From: (No Email available)

Date: 2004-09-20 16:41:57

Comment:

Why is it that a former reader of these comics finds himself having to remind Marvel what their very own character is all about? This is truly a sign of the times. Must the notion of mindless money-making in films infect every one of my childhood idols in the modern day as they are resurrected shamelessly? Between Daredevil, AVP, and now this . . . it's almost starting to feel personal.

DEAR MARVEL: I will now explain your own creation to you. In a nutshell: To say Frank Castle's world is dark is an understatement. An emotional wreck from his time served in the military, Frank resurfaces in life through experiencing his family and the humanity it brings back to him in doing so. He is allowed to say goodbye to the darkness and learn to love his wife and his children?something any scarred veteran can give an understanding nod to. One terrible day while in a PARK (not a beach in Miami) his family stumbles upon and bears witness too a criminal execution?one they are not allowed to tell of later. His entire family is slaughtered before his eyes, and he is left for dead as well. When Frank Castle emerges from his haze of madness and grief, his only desire is to bring about vengeance upon the ones who did this. Thus, the Punisher is born.

Frank Castle's new life becomes deeply entrenched in the seedy underworld of organized crime. His realm is one of dark streets, criminal underworlds, shady places, and the horrific violence and the dark emotional landscapes we bear witness too as we follow him in his pursuit to being justice to all beings who prey upon the helpless and innocent.

Frank is a shell of what he once was. He is haunted by his past as he goes, and encounters many interesting characters along the way.

But this movie tells nothing of this. The lighting has a bright commercial quality to it, the acting luke-warm, the soundtrack laughable, and the plot so mutated and watered down that I don't even recognize this as the Punisher at all. Not matter how bloody and violent it gets, it still feels somehow like we?re watching a Disney film.

Where is Microchip, btw?

I really could go on and on, but I prefer not to. You no doubt get the point.



AND NOW . . .

Word to those who are making their college careers a study of filmmaking: Watch this film in order to understand how to avoid common clich?s that will sink any movie. Note the strangely ghey and upbeat soundtrack contrasting against the violence and overall theme, the lack of an actual script of any originality,  the garish studio lighting that strips the film of all mood, the terrible dialogue, the terrible directing in general, and how many times Tom Jane takes off his shirt.

IN CLOSING: There is nothing about this film that is savory. The only reason this film was made was to sucker Gen Xers like myself to pay to see it. Fortunately, I waited until this came out on DVD; apparently I'm catching on to this disturbing trend in moviemaking and  knew it would suck.

Try again in another ten years, Marvel.