Punisher: War Zone (2008)

Director:

Lexi Alexander

Writers (WGA):

Nick Santora (written by) and
Art Marcum (written by) ...
(more)

Release Date:

5 December 2008 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Crime | Drama | Thriller

Tagline:

Vengeance has a name.

Plot:

After hunting down and killing hundreds of violent criminals, Frank Castle, aka The Punisher, faces his most deadly foe yet: Jigsaw. |

Plot Keywords:

Trashed House | Eaten Alive | Police Raid | Remorse | Impalement

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

Ray Stevenson	...	Frank Castle
Dominic West	...	Billy / Jigsaw
Doug Hutchison	...	Loony Bin Jim
Colin Salmon	...	Paul Budiansky
Wayne Knight	...	Micro
Dash Mihok	...	Martin Soap
Julie Benz	...	Angela
Stephanie Janusauskas	...	Grace
Mark Camacho	...	Pittsy
Romano Orzari	...	Nicky
Keram Malicki-Sánchez	...	Ink
Larry Day	...	Agent Miller
Ron Lea	...	Captain Ross
Tony Calabretta	...	Saffiotti
T.J. Storm	...	Maginty
Carlos Gonzalez-Vio	...	Carlos
David Vadim	...	Cristu Bulat
John Dunn-Hill	...	Cesare (as John Dunn Hill)
Niko Nikolov	...	Pompiliu
Aubert Pallascio	...	Tiberiu
Francis B. Goldberg	...	Mrs. Gordlock
Pat Fry	...	Asylum Orderly
Robert Harrop	...	Priest
Linda Smith	...	Mrs. Cesare
Lynne De Bel	...	Micro's Mother
Bill Hall	...	TV News Reporter
Matt Holland	...	EMT
Bjanka Murgel	...	Arm Candy
Brent Skagford	...	Waiter
James Murray	...	Bodyguard #2
Cas Anvar	...	Plastic Surgeon
Ethan Gould	...	Schoolboy
Michael Paterson	...	Motel Manager
Kane Chan	...	Banger #1
Steven P. Park	...	Banger #2
Edward Yankie	...	Father Mike
Tracy Jerome Phillips	...	Harlem Gangleader (as Tracy Phillips)
Giovanni Cipolla	...	Wiseguy
Andrew Farmer	...	Guard
Jean-Loup Yale	...	Mugger
Miro Bedard	...	Frank's Son
Edouard Keller	...	Thug
Marco Desjean	...	Alpha Dog
Lise Sita	...	Nicki's Mom
Nick Sita	...	Nicki's Dad
Oleg Popkov	...	Old Man
Eric Dauphin	...	Cesare Wiseguy
Stéphane Byl	...	FBI Van Agent
Jon Barton	...	Ice Team Leader

Directed by
Lexi Alexander

Writing credits (WGA)
Nick Santora		(written by) and
Art Marcum		(written by) &
Matt Holloway		(written by)

Produced by
Ari Arad	....	executive producer
Kevin Feige	....	executive producer
Ogden Gavanski	....	executive producer
Oliver Hengst	....	executive producer
Gale Anne Hurd	....	producer
Bill Johnson	....	executive producer
Stan Lee	....	executive producer
Jack L. Murray	....	co-producer
Michael Paseornek	....	executive producer
John Sacchi	....	executive producer
Wolfgang Schamburg	....	associate producer
Ernst-August Schnieder	....	executive producer
Gary Ventimiglia	....	co-producer

Original Music by
Michael Wandmacher

Cinematography by
Steve Gainer

Film Editing by
William Yeh

Casting by
Jennifer L. Smith
Mary Tricia Wood

Production Design by
Andrew Neskoromny

Art Direction by
Martin Gendron
Jean Kazemirchuk
Catherine Schroer

Set Decoration by
Suzanne Cloutier		(key set decorator)
Shane Vieau

Costume Design by
Odette Gadoury

Makeup Department
Nathalie Garon	....	hair stylist
Christophe Giraud	....	makeup artist
Gaétan Landry	....	key hair stylist
Serge Lavigueur	....	special makeup effects artist
Sharon Markell	....	hair stylist: Vancouver
Magali Métivier	....	key makeup artist
Ladan Mojallal	....	assistant makeup artist: Vancouver
Adrien Morot	....	special makeup effects supervisor
Sabin Paradis	....	key hair stylist
Melissa Purino	....	makeup supervisor
Jessica Rain	....	key hair stylist: Vancouver
Ronald J. Rolfe	....	hair stylist

