The Punisher (1989)

Okay so it's mindless and campy, but I had a good time with it, damn it. The death toll was high, the tone was light and it was a comic book movie that was released when comic book movies were rare.

The Punisher (2004)

Made in a time when comic book movies yearly saturate the box office, and inferior to many of those films, I still got a kick out of it. This is in no way an accurate depiction of the Punisher character (Jane is a little too cute, and doesn't deal out near enough punishment), but the tone of the picture alternated between camp and depraved in a unique and unintentional way. I liked it.

Punisher: War Zone (2008)

This is the film that Punisher fans have been waiting for. Far better than the previous two efforts, and a vastly more accurate to the comic, it does everything right. Unfortunately for it's Metacritic and RottenTomatoes ratings (and ultimately henceforth its box-office performance), “everything right” includes alienating people who don't care one way or the other about the Punisher character.

This character is played to perfection by (as of yet) unknown, Ray Stevenson. Jane's Punisher tried too hard to be likeable and sympathetic. Lundgren's Punisher was… Dolph Lundgren. But Stevenson plays his Punisher with true understanding. When it comes to dealing with criminals, The Punisher has no conscience. He is a psychopath, and he kills without remorse or even emotion. But when he's not killing criminals, he's a good guy. He has a network of friends who believe in his cause (one of whom is played by Wayne Knight in a different kind of role for him, and he's fantastic in it), and when he wrongs someone he attempts to make amends. He's not talkative or charismatic - he's gruff and angry-looking. He is the perfect Frank Castle. I don't know if the director fought to get him cast (like Del Toro did for Ron Perlman in Hellboy) but it wouldn't surprise me.

It wouldn't surprise me, because Lexi Alexander is a gifted director with clear vision. This is the first film of Alexander's that I have seen, but it doesn't take long to tell that she (that's right, a woman has directed this overly violent, macho picture) has “it.” Her action scenes are well-shot, visible, and have true impact. The look of the picture is very much a comic book world, and in a way that doesn't beat us over the head with that fact. Neon signs punctuate the different sets, and the color and framing suggests a distinct understanding of its source material. This is a beautiful-looking movie.

But most importantly, Alexander's film has the courage to be relentless. It never once pulls a punch and frequently goes further than you would ever expect, as its violence is scary and often mean.

That's good! That's what The Punisher is! Alexander is either the first person to realize this, or the first person with the balls (!) enough to follow through with the realization. If you are taken aback by the violence (I was too), that's good! You're supposed to be.

If you are a fan of the Punisher, then pay no attention to the common sentiment, and make it your business to see War Zone. The sentiment is what it is, because without context, this is likely to seem as overly violent, campy, pointless nonsense. But it's based on a comic book, it's a true adaptation, and it does what it does extremely well. I liked it more than this year's The Incredible Hulk.