Finally saw this movie on SHO

And, I gotta say.......I loved it.

I mean, It was a really great flick. I'm a Bat-fan....so, Begins is really MY fave.......but THE PUNISHER movie was by no means weak. It had a great story, I thought......and the movie actually kept getting better with each passing minute. Castle kept getting more violent, and more and more like the guy I keep hearing about.

I noticed how obvious some of the stuff that was transfered....things like instead of "Spanish Harlem" it was "Little Cuba" (although, Saint probably meant Little Havana instead). But, the movie was great. Just thought I'd post it, b/c I loved the hell out of the movie. I'm gonna watch it again right now actually.

 

Ya know, I heard Travolta get alot of flack for his performance.....and I honestly thought he was great in this movie.

It was wayyyyy more fun, entertaining and just a better film than THE HULK. I mean, I could tell that the film was hurt by budgeting...which is too bad, b/c the film could have been twice as brooding if it were in NY. But, even then.....you could tell it was pretty much a NY story anyway, and the whole Tampa thing never seems to be a big deal anyway either which was good.

I do think it was a great FIRST film too.....I mean, he's really not as violent a guy as, say, the Punisher I was introduced to in the PUNISHER videogame.....atleast not for the first half. The dude gets mighty violent by the final act.....and it was really fun to see. The downfall of Howard Saint was pretty nice too. He didn't just kill him.....he made him kill his wife and best friend, then he told him......then he killed him. It was really cool.

I just thought I had to post a thread on this, since it took me so long to finally see the film. Showtime seems to have really held on the film for a long time, since I only had HBO until now....so it was great to see this film. It was a very pleasant surprise. Jane owned, btw. He IS the Punisher.

 

Me neither.

Yeah, there were a few things I thought were flawed.....but overall, the movie was just too good for me to hold it down for.

It being in Tampa.....that was a huge flaw. I've been to Tampa......it's not a very exciting place. Not the type of place for big name gangsters. However, you could tell by the plot and the shots that it was a New York story. I mean, the "Little Cuba" line = "Spanish Harlem" to me. The apartment Frank lived at looked like something I've seen in most New York-located films....a crappy looking apartment building. Also......Frank's escape from death.....it was kinda weird. If he had crawled off the docks and somehow swam far enough....I dunno, it could have been better. But, the way he was blown off those docks.....he should have atleast been horribly scarred with burns. But, it's the kind of film where it's not really supposed to be all so real. Didn't really bother me either.

I do think I'm practically in the same boat with most fans.......the final act was the best. Just having Frank reading his Letter of Intent was awesome....and those kills were just what I wanted. He really became ruthless and totally just merciless. I loved the way he just shot that guy on the floor without even giving him the curtosity of looking at him. And that whole knife in the back-then through his throat-kill......SWEET.

I think whatever pains fans have this film do have merit...but it was a pretty good flick, I feel. If I had to place on the Comic Film list....I'd say it a ton better than the Hulk.....not as good as Batman Begins (but, take that with a as you will...since I am a Bat-freak). I'd say I enjoyed it more than SPIDEY and X-MEN. So....I dunno.....maybe top 5......top 10 for sure.

I just hope that the sequel can be more like the third act, which I think it will be. The ending actually reminded me of Batman Begins ending. The end is only the beginning. The end is when the hero actually becomes the legend, while the entire film is that journey. That's why at the end of Batman Begins....it says....BATMAN BEGINS. Because Bruce has lost over Batman.....and so, Batman now Begins.

I now...it sounds kinda redundant.....but, hear me out.

The Punisher ending, pretty much the same type of thing......Frank Castle is gone. He "died" with his family........and when he decided NOT to commit suicide, he decided to dedicate himself to becoming the bane of criminals. At the end, with him on the bridge with the skull shirt on and the jacket.....the dude has lost his internal battle and become the legend.

Pretty cool.

 

The BEST comment I'd heard from people who know nothing (even less than me) about the Punisher: Too violent.

That's a good comment.

About the guns? Well.....you have to think that the FEDS might have covered that area......and since Castle was a FED, the area might have been probably the best and "safest".......and I dunno, maybe they didn't think the guns were in working condition either. My guess is, it's too hot a place to loot with the media attention and FEDS.

 

I'd like that.....minus the Dolph thing though....lol.

 

I think it's worth mentioning that the film got better with every minute. I mean, it being in Tampa.....that sucked. But, by the time he's set on vengeance.....it didn't matter. Unnderrated film.

 

Well yeah.

But, I've been to Tampa.......not exactly the crime capital of the world.

 

Yeah......but Tampa seems less prone as, say, New York.

Maybe it's just the New Yorker in me that wishes they had kept his origin in NY. Movie still ruled though, IMO.