Production Management
Chris Foss	....	production manager: Vancouver
Mark McCoy	....	post-production manager
Curtis A. Miller	....	production director: Lions Gate Films
Carl Pedregal	....	post-production supervisor
Philip Stilman	....	post-production supervisor
Victorine Tamafo	....	assistant production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Stéphane Byl	....	second second assistant director
Doug Coleman	....	second unit director
Renato De Cotiis	....	second assistant director
Yanick DiVito	....	additional third assistant director
Caroline Landry	....	second assistant director: second unit
Carl Mason	....	first assistant director: second unit Vancouver
John McKeown	....	first assistant director
Jacinthe Noreau	....	second second assistant director
Sinan Saber	....	additional third assistant director

Art Department
Frédéric Amblard	....	set designer
Guy Beaumont	....	carpenter
Martin Berry	....	carpenter
Josée Bolduc	....	on-set property assistant
Renée Boulais	....	on-set painter
Vincent Brabant	....	on-set dresser
Benoit Camerlain	....	assistant painter
Martin Chalifoux	....	construction coordinator
Louis Frederic Denomme	....	set dresser
Marie France Denoncourt	....	props
Katia Kim Depatie	....	props buyer
Claude Desmarais	....	head carpenter
Gavin De West	....	assistant property master: Vancouver
Henry Fong	....	illustrator
Carrie Foster	....	chief art department coordinator
Mathieu Giguère	....	model maker
Vincent Gingras-Liberali	....	assistant art director
Sylvain Grenier	....	greensman
Martin Handfield	....	property master: Montreal
Mathieu Jacques	....	art department runner
Vania Khandjian	....	art department staff assistant
Dylan La Frenière	....	greensman
Michel R. Lambert	....	set dresser
Céline Lampron	....	set designer
Julie Longpré	....	assistant set decorator
Bao-Uy Luu	....	graphic artist
Frederic Mainville	....	assistant construction coordinator
Jean-Phillipe Marsan	....	assistant set decorator
Félix Matte	....	greensman
Jean-François Merlot	....	scenic painter
Julie Montplaisir	....	assistant accountant
Trong-Kim Nguyen	....	prop illustrator
Xavier Nolet	....	greensman
Roger Paquin	....	head greensman
Lise Pharand	....	key property master
Guy Pigeon	....	assistant art director
Rosalie Rioux-Massé	....	dummy wrangler
Benoit Robitaille	....	set dresser
Christopher Rodgers	....	lead carpenter
Charlotte Rouleau	....	assistant art director
Kevin Tomecek	....	construction foreman: Vancouver
Alex Touikan	....	set designer
Lucie Tremblay	....	set designer
Jose Fernando Varela	....	assistant set decorator (as José F. Varela)
Yanick Veilleux	....	set dresser
Mathieu Verreault	....	graphic designer
Terry Weaver	....	property master: Vancouver

Sound Department
Michael Babcock	....	sound re-recording mixer
Bobbi Banks	....	supervising adr editor
Catherine Bellazzi	....	boom operator
Nick Foley	....	adr mixer
Mark Goebel	....	foley assistant
Paul Hackner	....	sound effects editor
Greg Hedgepath	....	supervising sound editor
Claude La Haye	....	sound mixer
Michel Lecoufle	....	sound recordist: second unit
Rudy Michael	....	adr mixer: Toronto
Chris Navarro	....	adr mixer
Tom Ozanich	....	sound re-recording mixer
Francis Péloquin	....	boom operator
Simon Plouffe	....	assistant sound
Mark Purcell	....	sound mix technician
Frank Smathers	....	supervising sound editor
Jussi Tegelman	....	sound editor
Nickolas Meade	....	sound (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Andy Antoine	....	special effects technician
Kevin Carter	....	special effects contact lenses
Gary Coates	....	special effects foreman
Ryal Cosgrove	....	special effects coordinator
Colin Osmond	....	special effects technician
Jak Osmond	....	special effects coordinator
James Poulin	....	special effects crew
Brent Radford	....	second armourer
Marc Reichel	....	special effects foreman: second unit coordinator
Sascha Robey	....	special effects assistant: 2nd unit
George Tucci	....	special effects technician: break away items

