The Punisher (2004)

SPOILER WARNING!!! This post spoils movie The Punisher (2004).

Some people say, they don't like this movie, because it doesn't have spirit of the comics. That sounds bit strange to me, because I have read the comics where the scenes are taken from. To me this movie felt just like those comics. At least as close as movies could come. Neighbors are straight from the comics and many scenes are from comics. Origin story doesn't follow comics, but most of what happens after Frank Castle becomes the Punisher is from comics. Of course there are some changes made to fit the story for origin, but the feel is from the comics. However, I can understand why some feel this doesn't have spirit of the comics. If you expect one man army to kill criminals all the time, this won't have spirit of the comics. Dolph Lundgren's Punisher is closer to that. It has been a while since I read the comics. I can't check them, because I have sold them. When I watched the movie first time I remembered scenes from comics.

This time Frank Castle was undercover cop. Crime boss Howard Saint's son was killed during his last case. Saint revenges that by slaughtering the whole Castle family, including his parents, son and everyone who happened to be there. Frank Castle survives the attack. After he recovers, he comes back to revenge his family. He doesn't want to just kill Howard Saint and his gang. He has more complicated plan. This could feel un-punisher-like. But that is from the comics. First Punisher attacks Saint's business and make him lose a lot of money and his customers. His more complicated plan is to make Howard kill his wife and best friend by making it look like they are having a relation ship. Best friend is actually gay, but Howard doesn't know that.

Two gimmicky hitmen were also quite un-punisher-like, but at least The Russian was from comics. I am not sure about Guitar man. I think in comics, there were more hitmen and Guitar man could have been there. Neighbors are from comics and everything that happens to them is from comics. Both torturing scenes are from comics too. To me Thomas Jane was best Punisher we have seen. He looked like he could be having one man war.  Action was more realistic than in other movie. Punisher wasn't one man killing machine no-one can hit. That is disappointing for some Punisher fans. For me it made this movie my favorite Punisher movie. I was disappointed, that Thomas Jane wasn't in next movie and they made Punisher one man army.

One last good thing about this movie is, Thomas Jane is Punisher fan. This wasn't his last time as Punisher. More about that tomorrow.