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Subject: Punisher?
Scott,
Any intention of seeing the new Punisher movie? I'd recommend it, if only on a comic book study basis. The violence is awesome and so ridiculously over-the-top that you can't help but enjoy it. I thought Stevenson was a great Castle, and far more believable as the grizzled war vet out for revenge than Janey was (and I actually sort of enjoyed Janey's performance). Also, if you get around to seeing it...see if you notice the same thing I did: that Dominic West plays Jigsaw almost as an homage to Nicholson's Joker, switching from sadistic to slapstick in the blink of an eye. It's not an offensive performance, but it's also not really who Jigsaw was. That said, outside of Stevenson's performance, the acting is pretty fucking terrible, but the violence is so satisfying that you don't really care. Besides, since when has the Punisher been about dialogue? Just curious on your thoughts.
-Donnie
Saw it tonight, in fact, and I thought it was pretty awesome for what it was -- an over the top stupid and violent tribute to 80s action hero movies. I think once you're in on the joke it becomes a lot more entertaining than someone going in expecting a slick movie like the 2004 version, because really you need a certain sense of humor to appreciate Punisher punching someone THROUGH the face and blowing someone's head off with a shotgun as a punchline. Julie Benz gets sucked into yet another helpless female role (her new specialty when she's not showing her goods on Dexter) and appears to be the only one not having fun with it. I actually enjoyed Loony Bin Jim as a villain more than Jigsaw (who went from Mafia caricature to goofy Dick Tracy villain way too easily) and found the climactic battle the most disappointing thing about the movie. Plus all the squishy sound effects got a little silly and tiresome after a while.
But really, if you can find a better and more hilarious death scene than the idiotic Irish parkour guys and their run-in with Frank Castle's big gun, please feel free to share.
I still liked the Tom Jane version better because I'm not a slave to the comics and found it more charming and witty than this brainless gorefest, but I enjoyed the brainless gorefest quite a lot on its own merits, too. The theatre was maybe 10% full, if that, though, so look for another bomb in the franchise.
Eh, I understand that the movie was supposed to be a hilarious gore-fest, and you are correct in saying that the parkour death scene might be the funniest thing I’ve seen in forever, but I went in expecting a grittier, harsher Punisher movie rather than the slapstick and horrendous acting on display. If “The Dark Knight” can be as gritty and dark as it is, The Punisher should be able to ramp that up to 11.
I’m sure somewhere Garth Ennis is cringing at what Marvel and Lion’s Gate have done with his rendition of The Punisher. And I don’t blame him.
I don’t know what you were expecting, but this movie is about as faithful as its going to get to Ennis’ Punisher; if anything, the man should be beyond thrilled. But then again, expecting a TDK out of Ennis’ works and “faithfulness” is where your problem lies.
Julie Benz wasn’t helpless when she played Darla on Angel (she was a vampire, for those who don’t know).
With syphilis.
Hot as fuck syphilis.