Punisher: War Zone

PUNISHER: WAR ZONE

Director: Lexi Alexander

Starring: Ray Stevenson, Dominic West, Julie Benz and Colin Salmon

I was already an eager film fan when they tried to bring The Punisher to the big screen with Dolph Lundgren playing the role of Frank Castle. At the time I was instantly hooked by this ultra violent vigilante… a hero so dark he was almost as bad as those he punished.

More recently they tried again with Thomas Jane and the result was off centre, unable to secure a happy balance between the dark story arc and the humour it attempted to inject to lighten affairs. This Punisher I didn’t like at… it left me cold.

With Punisher: War Zone has once again made me fall in love with the concept of Frank Castle and everything he stands for. This wasn’t an easy task, but with a solid screenplay, a good director and a cast that seem tailor made for the material they have succeeded.

This time it appears that the creative team have embraced the comic book origins of The Punisher’s world, lifted the unbelievable from the printed page and made it flesh and blood. But this wouldn’t have been possible (in my honest opinion) without Ray Stevenson in the part of Frank Castle.

Stevenson makes The Punisher what he is; he gives the character a multi-layered depth that deserves a round of applause. As the story moves along it is easy to believe that this death dealing angel of justice is also a real man, that beneath the body armour and the scowl he has a soul… a tortured one.

I was cheering as The Punisher blew away every villain he came across, but every now and then there would be a look in his eye that reminded me of why he was doing what he does. In those moments Stevenson gave the character a sense of emptiness that was heartfelt and poignant.

Dominic West also deserves two thumbs up for his comic book performance of Jigsaw, a once handsome criminal now disfigured because of The Punisher. West goes from vain gangster to psychotic super villain with vigour, eating up the screen as he falls deeper and deeper into insanity.

What else can I say?

I could go on all night about this film… I loved every minute of it and I hope that Stevenson returns soon… wearing that faded white skull on his chest for all to fear.

If you haven’t seen this one yet run out and get it now and prepare yourself to be punished.