Finally saw this movie on SHO

[ChrisBaleBatman]

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.

 

[WhatsHisFace]

Yeah it was awesome. Let's get that sequel!

 

[RedIsNotBlue]

Glad you watched it and liked it. I feel this movie gets alot of crap that it didn't deserve and was just popular to hate like Hulk. I love the Punisher comics I have read and I think Hensleigh captured the character almost perfectly. But when I first watched it I just thought it was average. But oddly a little while later I had a strange urge to watch it again and ever since then I have loved it. Especially after watching the dvd extras you can appreciate it more seeing what they went through. And just for the record this is a movie I can rewatch and rewatch and it still has that spark.

 

[ChrisBaleBatman]

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.

 

[RedIsNotBlue]

Chris just out of own personal curiosity and I like having movie discussions did you think the film had any flaws?

 

[cthulhu]

Yep, franks fathers guns would have been removed by the police when they investigated the scene of his families slaughter.

 

[RedIsNotBlue]

Yep, franks fathers guns would have been removed by the police when they investigated the scene of his families slaughter.

So if a museum has guns in cases and a murder happens the police take those?

 

[Chris_Carter]

The police had no reason to take the guns because they and the glass case they were in hadn't been touched. All the evidence from the crime scene was outside under the canopy and around the house.

 

[Rukus]

The Punisher has been coming on Showtime a lot lately and everytime it comes on I can't stop myself from watching it. It's one of those movies you don't mind watching over and over several times.

 

[ChrisBaleBatman]

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.

 

[cthulhu]

So if a museum has guns in cases and a murder happens the police take those?

Not the same thing at all. Castles fathers home was obviously abandoned when Frank returned and got the guns. I thought the film was very good and have reviewed it many times but for active guns to be left on full display in a home like that where any looter or suchlike may find and take them, just isnt going to happen. They should have had them stached in a hidden pannel or something. Its my only gripe and a very minor one as its symbolic the use of his fathers guns to punish the guilty, thus giving them a cool origin. It just could have been a little more realistic in this area is all. Excellent show though (even if its set in tampa) heres hoping for a sequel.

 

[AVEITWITHJAMON]

Glad you liked it CBB, it is a very underrated movie, and one that doesnt get the praiase that it sometimes deserves. Its strange, critics savaged this movie, but casual movie goes and comic book movie fans love it. One of my older brothers only watched about three quarters of it and loved it. My other older brother watches it regularly,

 

[ChrisBaleBatman]

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.

 

[Bullseye]

Their needs to be a release of the film thats a extended directors cut three disc special edition with the previous Punisher film with Dolph.

 

[ChrisBaleBatman]

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

 

[LexCorp]

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.

I watched it yesterday ... twice...for the first time...
I loved it very much. I am very found of it now. Was that Kevin Nash as the Russian? It was a simple story but damm it was heart felt. I have not seen anyone killed in such a way since Robocop 1. I mean tortured to death, even toyed with right till the end. Awesome film nice feeling afterwards to. John Travolta for me is always good when he is bad...

 

[TwilightPro101]

It's a much deserved far cry from the 80s Punisher film. If anything this has been the best representation thus far and here's to the sequel. I say this after sitting through the movie too many times that I've lost track of the count.

 

[Punisher 04]

That's good to hear that there are people still discovering the movie after two years since it's box office release. If they'd just hurry up and start production on the sequel already.

 

[ChrisBaleBatman]

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.

 

[RedIsNotBlue]

I STILL don't see the big fuss about it being set in Tampa. In the comics the Punisher has taken care of business ALL OVER the world.

 

[Punisher RULES]

Punisher was a fun, violent romp, tampa or no tampa it kicked ass.

 

[ChrisBaleBatman]

Well yeah.

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

 

[RedIsNotBlue]

Organized crime goes on everywhere.

 

[ChrisBaleBatman]

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.

 

[RedIsNotBlue]

Well you gotta start off small. The sequels are supposed to get harder for the hero.