Punisher: War Zone--Best Negative Reviews Evar!

[Hand of Evil]

I give it a 7/10, hell of a lot better than Shoot Then Up, lots of action and gore, this is The Punisher. I give them credit for making it an R movie but all this will every be is a cult classic.

 

[Felon]

$4 million weekend gross.
$35 million budget.
Less than stellar.

So, we've had some R-rated movies pay out this year, haven't we? Anyone remember what they were?

 

[Felon]

The trick to enjoying this movie is to understand going in that it's a comic book. I don't mean that it's "a movie based on a comic book," like, say, Iron Man or The Dark Knight. I mean that it's a comic book (albeit a bloody comic book) that they happened to film using live actors, and it's written, acted, and "special effected" accordingly.

You lost me somewhere.

 

[Hand of Evil]

$4 million weekend gross.
$35 million budget.
Less than stellar.

So, we've had some R-rated movies pay out this year, haven't we? Anyone remember what they were?

This is about it for R-rated movies


Wanted: Domestic: $134,327,125 (39.3%) + Foreign: $207,344,060 (60.7%) = Worldwide: $341,671,185

Tropical Thunder: Domestic: $110,461,307 (59.2%) + Foreign: $76,087,372 (40.8%) = Worldwide: $186,548,679

Death Race: Domestic: $36,097,530 (51.7%) + Foreign: $33,787,511 (48.3%) = Worldwide: $69,885,041

Rambo: Domestic: $42,754,105 (37.8%) + Foreign: $70,490,185 (62.2%) = Worldwide: $113,244,290

 

[Thanee]

That's 30 on a scale of 1-100, folks...

Hey, 30 is great. There are movies that got 0 (on RT, which has a similar scale, I think). Enjoy!

Bye
Thanee

 

[RigaMortus2]

My problem with The Punisher as a comic book character or a movie is that, its nothing special. Its not some new and interesting idea or twist for a character. Its just a guy motivated by revenge, who uses guns to "punish" people. How is the "idea" of the Punisher character any different than Sylvester Stallone in Cobra? Or (to use a similiar character) Judge Dred? Or Jean Reno in The Professional? Or WATED? Or any other movie whose main character is basically just out for revenge?

Now compare the Punisher with a character like Spiderman or Iron Man or the Hulk or X-Men (as a whole), and all these characters have something interesting and new and original going on. Not just "kill for revenge". Blah, just boring IMO.

 

[Felon]

My problem with The Punisher as a comic book character or a movie is that, its nothing special. Its not some new and interesting idea or twist for a character. Its just a guy motivated by revenge, who uses guns to "punish" people. How is the "idea" of the Punisher character any different than Sylvester Stallone in Cobra? Or (to use a similiar character) Judge Dred? Or Jean Reno in The Professional? Or WATED? Or any other movie whose main character is basically just out for revenge?

That's a fair question--although you picked odd examples since I don't think any of those protagonists are deeply revenge-motivated.

I think that in the comics the Punisher has two elements that appeal to readers. The first is his obsessiveness. The Punisher isn't out for revenge in the basic sense of the term; he's not just pursuing one guy who wronged him, and then hanging up his guns when he's through. He's actually at war with the entire underworld, which is insanse--and yet, the reaction from the underworld makes it seem like his one-man war is well underway.

The second is a little more subtle. Despite what's obviously an insane pursuit, the character often seems like the most sane, rational person in the world. In a good Punisher story, the reader isn't being pandered to by portraying Castle as some reckless, mouth-breathing, gung-ho killer designed to appeal to the violent power fantasies of 13-year-olds. Nor is he a brooding, angst-ridden seeker of redemption intended to appeal to the romanticism of 16-year-olds. He's the antithesis of all those Stallone and Schwarzenegger characters who get by solely on attitude and cheesy one-liners. In short, Frank Castle is pure business. He snipes when he can, uses explosives when possible, always stuides his targets and makes plans of attack that avoid collateral damage.

The Punisher has never been about some catchy premise. The hook of the character is entirely in the execution. The comics benefit greatly from Castle's narration. Maybe the films would benefit from a voice-over. Maybe not.

 

[Megaton]

That's a fair question--although you picked odd examples since I don't think any of those protagonists are deeply revenge-motivated.

I think that in the comics the Punisher has two elements that appeal to readers. The first is his obsessiveness. The Punisher isn't out for revenge in the basic sense of the term; he's not just pursuing one guy who wronged him, and then hanging up his guns when he's through. He's actually at war with the entire underworld, which is insanse--and yet, the reaction from the underworld makes it seem like his one-man war is well underway.

The second is a little more subtle. Despite what's obviously an insane pursuit, the character often seems like the most sane, rational person in the world. In a good Punisher story, the reader isn't being pandered to by portraying Castle as some reckless, mouth-breathing, gung-ho killer designed to appeal to the violent power fantasies of 13-year-olds. Nor is he a brooding, angst-ridden seeker of redemption intended to appeal to the romanticism of 16-year-olds. He's the antithesis of all those Stallone and Schwarzenegger characters who get by solely on attitude and cheesy one-liners. In short, Frank Castle is pure business. He snipes when he can, uses explosives when possible, always stuides his targets and makes plans of attack that avoid collateral damage.

The Punisher has never been about some catchy premise. The hook of the character is entirely in the execution. The comics benefit greatly from Castle's narration. Maybe the films would benefit from a voice-over. Maybe not.

The voice over is very Max Payne (the game, not the movie) I think it can't ever hurt to add that in because it gives the character a human element, makes him sympathetic and rationalizes what he's doing as well. That's important with the Punisher or Payne because these guys are murdering tons of people, the audience should know what the motivation behind those acts it as they watch them happen. Plus it's just a great way to tell a story and get people immersed in the main character as well.

 

[Felon]

The voice over is very Max Payne (the game, not the movie) I think it can't ever hurt to add that in because it gives the character a human element, makes him sympathetic and rationalizes what he's doing as well. That's important with the Punisher or Payne because these guys are murdering tons of people, the audience should know what the motivation behind those acts it as they watch them happen. Plus it's just a great way to tell a story and get people immersed in the main character as well.

I was thinking along the lines of a constant voice-over, like in the comic, with Frank commenting on events with his characteristically dry humor.