MARVEL REVISITED #2 - 'The Punisher' (1989)

I do remember that I saw “The Punisher” when I was a kid but I don’t remember much about the movie, if I’m being honest. Again, like “Howard the Duck” that came before, what I do remember was that most people dismissed this movie and claimed that it was an inferior adaptation of a Marvel character.

So, I must admit that I went into this viewing with the lowest of expectations. Therefore, I was actually kind of surprised by what I got at the end of the viewing.

For a little more behind-the-scenes context, this was a movie produced by Roger Corman’s New World Pictures and was released theatrically in international markets and was eventually released straight-to-video in the United States due to financial difficulties that New World was going through at the time. Ultimately, it was a hit for New World as it produced $30 million in home rental revenue on a $9 million dollar budget.

In the movie, Frank Castle has already been operating as “The Punisher” for the past five years after the death of his family by a mobster with deep ties to organized crime. Normally, that is enough to set up an entire film, but Frank deals with his family’s murderers quite early on and proclaims that anyone who is guilty of a crime will soon receive a visit from his alter ego, the Punisher.

Dolph Lundgren stars as Frank Castle in "The Punisher"!

Eventually, though, the Punisher finds himself having to try and save children of various crime bosses when the Yakuza try to step in and run things in New York. The Yakuza are attempting to move in thanks to Frank’s weakening of the major crime families, so he eventually finds himself responsible for the kids caught in the crossfire.

Let us first mention the film’s major flaws. First off, it is a low-budget affair and this comes through on some scenes where you can tell it was more of a generic 1980s action film. Secondly, it does omit some things from the original Marvel Comics on which it is based, namely the famous skull logo featured in the comic books.

Beyond that, though, I must admit that I was pleasantly surprised by what was featured in the movie. The action is violent and uncompromising like the comic from which the character is based. Secondly, the performances are good, particularly Lundgren as Frank Castle and Louis Gossett Jr. as Detective Jake Berkowitz, a guy who has been hunting down Castle for the past five years.

So, the movie isn’t perfect and it definitely isn’t for everybody. It is a low-budget and relentless affair, but I must admit that this is true to the comic book character. In short, it is a fine 1980s action thrill ride. It may not be for everyone, but it is a better adaptation than I expected it to be based on its storied reputation.