Film Review: The Punisher (1989)

Marvel Comics are, or at least were until recently, viewed as a money-making machine for Hollywood studios in recent times. This was not always the case. In the 20th century, the relationship between Marvel and the big screen was quite different. Most adaptations of their comic books from that time became obscure, often for good reason. An interesting exception to this rule is the 1989 action film, The Punisher, directed by Mark Goldblatt. This film's relative obscurity can be attributed to distribution issues rather than its actual quality.

The film is based on the comic book series about ex-policeman Frank Castle, who turns into a vigilante after his family is murdered. The character first appeared in 1974, becoming protagonist of separate comic book series in 1986. In the film’s version Castle’s character is played by Dolph Lundgren. The plot begins five years after Castle saw his family murdered by mafia car bomb. Presumed dead by everyone except his old partner Detective Jake Berkowitz (played by Louis Gossett Jr.),. he found new home in sewers and began campaign of vengeance against organised crime, which led to 125 criminals being killed. The mafia in the city is so weakened that the big boss Gianni Franco (played by Jerroen Krabe) returns from retirement to take it over and unite all families. But the weakness is also exploited by yakuza, led by Lady Tanaka (played by Kim Miyori), ruthless female boss who has all mafia bossses’ children, including Franco’s, abducted in order to submit them to her role. Castle, although primarily motivated with the desire to punish the guilty, gets involved in the conflict in order to protect the innocent.

The Punisher was made by New World Pictures, a studio specializing in B-films and which owned Marvel Comics at the time. Despite its relatively low budget, the film is a solid piece of 1980s action cinema. Mark Goldblatt, whose real field of expertise was editing and who had quite resume with prominent 1980s and 1990s action films, has handled the material well and kept the entire affair within an hour and a half of running time. While there are obviously some corners cut and the film looks rough around the edges at times, it does provide what action cinema fans wanted at the time – shootouts, explosions, and car chases, including the scene in which Punisher uses an M-60 machine gun to demolish a yakuza-owned casino.

The script by Boaz Yakin is simple, and the characters are mostly one-dimensional. However, they are played by a very talented and enthusiastic cast, most notably Jeroen Krabbe and Kim Miyori as the villains, and Louis Gossett Jr. as Castle's former partner. Unfortunately, Nancy Everhard's character, Berkowitz's partner, is completely wasted due to her character being underdeveloped. The real discovery of the film is Australian actor Barry Otto, who plays Shakes, a washed-up actor and Punisher's street informer. Despite his eccentricity, Otto's character serves as a moral anchor for Castle's vengeful and ultra-violent protagonist.

The film is extremely violent, with an incredibly high body count as Punisher dispatches his enemies. While Goldblatt tries to prevent the action from becoming repetitive, he doesn't always succeed. The melodramatic soundtrack by Dennis Dreith makes it too surreal at times.

A bigger issue for fans of the original comic book is the lack of references to the iconic skull logo that Punisher is known for. Because of this, The Punisher often looks like a generic 1980s vigilante action film rather than a part of Marvel's universe. However, fans of the action genre are likely to be pleased.

Despite its shortcomings, The Punisher has gradually built a good reputation and has achieved a cult status among fans of the original comic book. The comic book has been adapted for the big screen two times more, both times as a reboot with new actors – 2004's The Punisher starring Thomas Jane and 2008's Punisher: War Zone starring Ray Stevenson. The best-known screen incarnation of the character was provided by Jon Bernthal in the 2017 Netflix-produced TV series.

RATING: 6/10 (++)

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