Infamous vigilante Frank Castle, played by Ray Stevenson (King Arthur, Rome), is six years into his vengeance driven quest as the Punisher when he brutally assaults a “beat the rap” party for notorious mob boss Gaitano Cesare. During the course of the massacre, he hideously disfigures overeager gangster Billy Russoti, played by Dominic West (300, The Wire), and murders a mafia lackey who turns out to be an undercover FBI agent.
Agent Paul Budiansky, the ex-partner of the undercover Fed, joins the NYPD’s “Punisher Task Force” to help bring Castle to justice, once and for all. A facially mutilated Russoti recovers from his run-in with the Punisher with revenge on his mind and recruits a massive army of psychotic killers, gang bangers, and mobsters under his new alias “Jigsaw”. Distraught that he has now become the very evil he swore to battle, Castle is content to hang up his guns and quit the justice business for good. However, plans quickly change once he learns that Jigsaw has kidnapped the surviving wife and child of the dead federal agent. Now, forced back into the war, the Punisher now has to face off against Jigsaw’s massive army in order to save the lives of an innocent family his actions put on the firing line. “Clock’s ticking”.
Wow. Behind all of the senseless, brutal, and down right uncalled for violence, I’m sure there was a really good Punisher film in there. I couldn’t find it. I found myself laughing most of the time at how ridiculous some of the scenes were.
Punching guys directly through the face, killing senior citizens, impaling people by throwing them off the tops of buildings then breaking their necks….oh I almost forgot…hanging upside down on a chandelier while firing two guns simultaneously and taking out an entire room full of people. Those are just some of the things that make “Punisher: War Zone” the most lighthearted tearjerker of the holiday season. Did you catch the sarcasm?
With all that aside “Punisher: War Zone” does deliver good performances by Ray Stevenson and Dominic West. When I first heard that Stevenson was going to be the next Punisher, I was a little apprehensive. I didn’t think he could pull it off. I was proven wrong. Past actors who have played the Punisher have never stayed on for more than one movie. I hope we get to see Stevenson don the bullet proof skull again. Dominic West as the maniacal Jigsaw was fun to watch as well. He perfected that mob boss tone in his voice and his mannerisms brought the character to life.
This movie is rated R and for good reason. I don’t recommend children view this movie. So parents: Heed my warning! Take care, enjoy, see ya at the movies!