Visual Effects by
Anthony Barcelo	....	digital compositor
Jamie Baxter	....	visual effects
Trinh Baxter	....	visual effects
Rob Blauser	....	digital matte painter
Danielle Brooks	....	CG artist
Sarah Coatts	....	visual effects producer: main title: PIC
Nick Drew	....	visual effects production manager: CIS London
Chris Ervin	....	digital compositor
Patrick Flanagan	....	digital compositor
James David Hattin	....	digital compositor
Spencer Hecox	....	digital compositor
Craig Hilditch	....	digital compositor
Brian Holter	....	digital compositor
Adam Howard	....	visual effects supervisor
Geoff Leavitt	....	visual effects
Sean Lewkiw	....	technical head of 3D
Hugh Macdonald	....	digital compositor: CIS London
John R. McConnell	....	2D compositor
Ray McIntyre Jr.	....	visual effects supervisor: Pixel Magic
Roger Mocenigo	....	compositor: XY&Z
Brad Moylan	....	digital compositor: Pixel Magic
Erin L. Nelson	....	digital restoration
Roma O'Connor	....	executive producer: visual effects
Jonathan Opgenhaffen	....	cg artist: CIS London
Efram Potelle	....	digital compositor
David Ridlen	....	animator
Becky Roberts	....	visual effects producer: CIS London
Glenn Rossney	....	production assistant: visual effects
Michael Shelton	....	compositor
Robert Short	....	senior visual effects supervisor
Wilson Tang	....	digital restoration
Mike Uguccioni	....	visual effects supervisor
David Wahlberg	....	lead digital compositor: CIS London
Izzy Weiss	....	digital compositor

Stunts
Fraser Aitcheson	....	stunt safety
Rodney Alexander	....	stunt performer
Sheldon Ashley	....	stunt performer
Alain Bérard	....	stunt performer
Jonathan Bergeron	....	stunt double: Jigsaw
Barbara Bernhardt	....	assistant to stunt coordinator
Marcello Bezina	....	stunt performer
Marc-Andre Brisebois	....	stunt performer
Dustin Brooks	....	stunt fire safety
Alexandre Cadieux	....	stunt performer
Annie Carignan	....	stunt performer
Jason Cavalier	....	stunt performer
Alain Chanoine	....	stunt performer
Gracia Charles	....	stunt performer
Allan Yuk-lun Chou	....	stunt performer
Mike Chute	....	stunts
Neon Cobran	....	stunt performer
John-sebastien Cote	....	utility stunts
Stéphane Dargis	....	stunt performer
Colin Decker	....	stunt fire safety
Glenn Ennis	....	stunt double
Felix Famelart	....	stunt performer
Jean Frenette	....	stunt coordinator
Naomi Frenette	....	stunt double
François Gauthier	....	stunt performer
Jere Gillis	....	stunt performer
Jere Gillis	....	stunts
Johnny Goar	....	stunt performer
Tyler Hall	....	stunt performer
Pat E. Johnson	....	stunt coordinator
Mic Jones	....	stunts
Stéphane Julien	....	stunt performer
Kevin Kelsall	....	stunt performer
Patrick Kerton	....	stunts
Jean-Francois Lachapelle	....	stunt double
Jean-Francois Lachapelle	....	stunt performer
Larry Lam	....	stunt performer
André Laperrière	....	stunt performer
Gilbert Larose Jr.	....	stunt performer
Yan Lecomte	....	stunt performer
Mathieu Ledoux	....	stunt performer
Stéphane Lefebvre	....	utility stunts
Christopher McGuire	....	stunt performer
David McKeown	....	stunt performer
Robyn McNicoll	....	stunt double
Anthony McRae	....	stunt performer
Erick Meslier	....	stunt performer
Martin Morel	....	stunt rigger
Jeffery Ong	....	stunt performer
Shawn C. Orr	....	stunt performer
Louis Paquette	....	stunt performer
Jan Pivon	....	stunts
Alexandre Prefontaine	....	stunt performer
David Rigby	....	stunt performer
Jonathan Rooney	....	stunt performer
John Ross	....	stunt performer
Jean-Daniel Roy	....	stunt performer
Normand Roy	....	stunt performer
Paul Rutledge	....	stunt performer
Michael Scherer	....	stunt performer
Ken Tran	....	stunts
Lee Villeneuve	....	stunt performer
Jeff Wolfe	....	fight choreographer
Jeff Wolfe	....	stunt double
Russell Yuen	....	stunt performer

