First off, Reviewing the Director's Cut as it resemble the film much better then the theatrical cut.
Popular Punisher Film staring Thomas Jane and John Travolta.
The story, as many of you know, opens on the last case of F.B.I Agent Frank Castle Jr.(Thomas Jane) before his long wanted field retirement to take a desk job in London. On the case it is found out that an arm's buyer is actually the son of running gubernatorial candidate/money launderer Howard Saint(Travolta). In the shock of discovering the murder of his Son, Howard Saint and his wife send hit-men to murder the family of Frank Castle during a family reunion in Puerto Rico. The hit-men effectively eliminate his entire family, the main group which includes: Wife Maria Castle, Son Will(possible William, or Willard) Castle, Father Francis Castle Sr. and Mother Betty(possible Elizabeth, also possible nod to the Hulk which Director Jonathan Hensliegh was originally attached). Upon their deaths and a serious lack of arrest on the case Frank Jr. sets out to Punishing his Families killers.
The Film, as it self, a Film, is actually very good, It has a great composure of the three act structure, it does marvelous character portrayal, no bad performances, great directing and writing. By all standards this is by far a great film, and works well.
But! As a PUNISHER Film which is very Important, is SHIT!!! I'm infamous for liking Dragonball Evolution, but in truth that is a bad Dragonball film. This is a horrendous Punisher film! If you like this as a Punisher Film, i doubt you've even read the book before. No doubt it's a good action film, piss poor Punisher film.
Let's examine the evidence of why it's a piss poor Punisher Film.
-It's not even the Punisher, In the Marvel Universe, Frank was born Francis Castiglione,and later before his marriage changed to Castle. His name in the film is legally Frank Castle JR. so it's not even the right Castle.
-He had two children, Lisa Elizabeth Castle, and Frank David Castle Jr. in the film only one child name Will Castle.
-His origin is off by a long shot. (not including the Vietnam details, I am ok with that since Nam has been over for 30 or more years now) But What I will take issue with is His Family died in Puerto Rico at a family reunion, Not in Central Park in a secluded area(Have you seen the size of that park, you can miss hearing half a dozen gunshots in that area.)
-Howard Saint didn't kill his parents, it is probably not well known to many but in the Comic Books the Crime Family that killed the Punisher's Family was the Maggia Crime Family.
-It takes place(mainly) in Tampa Florida, and not New York.
-Joan isn't anything like her comic book counterpart her comic book counterpart was called Joan the Mouse for a reason, she didn't talk much. The Film, she's the most talkative person in the damn thing(exaggeration yes, but she talked more than she did in the comic, so why they called her Joan after the character i have no goddamn idea)
-They created too many original characters for a film about an established character with an established continuity.
Now a lot of you love this film, i love this film, but only as an action film, if you were to ask me how it rates as a comic book film i'd say it might aswell have been called something else, because this isn't the punisher, this will never be the Punisher. Hell this didn't even come out long enough after The Ultimate Punisher's origin was revealed to say it took that origin and expanded it. Face it as well as the acting and writing and scoring and the directing is, this is the worst Punisher Film a person could make.
And for all those who want to see Thomas Jane back as the Punisher...
It's not going to happen, especially when Jane had commented that the direction he wanted to take it was more in the direction of Travis Bickle in Taxi Driver, which is very Anti-Punisher esque. Face it if Jane had truly cared about the Character the way fanboys of his claim, he would've had the origin changed(and wouldn't want to Play Jonah Hex.)
Sorry but i'll thank god if Jane doesn't play the Punisher again, if he plays Jonah Hex and a good Jonah Hex reboot, I'll thank god again, because that's exactly what should happen. Let's just hope MARVEL and DC get their Film priorities straight on a few levels.
DC- Reboot Jonah Hex and Do it right this time.
MARVEL- No more Punisher Films, 3 strikes, do a goddamn t.v. series on the goddamn HBO or Starz.
THE PUNISHER 2004 FILM DIRECTORS CUT as a Film gets 7/10
THE PUNISHER 2004 FILM DIRECTORS CUT as a PUNISHER Film gets a 1/10
I'm The Goddamn Superman, and this is the Goddamn Review.