus]

Thomas Jane.

 

[LaughterLives]

Dolph, Jon then Ray.

Thomas was no Punisher. Despite my like for his movie, He didn't capture the character at all, the same way Hugh Jackman is no Wolverine. I'm so thrilled he's done.