The Punisher (2004)

Buy the Soundtrack
CD on Amazon.com

Click here to listen
to the soundtrack now!

Marvel's unstoppable vigilante THE PUNISHER hits the screen in a new action thriller that introduces a comic book hero unlike any other. The Punisher brings to the screen one of Marvel's top-selling comic books and a marquee character whose popularity parallels that of Marvel stars X-Men, Spider-Man, and the Fantastic Four. The

More Plot Descriptions

Watch trailer View 12 Photos Soundtrack Listing

Related Movies: version of Punisher, The (1989) Punisher 2, The (2006) [sequel] Punisher: War Zone (2008) [sequel]

Behind the Scenes: Read more about the production About The Production The Story/Adaptation The Cast An Old School Approach Preparing The Punisher For Action Filming/Locations/Costumes/Stunts

Discussion forum for this movie

Thread Replies Last Post There are no discussion threads for this movie yet... Start a new discussion about this movie.

External Reviews

In recent years, a lot of Marvel superheroes have made the leap from printed page to silver screen. None has been given more shoddy treatment than The Punisher. 

Don't hold your breath waiting for "The Punisher" to be original, not for one second of its torturous two hours.

--Desson Thomson (Washington Post)

---

For such a formulaic vigilante film, The Punisher has a far better cast than it deserves. 

--Steven Rea (Philadelphia Inquirer)

---

No, ``The Punisher'' isn't pretty. But, like its low-rent superhero, it gets the job done and then some. 

--Glenn Lovell (San Jose Mercury News)

---

I stopped taking most of it seriously after a while and was able to enjoy some of it on a "cheesy" level, but even then, it was still bad overall. 4/10

--'JoBlo' (JoBlo.com)

---

Unpleasant, ultra-violent vigilante film. 

--Jonathan Foreman (New York Post)

---

This is NOT The Punisher, it’s a clumsy, inept Romper Room version of it that ignored its titular character and his plight, in favor of exploring dime store mobsters in K-Mart T-shirts and grating “loser” neighbors. 

--'The Arrow' (Arrow)

---

Jonathan Hensleigh brings us a stylistically confused tale of vengeance with awful dialogue and John Travolta doing his elegant-baddie thing.

--Stephanie Zacharek (Salon)

---

This movie is tailor-made for bored teenagers working on their wit or devotees of Mystery Science Theater 3000. Those are not qualities to build a franchise around. Here’s hoping. 

--Pete Croatto (FilmCritic.com)

---

Though the film is likely an improvement over the 1989 Dolph Lundgren adaptation, Hensleigh's approach leaves a lot to be desired. In attempting to appeal to a wider audience, The Punisher never quite becomes the 21st century's answer to Death Wish. Still, Jane's performance and the surprisingly violent moments probably make this worth a look. 

--David Nusair (Reel Film Reviews)

---

We don't see a lot of true anti-hero's at the movies much anymore, but with this very entertaining movie with a character as intriguing as The Punisher, maybe we should... 

--Brian Gallagher (MovieWeb)

---

I miss Dolph Lundgren. 

--Kevin N. Laforest (Montreal Film Journal)

---

The Punisher is such a bad film that it becomes inadvertently entertaining; it’s enough to make you pine for the original version of the black-clad Marvel Comics’ badass, played to awful imperfection in 1989 by Dolph Lundgren. 

--Marc Savlov (Austin Chronicle)

---

...practically worthless as a tale of vengence, and it does nothing to create a Punisher legacy. Nothing short of a total re-forging of the image of the Punisher will change that and the only stylistic thing to watch for that's actually entertaining is the opening credits. 4/10

--W. Andrew Powell (The Gate.ca)

---

In any case, ''The Punisher,'' loaded with grim, sadistic violence and more than two hours long, certainly lives up to its name.

--A.O. Scott (The New York Times)

---

Cast

Ben Foster X-Men: The Last Stand, Hostage, Big Trouble Laura Harring Mulholland Dr., John Q, Willard Thomas Jane Face/Off, Deep Blue Sea, Dreamcatcher Samantha Mathis American Psycho, Broken Arrow, The American President Will Patton Armageddon, Gone in Sixty Seconds, Entrapment Rebecca Romijn-Stamos X-Men, X2, X-Men: The Last Stand John Travolta Pulp Fiction, Face/Off, The Thin Red Line [more]

"The Punisher" is a long, dark slog through grim revenge. Unlike most movies based on comic book heroes, it doesn't contain the glimmer of a smile, and its hero is a depressed alcoholic -- well he might be, since his entire family, including wife, child,father and even distant cousins -- has been massacred before his eyes.  --Roger Ebert (Chicago Sun-Times) When "The Punisher" is deep into the parceling out of penance, it is not that different from any one of myriad revenge dramas. But when it shows its antiheroic hero struggling – and failing – to rekindle his flickering humanity, the pleasure we take in his inability to resist his basest instincts is like taking a bite of deliciously dark chocolate: probably bad for us, definitely bitter, but still sweet and stimulating. --Michael O'Sullivan (Washington Post) Combining brutal violence, lengthy action sequences, great Floridian locales, and even some comedy, "The Punisher" is the most unlikely success story found in the new wave of comic book adaptations. --Brian Orndorf (FilmJerk.com) “The Punisher” is a shining example of revenge and vigilante-style justice done right. It’s also yet another comic book adaptation done properly. In fact, this may be the first time I wished we could give half-vaults, because it was just that good. 8/10 --Mark Chua (Movie-Vault.com) Now that Castle's character has been given depth in this film, Im sure a sequel will include more action, which most of you wanted. It was very important to establish Castle's character, without the build, the violence would seem half as vindictive.  --Mr. Disgusting (Bloody-Disgusting.com)

Wallpapers

1024x768 See all The Punisher wallpapers