The Punisher... Part 2?

This April, The Punisher is schedualed for release, yet there are some misgivings I have concerning the character and the overall 'feel' of the movie.

The actor playing Frank Castle, to me, doesn't fit the character from Marvel Comics. Granted, how many actors are in the same shape as comic book heros, but come on. Even the actor's voice doesn't seem to have the same edge or gravel as would be expected.

*For those who may not know, the actor is the blond hero from the movie Deep Blue Sea, the one with intelligent sharks.*

And the origin?! This incantation of the Punisher is a Gulf War veteran. Parden me for sounding too negative... but I cannot see a Gulf War vet (the first Persian Gulf War) having the... mental psycosis as would be needed for a borderline serial killer. With this, the movie creators should have stuck with the true version, of Castle being from the Vietnam generation.

Main bad guy? John Travolta... I haven't checked into too many details, but unless the movie is bringing in Jigsaw, I can't see it.

Now, some of us might remember the first Punisher movie, starring Dolph Lungren. To me, he WAS the Punisher. Right hieght, build, vocal tones... that movie, although it was lacking in many different ways, had potential. *That is why I used Part 2 in the thread*

I have seen the two different trailers... the first one, with the camera going across his work bench with dialogue in background was what I would expect. The second was with movie images... seeing that blonde guy playing Castle just doesn't do it for me.

I'll get the link later, but there is another site, where you can read the War Journal, watch Castle family videos and stuff... that one's pretty neat... link coming up soon.

Now, I hate do say this. I know what the Punisher is about; christ, I have EVERY Punisher comic (even cameo appearences), most of the Punisher related merchandise (except clothing... don't want to advertise that I'm a fan boy), so for me, the Punisher is a big deal. What I dread saying is this: not too many comic to movies were good... and even though it is the Punisher's style, I'd hate seeing this film looking like a comic version of Death Wish.

What would be interesting to see, however, is in a couple years, having a TRUE comic movie. One where Daredevil is fighting Castle, Spider-Man intervines... Iron Man seen flying in the background. Have anything and everything that a comic fan would want.

Interests


I have the other link I mentioned earlier bookmarked at home (the one where you can view his workbench), I'll post it much later.

*Would have had this in the first post, but for some reaosn, the edit function is funky...*

I'm a Punisher fan as well and actually watched the first movie with Lundgren and Lou Gossett Jr. just the other day. I've had that on VHS forever and in the late 80s I collected the War Journals as well. Still have them. What #1 worth nowadays?

I have a tough time seeing that guy as Castle too. Dolph was cool and had the right attitude for it. I hope they don't portray him as some touchy feely loser.

Im not into the Punisher in a big way i just hope with some prayer that this will turn out to be a fgood film although haveing Kevin Nash wwe in it wont help it still lots of guns and action makes me happy

THE PUNISHER! THE TRUE MESSIAH!!!!!!!!!

Just had to say that SoothSayer!!LOL

I am looking forward to the Punisher as well but I too have misgivings on the Origin. I liked the origin of the Punisher in "Born." (I have a signed copy). The guy doing the film doesn't look grim enough. He doesn't look intimidating at all.

Yeah Dolph was pretty cool in the first 1 who's doing the second


Ving Rhames?!LOL

Originally posted by drunk
Yeah Dolph was pretty cool in the first 1 who's doing the second


Ving Rhames?!LOL

I think he would make a good one. How about Vin Diesal?

Is not into comics, cartoons, etcetera... she is very set in 'reality'. But, even she has told me that she can't see a Persian Gulf vet going psyco as would a Nam vet.

Case in point... I'm a vet of the Gulf War. My dad is Nam. She can see my dad or his friends doing those things, but not me or my friends. (One of my dad's friends survived Hamburger Hill... christ, I can't even look hinm in the eye without fearing for my life).

Dolph, too me, and I am glad to others as well, WAS the Punisher. And the movie wasn't all that bad... it could have been better, though.

