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First released in 2004, one of the better live-action versions of Marvel Comics’ famous gunshot shooter returns to ultra-high-definition disc format in a metal sheath as a Best Buy exclusive. The Punisher: Steelbook Edition (Lions Gate Home Entertainment, R rated, 2.39:1 aspect ratio, 123 minutes, $22.99).
As the adapted story continues, an undercover cop named Frank Castle (Thomas Jane) has over the years made more enemies than friends by taking down bad guys. Unfortunately, his last operation before retiring led to the death of crime lord Howard Saint’s son.
Encouraged by his wife, Saint (John Travolta) takes revenge by destroying Castle’s entire clan and even crushing his wife and son during a family reunion. Castle miraculously survives and, with a vengeance, pursues the Saint empire and anyone who stands in his way, taking on the Punisher’s persona.
Mixing up snippets of the costume-highlighted comic book canon that pay homage to famous comic book covers by artist Tim Bradstreet, the film turns a bit sour as it reworks the origin story of the original source material and even establishes the main villain.
Aziz was an odd choice. Why not choose one of Castle’s many arch-enemys in popular art spaces like Ma Gnucci or Kingpin? Creating the assassin Harry Heck for the movie was just as surprising.
Again, why not capitalize on your comics legacy by bringing villains like Finn Cooley, Bushwhacker or Jigsaw to life?
Luckily, the script does a great job of bringing countless characters from comic book writer Garth Ennis’ legendary run in the 2000s to the movies.
Castle’s interactions, especially with neighbors Nathaniel Bumpo (John Pinette), Spacker Dave (Ben Foster), and Joan the Mouse (Rebecca Romijn), are the best parts of the movie.
The highlight of the movie comes from a scene between the Punisher and his nemesis, the Russian (Kevin Nash), who get into an epic fight and nearly destroys Castle’s apartment.
Mr. Travolta is Mr. Travolta, a somewhat mechanical performer, trying to summon the maniacal evil but looking tired. It’s hard to take the man seriously.
“The Punisher” certainly laid the groundwork for future superhero epics, but still, the gold standard for the character in the live-action format remains the 2017 Netflix series starring John Bernthal as the legendary man in the skull shirt.
There are many inconsistencies in the 4K rendering, with some scenes being grainy and loaded with soft focus, others being crisp and colourful. It’s not Lions Gate’s best work, but it offers more detail than previous versions, especially well-balanced night scenes.
Plus, a boring color palette throughout doesn’t let any high dynamic range enhancements shine.
The best extras: The 4K disc includes a generous supply of giveaways, starting with an optional commentary track by writer and first-time director Jonathan Hensleigh.
He’s a serious guy who delivers a pointed, highly detailed and informative piece that touches on the cinematography, the casting, the budgeting, the locations, the creative decisions, the story revisions, and the homage to the comics.
Mr. Hensleigh explores details such as making a Sam Peckinpah-style film, having a war sequence in Kuwait as the film’s original prelude, and the final death of Howard Saint.
Then, a 13-minute prelude to the comics segment of The Punisher is equally entertaining and features lots of art from Marvel Comics along with Gerry Conway and John Romita Sr. (creators), Mr. Bradstreet and Mr. Ennis. This is also supported by a seven-minute piece focusing on Mr. Bradstreet and his extraordinary, photo-realistic style.
Additionally, two long features offer an hour of production information split between stunt work exploration, fierce gunfights, close combat (including Russian combat compared to comic book panels), and practical vehicle effects; and a glimpse into the film, discovered by the key cast and crew, is conveyed like following a director’s diary on set.
Finally, the only new extras are the slipcover and metal case in a bloody and fiery-red-orange color scheme with new artwork from Orlando Arocena. I bet Mr Bradstreet would love to participate, the artist selection is a bit confusing.
I’m diving. The translucent slide showcases a shattered glass design with a circular hole made open by a bullet revealing part of an illustrated skull.
Remove the cover to see the entire skull pattern with vehicles colliding in a fiery explosion at the front. In the back, we get a 3/4 shot of the Punisher in a black leather trench coat and skullcap shirt, holding an automatic rifle and a lit match.
The inside of the case presents the Punisher’s chest with two pistol-holding hands pointed at the viewer.
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