Umbrella Entertainment recently re-released this 1989 feature on Blu-Ray. Without the repackaging, this film probably would be forgotten to time, as it had the misfortune of being released the same year as Burton's Batman. It was also sandwiched between other action gems, including Lethal Weapon 2, Tango & Cash and Black Rain.
Dolph Lundgren is the titular Punisher, and despite the wooden internal monologue which opens and closes the film, he is brilliant in this action classic. He chews up the scenery, tearing through rounds of ammunition, and menacingly destroying the opposition. He is believable; empathetic, and just a joy to watch, his intimidating size and athletic physique being thoroughly taken advantage of.
The movie toys with Castle's (Lundgren) black and white world view, depicting that not everything can be thrown into these categories, while additionally critiquing how his actions, no matter how justifiable they might be to him, have consequences, which he is forced to confront. Between the set pieces, which includes a scene where Castle is tortured, Lundgren inserts classic 80s witticisms and action one-liners that go down like a nice glass of scotch.
Rounding out the cast are Shake (Barry Otto), a snitch assisting Castle's work, though how he comes upon the information he provides, is never explored. Moreover, Louis Gossett Junior portrays Detective Jake Berkowitz, who has dedicated his career to stopping Frank Castle's violent punishment of criminals. As the film progresses, his motives for this are further revealed, adding a great amount of emotional flare. This adaptation is not an origin story so much, beginning many years into the Punisher's killing spree, having taken out over 120 bad guys before the film even begins.
Jake's partner, Sam (Nancy Everhard), despite one pivotal scene, could have been removed from the feature entirely and it wouldn't have made a difference. This emphasizes the only narrative issue; despite the central plot been resolved, many sub-plots are left unanswered, demonstrating that this feature was potentially meant to be the start of a franchise, with revelations to be addressed in later movies - that will unfortunately never come.
The film's antagonists include Gianni Franco (Jeroen Krabbe), who is surprisingly sympathetic, as his role as a father is made just as prominent as his leadership of the crime family. Opposing him is the Yakuza, led by Lady Tanaka (Kim Miyori), who is as ruthless as she is intelligent. As the feature progresses however, she becomes little more than a cliché villain with a maniacal laugh. Her second, a mute step-daughter (Zoshka Mizak), has an interesting contrast, being both beautiful and intimidating, with her physical prowess.
The action is quintessential '80s goodness, and though the level of violence never really meets the hard R rating the movie is going for, the body count grows immensely. Grenades send bodies flying left and right; entire magazines are spent into groups of unsuspecting victims; cars and trucks charge after each other in explosive chases. In one scene, Lundgren decimates a room with a heavy machinegun, which rivals a similar moment from First Blood Part II.
The movie is well paced, coming in at just under 90 minutes, though some of the editing is a little on the nose. In more than one scene, there is a sudden cut prior to a character's death. This was obviously included as to not disrupt the suspension of disbelief (as characters killed by props may look a little silly), though the way it was edited, so suddenly and inelegantly, feels a bit out of left field in contrast with the rest of the movie. The opening credit sequence has a similar issue, with sudden cuts of the same Lundgren scene permeating the beginning, which feels like a missed opportunity to showcase many of the other stand-out movie moments.
Furthermore, near the start, there is a scene where a journalistic team's lighting rig is pointed directly at the camera, the intensity of the bulb potentially making the audience go blind. Yes, these are nit-picks, but in an otherwise outrageously fun, and virtually perfect action film, these little grubs do stand out.
The score has a similarity to Aliens, mixed with classic John Carpenter, bringing back a fondness for the era, while also intensifying the action sequences.
It is a shame that this version of The Punisher was not expanded with sequels. Thirty years on, much of the film holds up as a testament to the fun-loving action romps of the time, while Lundgren, who was in his prime, really deserved more opportunities to lead big budget action movies. Without question, this newly restored forgotten gem is one that absolutely must be added to your collection.
Dolph Lundgren is the titular Punisher, and despite the wooden internal monologue which opens and closes the film, he is brilliant in this action classic. He chews up the scenery, tearing through rounds of ammunition, and menacingly destroying the opposition. He is believable; empathetic, and just a joy to watch, his intimidating size and athletic physique being thoroughly taken advantage of.
The movie toys with Castle's (Lundgren) black and white world view, depicting that not everything can be thrown into these categories, while additionally critiquing how his actions, no matter how justifiable they might be to him, have consequences, which he is forced to confront. Between the set pieces, which includes a scene where Castle is tortured, Lundgren inserts classic 80s witticisms and action one-liners that go down like a nice glass of scotch.
Rounding out the cast are Shake (Barry Otto), a snitch assisting Castle's work, though how he comes upon the information he provides, is never explored. Moreover, Louis Gossett Junior portrays Detective Jake Berkowitz, who has dedicated his career to stopping Frank Castle's violent punishment of criminals. As the film progresses, his motives for this are further revealed, adding a great amount of emotional flare. This adaptation is not an origin story so much, beginning many years into the Punisher's killing spree, having taken out over 120 bad guys before the film even begins.
Jake's partner, Sam (Nancy Everhard), despite one pivotal scene, could have been removed from the feature entirely and it wouldn't have made a difference. This emphasizes the only narrative issue; despite the central plot been resolved, many sub-plots are left unanswered, demonstrating that this feature was potentially meant to be the start of a franchise, with revelations to be addressed in later movies - that will unfortunately never come.
The film's antagonists include Gianni Franco (Jeroen Krabbe), who is surprisingly sympathetic, as his role as a father is made just as prominent as his leadership of the crime family. Opposing him is the Yakuza, led by Lady Tanaka (Kim Miyori), who is as ruthless as she is intelligent. As the feature progresses however, she becomes little more than a cliché villain with a maniacal laugh. Her second, a mute step-daughter (Zoshka Mizak), has an interesting contrast, being both beautiful and intimidating, with her physical prowess.
The action is quintessential '80s goodness, and though the level of violence never really meets the hard R rating the movie is going for, the body count grows immensely. Grenades send bodies flying left and right; entire magazines are spent into groups of unsuspecting victims; cars and trucks charge after each other in explosive chases. In one scene, Lundgren decimates a room with a heavy machinegun, which rivals a similar moment from First Blood Part II.
The movie is well paced, coming in at just under 90 minutes, though some of the editing is a little on the nose. In more than one scene, there is a sudden cut prior to a character's death. This was obviously included as to not disrupt the suspension of disbelief (as characters killed by props may look a little silly), though the way it was edited, so suddenly and inelegantly, feels a bit out of left field in contrast with the rest of the movie. The opening credit sequence has a similar issue, with sudden cuts of the same Lundgren scene permeating the beginning, which feels like a missed opportunity to showcase many of the other stand-out movie moments.
Furthermore, near the start, there is a scene where a journalistic team's lighting rig is pointed directly at the camera, the intensity of the bulb potentially making the audience go blind. Yes, these are nit-picks, but in an otherwise outrageously fun, and virtually perfect action film, these little grubs do stand out.
The score has a similarity to Aliens, mixed with classic John Carpenter, bringing back a fondness for the era, while also intensifying the action sequences.
It is a shame that this version of The Punisher was not expanded with sequels. Thirty years on, much of the film holds up as a testament to the fun-loving action romps of the time, while Lundgren, who was in his prime, really deserved more opportunities to lead big budget action movies. Without question, this newly restored forgotten gem is one that absolutely must be added to your collection.