Too bad Jigsaw isn't in this one. Or hell, Kingpin, for that matter... show everybody that DD and Punisher are connected!

Opinions?

For some reason, I screwed up... I read both the novelization and comic version of the movie before seeing the movie...

Now, the movie caught the gest of the book/screenplay... but naturally skipped over the details. For instance(s):

1. The watch Castle was placing on his arm at his retirement party... Castle, while in the service, bought the same kind of watch for his buddy, that black guy. This in itself is no big deal, until you learn that the guy had a gambling problem, the Toro Brothers got to him for information (this is how Saint learned who Otto was)... and he sold his watch. Castle discovers this later, and has his one time friend kill himself.

2. For some reason... the origin of his skull shirt was different in all three media (movie, screenplay, comic version). Yet, the movie was based on the book, the comic based on the movie. Why three different tellings?

3. Last 'big' difference... in the movie, at the end... Castle just sees images of his wife... in the book, it is a flashback, when they both promised each other to continue on if one was lost... in the comic, no scene at all...

Am I being nit-picky? Perhaps. Movies are never as good as the book, and I am sure any fan would find fault with any movie adaptation of his favorite character...

Over all, I thought the movie was good. Wasn't great, but it was good. Definitly better than the Lundgren movie. Hopefully the DVD will have deleted scenes, adding more to the film... *question: why aren't deleted scenes included in the normal play of a DVD? You can have commentaries and such... why not place the delete where it is supposed to go?*

So, once again... any other opinions?

I think The Punisher is one of those comic books that could never be accurately adapted for the screen. If it was, I think it would have to carry an X rating...

Same with Hellboy. As soon as I saw a trailer on TV for that, I knew it couldn't be done right.

DC

One warm rainy night, my brothers kidnapped me and made me go with them to see it, thus was born an inner conflict... was it an a-okay movie, or was the plot lacking? Who cares, I say, they paid =P

Ahem.

I liked the movie, I could see some of the scenes actually laid out on the pages of a comic book, it flowed together all right, I thought, even if it seemed like the plot could have been just a lil more developed.

I wasn't excepting it though, because of how 'tame' the other Marvel movies are. I'm not sure about the Frank Castle casting either... the guy was trying to hard to be raspy, and it showed. I was talking about this with some pals the other day, and they agreed, but we couldn't think of who would be a better replacement... definitely not good ole vinny though, lol.

One things for sure though... if I ever anger corrupt corperate(sp?) kingpins... the peircings are coming out

Originally posted by DamnableSara
One things for sure though... if I ever anger corrupt corperate(sp?) kingpins... the peircings are coming out

I only have a couple myself... but I can imagine that it'd hurt!

I still like to believe that Dolph was the better Punisher... I think the direction with this movie was to make him appear a bit more... human, someone we could relate to. That'd explain the smaller size (Castle is 6'1, 200 pounds).

To me, the guy playing Castle (still can't remember his name) looked too much like the Highlander guy... not the TV series, but from the movies. Had to laugh about that one.

By the way... anybody notice if Stan Lee was in this? Hadn't noticed him...

!!!!

Sooth! You're my best friend for a day! I was trying to figure out who he reminded me of. Mystery solved, case closed, would have gotten away with it if it weren't for those darn kids.

I didn't see Stanny-boy, but thats not to say he wasn't in it.

figure out where he would have been... definitly not at the reunion... maybe he was gathering money...

Or maybe he stayed out because of the rating. Who knows.

New best friend? Awww....

The guy who played Frank was Thomas Jane.

His acting was slightly better than Dolph's.

I thought the best was when the Punisher went up against Batman. He threw a grenade that exploded in Jigsaws face and tried to snap the Joker's neck. Classic Frank.



[Edited on 29/4/04 by COOL HAND]

I saw 5the Punisher and I also saw "man on Fire." I liked "Man on Fire" better. Denzel displayed more of the Punisher psyche than did this movie Punisher. In fact, I thought this Punisher was tame compared to Denzel's character. Denszel was the man in this film.