| Reviews | Top Tens | Independent Film-Makers | Cinemas | Links |
| Director: | Jonathan Hensleigh | Plot: | After watching his entire family slaughtered in a revenge attack, Frank Castle goes underground on a one man mission to destroy the perpetrators. Living alone, building an arsenal and waiting to strike, Castle must contend with assassins, personal demons and nosey neighbours. | ||
| Writer: | Jonathan Hensleigh | ||||
| Starring: | Thomas Jane | ||||
| John Travolta | |||||
| Samantha Mathis | |||||
| Genre: |
Action |
Cert: |
 |
Critic - |
|
|
Review:
|
The Punisher (2004) is
not a remake of a 1989 Dolph Lundgren movie, but a second feature based
around a Marvel Comic. This recent incarnation assumes you know nothing of
The Punisher or his situation, so takes some time to set the scene and
explain the circumstances. Unfortunately pacing is not one of the films
strong points and the film stutters from the start, moving fast then slowing
only to pick up pace again. The main problem is the script isn't strong
enough to cover changes in pace, and soon the cracks begin to show. A
continuous breakneck speed would gloss over script weakness, and likewise a
strong script would fill the gaps caused by dull pacing. The character development is also weak, not allowing any explanation of the supporting characters. Travolta hams it up, covering (Travolta's character's) inconsistencies as best he can. As a head villain, though, you never really know where he stands. At times he seems to be the top dog, at others he seems to be the fiddle played by two sleazy looking South Americans. At times he almost seems to be a petulant child, lashing out at those around him only to be reigned in by his 'parents'. Along side this is his family, again with not much explanation of motive, emotional attachment or inter-dependency. For a man filled with vengeance for his younger son's death, (Travolta's character) seems perfectly happy to watch, and participate, in the demise of the rest of his family. The Punisher, as a character, is supposed to be vicious, lonely and melancholy, yet allowed into this film are neighbours who show him humanity and compassion. This would be fine, apart from the movie ends with the invitation for a sequel. His quest for revenge against those who slaughtered his family is fine, even when a human side to him is shown. However to suggest he will hunt down others in the same sadistic manner after being compassionate and helpful toward his neighbours weakens the case for his vigilante streak. Add to this the ignoring of any authority trying to stop him you find yourself in an ambiguous moral dilemma. Do you cheer him on, or has he righted the wrong done to him and his family? Any suggestion of his former FBI partners or the local police trying to stop his obvious criminal shenanigans is ignored as is an interesting dynamic of Castle facing his former friends, which would have displayed his internal moral struggle more effectively than a trio comedy neighbours. As an actor Jane has potential, but proven here he needs quality around him. Quality of script, direction and supporting cast. In The Punisher, however, he is badly let down by weak supporting characters and cringe inducing dialogue. However, not all the film fails. The action is fairly well managed, if not quiet as balletic or frantic as we have come to expect these days. Some of the fight sequences are brutal and funny allowing some effectively gruesome deaths, and the set-up of (Travolta's character) downfall shows some thought went into the story (just not enough). Had this been released in the eighties, alongside Commando, Predator and Rambo, it probably would have scored a little higher. However, expectations have been raised by the Woo's and Bruckheimer's of this world, and because of this The Punisher falls just short. |
||||
|
|
 |
||||