Camera and Electrical Department
Jean-François Abran	....	rigging electrician
Yves Arseneau	....	rigging electrician
Sophie Auclair	....	rigging electrician
Jonathan Barbeau	....	electrician
Glen Beauchamp	....	remote head technician
Patrick Beaulac	....	first assistant camera
Charles Beetz	....	gaffer: second unit
André Bélaieff	....	generator operator
Christian Bergeron	....	electrician
Patrick Bernier	....	first assistant camera
Ann Berrie	....	second assistant: "b" camera
Jean Berthiaume	....	rigging electrician
Stephane Boisvert	....	generator operator: set
Alexandre Bouchard	....	video assist operator
Patrick Bourbonniere	....	rigging electrician
Fraser Boyle	....	key grip
Marcel Breton	....	grip
Ugo Brochu	....	electrician
Michel Brouillard	....	rigging electrician
Nicolas Calve	....	rigging grip
Ronald Casseus	....	video assist
Daniel Chrétien Jr.	....	rigging best boy electric: second unit
Joost Clerinx	....	rigging grip
George Collins	....	video assist: Vancouver
Francis Comeau	....	rigging grip
Marie-Chantal Crète	....	lighting department coordinator
Alexandre Curzi	....	electrician
Manuel Daigneault	....	rigging grip
Isabelle Dallaire-Rioux	....	clapper loader
Guillaume Darchen	....	rigging grip
Jean-François Dasylva-LaRue	....	lighting technician
Pierre Daudelin	....	electrician
Sylvain Desormeaux	....	lightboard operator
Yves Drapeau	....	first assistant camera
David Dubé	....	electrician
Paul Duchesne	....	grip
Richard Dufresne	....	rigging electrician
Samuel Eusanio	....	rigging grip
Martin Falardeau	....	camera operator: "c" camera
Robert Finnigan	....	loader: Vancouver
René Fréchette	....	second assistant camera: "a" camera
Eames Gagnon	....	gaffer
Martin Gagnon	....	rigging electrician
Julie Garceau	....	video assist operator
Sebastien Gariepy	....	electrician
Chloe Giroux	....	second assistant camera
Eric Godbout	....	first assistant: "b" camera
Jean-Francois Gravel	....	video assist assistant: second unit
John Harris	....	pre-light electrician
Cam Hayduk	....	focus puller: Vancouver
Maxime Imbeau	....	electrician
Gilbert Jamault	....	generator operator: re-shoots
Pierric Jouvante	....	rigging electrician
Pierre-Yves Larouche	....	rigging electrician
Constant Lavallée	....	electrician
Martin Lebel	....	first assistant camera: "a" camera
Benoit Leduc	....	rigging electrician
Pierre Lépine	....	grip
Jacques Levesque	....	automated lighting programmer
Alfonso Maiorana	....	camera operator
Alfonso Maiorana	....	camera operator: second unit
André Nicholas Malouf	....	rigging electrician
Daniel Moise	....	supertechnocrane technician
Colin Noel	....	key rigging grip: second unit
Sandrin Olivier	....	grip
François Ouellette	....	video playback operator
Michel Parent	....	generator operator
Michel Périard	....	key grip
Christophe Pommiès	....	rigging electrician
Patrick Rainville	....	best boy electric
Dominique Ricard	....	camera operator: "b" camera
Roger Robichaud	....	electrician
Michel Robitaille	....	rigging electrician
Mario Roussy	....	key rigging grip
Claude Sauvageau	....	best boy rigging grip
Mario Savoie	....	electrician
Sebastien Savoie	....	rigging electrician
Jeff Scott	....	best boy electrician: second unit
Geoffroy St-Hilaire	....	camera operator: second unit
Brian Sweeney	....	director of photography: second unit
Dominic Thibault	....	grip
Marc-André Thibeault	....	rigging grip (as Marc-André Thibault)
Pietro Troilo	....	rigging electrician
Marco Venditto	....	rigging gaffer
Stephen Wells	....	dolly grip
Denis Zawadski	....	rigging electrician

Casting Department
Samantha Finkler	....	casting associate
Barbara Harris	....	adr voice casting
Johanne Titley	....	extras casting
Erin Toner	....	casting associate

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Rosalie Clermont-Bilodeau	....	assistant costume designer
Jean-François Desjardins	....	key dresser
Sara-Maude Duguay	....	costume illustrator
Anick Fournier	....	costumer: extras
Tereska Gesing	....	assistant costumer
Marie-Maude Grenier	....	costume buyer
Laurence Lacoste	....	extras costumer
Valérie Levesque	....	costumer: extras
Claudia Manseau	....	costumer
Simonetta Mariano	....	costume supervisor
Michelle Pépin	....	extras costumer
Josée Philibert	....	costumer
Dominic Prevost	....	wardrobe technician
Myriam St-Louis	....	extras dresser
Armando Tremblay	....	wardrobe technician

