Movie Reviews

Movie Reviews: The Punisher: War Zone

The world needs The Punisher. That's the general message of Lexi Alexander's brutal and bludgeoning brand new take on the Marvel hero in Punisher: War Zone. When the cops fail to take down the bad guys, Frank Castle, a.k.a. "The Punisher" (Ray Stevenson), is there to dispose of the garbage. War Zone is an entertaining bloodletting of epic proportions, and Alexander got it right. In fact, War Zone is one of the most faithful comic book adaptations to come down the pipeline since the original Hellboy. The director preserves the character's conflict and brutality, and she's not afraid to push the limits of the R-rating. In some ways, she's just as much of a maverick as Mr. Frank Castle himself.

However, it's all in good fun. The film is a raucous action romp at the end of the day. The violence never ceases, but there's something of a dark catharsis in Frank's flurry of bullets. This isn't a John Woo gunfight ballet; it's more like a Sam Peckinpah massacre. Within the first five minutes, The Punisher spins on a chandelier upside down, popping off rounds at a mafia family gathering. He also stabs about twelve people, snaps an old lady's neck, and puts a chair leg through one enemy's eye—all without uttering a word. Stevenson brandishes an immortal scowl that shows both Castle's rage and pain. He's the MySpace generation's anti-hero, but timeless nevertheless. Hollywood's been yearning for a true action hero, and this could establish Stevenson as that.

The plot for this bullet-riddled rollercoaster is pretty straightforward. Castle's whole family is slaughtered by the mafia while at a picnic, told in a hazy flashback. Now, he devotes his life to disposing of mob scum via the harshest form of vigilante justice. He lives in the subway system and has a massive arsenal. Currently, he's on the trail of the Russoti family. After the first bloody shootout with them, he accidentally kills an undercover agent. In the process, he manages to gruesomely disfigure capo Billy Russoti, a creepy Dominic West. West convincingly transforms from Billy the Beaut to disgusting villain Jigsaw. Immediately, Jigsaw devotes his life to abusing Castle however possible. Castle initially plans on hanging it up after slaying "one of the good guys," a half-hearted promise that he soon abandons, which is when the real fun begins.

Alexander sticks closely to the Garth Ennis Punisher comic book. Ennis' vivid and vicious ultra-violent update of the comic explored Castle's inner conflict about being a vigilante. That question of conscience takes over in the movie, and Alexander utilizes various filters to bring Ennis' comic frames to life. The dialogue is bouncy and cursory, serving as a catalyst to flip each scene like a page. The action takes center stage, but that's always been the most important thing to this franchise. Just like Ennis's graphic novel, limbs fly and shell casings litter every floor. It's a beautiful bloodbath because Alexander doesn't hold back.

Julie Benz is phenomenal as Angela Donatelli, the widow of the agent Castle accidentally kills. Of course, he ends up protecting her and her daughter, Grace. Benz and Stevenson have an understated chemistry that's believably fraught, given the fact that he killed her husband. However, Stevenson conveys the Punisher's remorse with a slow, gravelly delivery and a hulking gait. Wayne Knight makes a funny turn as Castle's sometimes accomplice, Micro, adding some welcome comic relief to part the rivers of blood.

In some ways, this film is perfect for the OZZfest crowd. Blaring Slipknot's "Psychosocial" in one scene, it's propulsive and pummeling, just like an action movie should be. At the end of the day, Punisher: Warzone is a hypnotically gruesome slice of pop art fueled by a director willing to take chances and a mainman unafraid to bust some skulls. Enter this war zone ready to be blown away.

—Rick Florino
12.04.08