DVD Review: 'Punisher: War Zone' Starring Ray Stevenson

Marvel Comics has made it a tradition to release at least a few films in theaters for the coming year as well as some animated direct-to-video releases as well. This year for the DVD scene to accompany those endeavors is 'Punisher: War Zone', starring Ray Stevenson (*from HBO's 'Rome'), who takes the place of former 'Punishers' such as Dolph Lungren (* who played opposite Louis Gossett, Jr. in the direct-to-video remake in 1987) and Thomas Jayne (* who played in the smash hit from a few years ago with John Travolta).

In 'War Zone', Marvel had decided to go back to the Punisher's original roots and make a film that was more direct and to the point as to how the Punisher actually came to be. The story is set in New York City where a prominent Mafia family is getting ready to set the deal of the century by buying into weapons of mass destruction for a rival Russian Mafia family who is looking to make a few quick dollars on the side. But, what the Russoti's did not plan on was the interference of the Punisher himself, who breaks into the home with guns blazing as he methodically kills almost every one in the room, except for the don's nephew, Billy 'The Beaut' Russoti, who manages to escape his untimely demise and regroup.

This, however, does not last long as Castle tracks him down and nearly kills him in the grinding machine of a local recycling plant and scars his beautiful face for life. What he becomes, however, is a totally different story as Rusotti's scarred visage destroys his mind and turns him into the crazed Jigsaw, a one-man mental ward who will stop at nothing to see Castle dead including freeing his mentally-unstable brother from a mental institution named 'Looney Bin Jim'. As the two rampage across the city, New York will never be safe as long as the two of them remain alive!

Castle has his own set of problems to deal with on his quest after he accidentally shoots an undercover FBI agent dead and forces him to confront his own demons from the past that include the systematic execution of his entire family at a family picnic. Attempting to make amends with the agent's family by any means possible, Castle soon not only has to worry about Jigsaw but also the family as the two psychotics are wiling to do anything to see them dead after Castle discovers that the deceased agent was taking kickbacks from the Russoti family to suppport his own!

The essence in itself was classic Marvel vintage. The sets were dark and brooding, which made it the perfect backdrop for doing a 'Punisher' film. The menace and horror that lay behind the antagonists was evidently apparent in the men that played them. What I felt about the film was that it was perhaps a little too rushed to have been released a few mere years after in theaters. There were many that are major Marvel-philes that did not exactly like the way that his predecessor, Thomas Jayne, had portrayed the character in the first film. Many had perhaps thought the first film was a little too 'impersonal' and 'not even close to the way that the original was supposed to be portrayed'. Jayne's version was, indeed, very stylish and people-friendly but I think that perhaps I may know why: comic-book adaptations are a large commodity for movie studios in the summer. For many who do not know this form of media, romantic incarnations of the characters can be a welcome change to the ordinary from the typical fare and give the public what they would like to see as opposed to the characters' true natures.

As for the acting, Ray Stevenson did pull off the brooding Frank Castle in his later years with some effort from being a simple man who punishes to a man who not only punished, but also judged. For those that know the actual legend well, this is actually true to the strip. However, Stevenson to me was not exactly convincing as the Punisher simply because he was completely emotionless. His facial expressions hardly changed and neither did the tone of his voice. He almost felt like a robot in the film and was not having very much fun doing it. The symbol of a good actor is one that not only can act but is passionate about what they are portraying.

Wayne Knight (from 'Seinfeld' fame) was a very welcome change, I had to admit. Playing as Castle's only friend and eyes and ears, Microchip, Knight pulled of this often-forgotten character with class and style. I was amazed at how believable he was as a man who not only helped the Punisher's mission, but also believed in it. I was glad to see that they were at least able to mix things up a little with him.

Overall, 'War Zone' is a Marvel-phile's dream due to the historical accuracy of the film and its homage to the legend. For others that simply love the story, it is a major disappointment. The script itself was not bad but foccused more on the action at hand rather than portraying any particular story. The subplots that were integrated into this movie were not enough to be able to help the franchise gain more of a following in order for it to hold its own against other popular Marvel vehicles such as 'X-Men' and 'Iron Man'. I can understand why Thomas Jayne had chosen to star in Frank Darabont's rendition of the Stephen King novel, 'The Mist', at the time the second Punisher was being filmed: at least his current project had a good story behind it.

My rating for this film is two stars out of five. Time to try again, Avi Arad and Stan Lee!