Editorial Department
Ron Barr	....	digital intermediate editor
Tony Dustin	....	digital film colorist
Richard A. Eisenstein	....	editorial associate
Julie Garces	....	assistant editor
Stéfanie Guadagnino	....	assistant editor
Carl S.G. Moore	....	digital intermediate producer
Mark Sahagun	....	digital intermediate editor
Aidan Stanford	....	color timer
Mark Tuminello	....	first assistant editor
Larry D. Webster	....	post-production
Dan Williams	....	post-production assistant

Music Department
Susie Bench	....	orchestra conductor
Susie Bench	....	orchestrator
Tony Blondal	....	additional orchestrator
Peter Boyer	....	orchestrator
Mark Curry	....	score mixer
Jay Faires	....	music supervisor
Elliott Goldkind	....	assistant music editor
Daniel Hubbert	....	music supervisor
Simon James	....	music contractor
Tracy McKnight	....	music consultant
Joshua Winget	....	music editor

Transportation Department
Audrey Beuzet Mariane	....	driver (as Audrey Mariane Beuzet)
Valérie Binette	....	assistant transportation coordinator
Christian Bourque	....	driver
Jean Brodeur	....	driver
Maxime Dufort	....	driver
Stephane Durocher	....	transportation captain
Martin Stuart Forbes	....	driver
Martin Fradette	....	driver
Katerine Lambert	....	driver
David Leblanc	....	driver: ray stevenson
Steve Leblanc	....	driver
Patrick Legault	....	driver: swing
Tasso Mathiopoulos	....	head driver
Valerie Milot	....	driver
Philippe Montel	....	transportation coordinator
Marcel Robidoux	....	driver
Manon Rufer	....	driver
Bernard Sills	....	driver
Danny Turgeon	....	transportation coordinator: second unit
Roger Vaillancourt	....	driver
Ian Vandewalle	....	driver: Dominix West
Tania Veri	....	driver

Other crew
David R. Archibald	....	security
Jon Barton	....	miltary coordinator/actor trainer
Dale Ross Braun	....	production accountant: Vancouver
Bruce L. Brownstein	....	location manager
Ami Cohen	....	production department coordinator
Bob Corff	....	dialect coach
Marie-Chantal Crète	....	script
Carl Crevier	....	stand-in: Dominic West
Mark Crofton	....	assistant chef
Michael Cromien	....	security (as Michael G. Cromien)
Puelo Deir	....	unit publicist
Christine Deita	....	production assistant
John DeMita	....	voice-over artist
Charles-David Deschenes	....	assistant: director
Yves Desjardins	....	production coordinator
Paul Dupont	....	safety coordinator: pyrotechnics
Julio Ferrario	....	creative director: main titles
Alex Franklin	....	development executive
John Galli	....	assistant: Mr. Arad
Paul Gillot	....	production assistant: swing unit
Pamela B. Green	....	main title producer
Robert Harrison	....	head set medic
Liam Hearne	....	post-production accountant
Kim Howes	....	set security
Nutan Khanna	....	clearance/product placement coordinator
Nathalie Laporte	....	key production accountant
Nathalie Laporte	....	production accountant
Dominique Leroutier	....	assistant location manager
André Nicholas Malouf	....	production assistant: Montreal
Robert M. Melnik	....	executive vice president of business affairs
Rick Nicholson	....	security
Angel Oquendo	....	voice-over artist
Jason Pace	....	voice-over artist
Karen Pelrine	....	assistant production coordinator: Vancouver
Gabriella Pirocchi	....	assistant chef
Patrick P. Pon	....	security
Milena Popovic	....	script supervisor
Eva Quintero	....	production secretary
Nin Rai	....	chef
Anthony Sabatini	....	security
Hugo Schellenberg	....	security
Charlie Schrodt	....	location team
Cassius Allen Shuman	....	business & legal affairs: Lionsgate
Hans Syriste	....	security
Jarik Van Sluijs	....	creative director: main titles
Nadia Venesse	....	dialogue coach: pre-production
David Wallander	....	security
Ruth Zalduondo	....	voice-over artist

