|
Spider-Man and Iron Man have proven that Marvel Comics can be hits on the movie screen, too -- but it takes the right character in the right hands.
Take Frank Castle, a.k.a. the Punisher, a former federal agent who's driven by revenge for personal losses. He's fueled two films before, and the last one at least had some acting flair: Thomas Jane was the hero, John Travolta the villain.
We don't get that lucky with "Punisher: War Zone," which simply wants to push in-your-face violence from the moment it starts. Not that you'll think you're walking into a Disney movie to begin with, but the agenda is clear here from virtually the first frame.
This time, Ray Stevenson is the Punisher, but that's not really any distinction for his resume. Hey, if you have muscles and happen to like lifting and firing weapons roughly as big as you are, you can play the Punisher, too!
The main enemy is named Jigsaw ... gee, has someone here seen the "Saw" movies? This guy gets his name for what happens to his face after a run-in with the Punisher. Yes, indeed, nothing says "the holidays" quite like that.
If you want to mark the season with a couple of hours of punches and explosions, with very little story attached, this is the way to go, but here's hoping it doesn't tarnish all the other characters from the same comic franchise. That would be nothing to marvel -- nor Marvel -- at.
(Rated R)
|
Print Story
Email to a Friend
Delicious
Digg
Reddit
Google
Newsvine
Facebook
StumbleUpon
Yahoo