Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #3971 in DVD
• Released on: 2005-01-24
• Rating: Suitable for 18 years and over
• Aspect ratio: 2.35:1
• Number of discs: 1
• Formats: PAL, Widescreen
• Original language: English
• Subtitled in: English, Hindi
• Number of discs: 1
• Running time: 123 minutes

Amazon.co.uk Review
The impressively muscular chest of Tom Jane is the focal point of The Punisher, a movie based on a Marvel Comics superhero. Frank Castle (Jane, Deep Blue Sea) retires from the FBI, which means--as any moviegoer expects--that his family is toast. Howard Saint (John Travolta, Face/Off), a shady Florida businessman whose son was killed in Castle's last mission, orders a hit not only on Castle's wife and child, but also on his parents and a whole bunch of aunts, uncles, cousins, and so forth. The killers shoot Castle himself in the chest, but he inexplicably survives and--as any moviegoer expects--sets out to even the score. Implausibly, given his sometimes curious and roundabout methods, he succeeds. Also featuring Will Patton (Armageddon) as an oily thug, Laura Harring (Mulholland Drive) as Saint's fleshpot wife, and Rebecca Romijn-Stamos (X-Men) as a waitress with bad taste in men. --Bret Fetzer

Synopsis
Marvel Comics presents a second big-screen version of THE PUNISHER, with this action-packed adaptation from screenwriter-turned-director Jonathan Hensleigh. Frank Castle (Tom Jane) is a retired F.B.I. agent spurred into action after the merciless slaying of his wife, father, and son. Adopting the superhero guise of The Punisher, Castle aims to wreak vengeance for his dead family by tracking down the culprits responsible for their demise. All clues point to Howard Saint (John Travolta), a ruthless businessman and nightclub owner whose son was mistakenly killed by Castle in a botched undercover operation back in his F.B.I. days. Unique amongst Marvel superheroes, The Punisher possesses no special powers, just remarkable strength parried with a blind determination to avenge his family. As he hunts down Saint, Castle surrounds himself with three fellow societal outcasts to get the job done, namely Joan (Rebecca Romijn-Stamos), Bumpo (John Pinette), and Dave (Ben Foster). Director Hensleigh eschews flashy CGI effects for the bulk of the movie, and instead reverts to old action-movie staples such as thrilling stunt work, gunfights, and huge explosions. The old-fashioned feel suits The Punisher well, providing an apt mirror of the hero's own lack of super powers. Hensleigh winds the film through a thrilling white-knuckle ride to its spectacular conclusion, ultimately providing a highly appropriate movie for one of Marvel's lesser-known comic book heroes.

Customer Reviews

DESCENT COMIC-BOOK REVENGE MOVIE...
...that lives from its lead actors Thomas Jane and John Travolta. Otherwise quite descent and violent. Not a "must see", but you probably won't regret it if you do so.

Does exactly what it says on the tin
Critics, what planet are some of them on?

So this film was slated because it was too violent and not realistic enough?

It's The Punisher! In the comics he is a one man army on a vigilante mission to avenge the slaughter of his whole family and cleanse the world of evil criminals. How can you possibly make that realistic?!

For those of us that weren't born in a bubble and know what The Punisher is all about, this film hits the nail right on the head.

Yes there is a stupid amount of action, violence and killing. Yes he does get shot half a million times and still survives. No, he doesn't ever run out of bullets and no, it isn't realistic. But it is exactly like the comic!!!
Who wants realism? was Spiderman realistic? I doubt it, or at least I've never seen him scaling any buildings near me.

This film is a fantastic tale of a man dedicating is life to avenging the slaughter of his family by a big time criminal syndicate.
If you are looking for mindless killing, ridiculous amounts of weapons and cheesy one liners then this is the film for you.

Enough said!

excellent film
great comic book thriller thats a great throw back to the hard edged revenge thrillers of the 70s.this is hard,violent and very nasty recommended