Production Companies

• Lionsgate (presents)
• Marvel Knights
• Marvel Studios (in association with)
• Valhalla Motion Pictures
• MHF Zweite Academy Film
• SGF Entertainment (in association with)
• Marvel Enterprises (uncredited)
• Media Magik Entertainment (uncredited)
• Red Corner Productions (uncredited)

Distributors

• Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE) (2008) (non-USA) (theatrical)
• Lionsgate (2008) (USA) (theatrical)
• Columbia Pictures of Philippines (2009) (Philippines) (theatrical)
• Maple Pictures (2008) (Canada) (theatrical)
• Sony Pictures Entertainment (2009) (Japan) (theatrical)
• Sony Pictures Releasing (2009) (Singapore) (theatrical)
• LK-TEL (2009) (Argentina) (DVD)
• Lionsgate (2009) (USA) (DVD)
• Lionsgate (2009) (USA) (DVD) (Blu-ray)
• Sony Pictures Home Entertainment Nordic (2009) (Finland) (DVD) (Blu-ray)
• Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (2009) (Australia) (DVD)
• Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (2009) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (2009) (Netherlands) (DVD) (Blu-ray)

Special Effects

• 2G Digital Post

Other Companies

• Chapman/Leonard Studio Equipment  camera dollies
• Concept & Creation Mordicus  construction
• Danetracks  sound post-production
• Entertainment Clearances  rights and clearances
• Lions Gate Records  soundtrack
• Lionsgate Records  soundtrack
• On Set Stunts  stunt services
• PIC Agency  titles
• Rice Gorton Pictures Ltd.  post-production accounting services
• Scarlet Letters  end titles
• Sony Pictures Stock Footage  stock footage
• Tactical Media  military advisors (weapons choreographers)
• Technicolor Digital Intermediates  digital intermediate
• Warner Brothers Post-Production Services  sound post-production

Also Known As:

The Punisher 2 (USA) (working title)
The Punisher: Welcome Back, Frank (USA) (working title)
The Untitled Punisher Sequel (USA) (working title)

MPAA:

Rated R for pervasive strong brutal violence, language and some drug use.

Runtime:

103 min

Country:

USA | Canada | Germany

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital | SDDS

Certification:

UK:18 | Singapore:M18 | Ireland:18 | Japan:R-15 | Australia:MA | Malaysia:18SG | Philippines:R-13 (MTRCB) | Mexico:C | Argentina:13 | South Korea:18 | Finland:K-18 | Norway:15 | New Zealand:R18 | Netherlands:16 | USA:R (certificate #44752)

Filming Locations:

Brossard, Québec, Canada

Company:

Lionsgate

Trivia:

This is the first movie by Marvel to use the 'Marvel Knights' logo.

Goofs:

Factual errors: Glock pistols are heard being cocked. Glocks do not have external hammers so they cannot be thumb-cocked.

Quotes:

Priest: God be with you, Frank.
Frank Castle: Sometimes I would like to get my hands on God.

Movie Connections:

References Scarface (1983)

Soundtrack:

Showdown

The First True Punisher Film is not for People with Weak Stomachs, but Extreme Action Lovers Will have a Hell of a Good Time!

The Punisher has been portrayed twice on film so far. First in the 80's flick with Dolph Lundgren and more recently in the 2004 flick with Thomas Jane. While both were OK in parts the movies as a whole just weren't that good. Being a huge fan of the comic series I have always felt that they had never pushed the violence far enough for a Punisher film. He was always to restrained. So how did the third attempt at a Punisher film work? Lets see...

Punisher: War Zone starts a few years after the death of Frank Castle's family. Since than he has been killing mobsters at a steady rate and the police see him more as a help than a hindrance..although they won't admit it. When the Punisher fails to kill an up and coming mobster named Billy Russoti, Billy decides to start a war against the Punisher and he won't quit until the Punisher is dead.

While the story may seem fairly basic it serves its purpose perfectly. This is the ultimate Punisher movie. There are more bullets and blood in this movie the most action movies and the action never lets up.

Acting is well done by everyone. While I like Thomas Jane as an actor I think Ray Stevenson is a better Punisher. Dominic West is good as Jigsaw, but I felt he might have hammed it up a bit in a few scenes.

Lexi Alexander has made the quintessential Punisher film that dares to show you the gritty world of the Punisher without shying away from all the gore. I can only hope that a sequel will be on the way soon.

Fans of the Punisher comics and extreme action lovers will eat this up, but know that this is not a movie for kids or people who can't take a ton of gore.

*** out of ****