Why the Punisher movies haven't worked

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joshmightbe

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Before I get started I will say the Thomas Jane one wasn't bad. I actually like it as an action movie.

Now for my reason they never really worked as a Punisher movie. The primary problem is that the film makers want to push the idea that he's a good guy. I know all of them have him actually state that he doesn't think he's a good guy but the rest of the movie tries really hard to convince you other wise.

The reason the comic works is because he is a bad guy, he knows it, and everybody else knows it. He does truly awful things that no good person would even consider doing. The only people he even behaves like a compassionate human being around are the occasional children that pop up from time to time. To everyone else he's generally a cold hearted bastard.

I know film makers want a likeable star but Frank Castle was never meant to be a likeable guy, he's just the monster who gets turned loose on other monsters. He only qualifies as a protagonist because he's slightly less awful than the people he goes after.

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those_eyes

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@joshmightbe: Wasnt he pretty much portrayed like that in warzone and that movie still kinda bombed?

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Batman1130

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#3  Edited By Batman1130

@joshmightbe: so true! I would love an R movie where he is just straight up stone cold out right badass and doesn't hesitate to kill criminals and doesn't even try to hide his true nature

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jasonhawke

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I disagree.

I believe that film makers should work/play his Marine Corp story better as American audiences eat up that sort of thing. While also being a victim to crime at home with his family murdered and him left for dead.

It's such an easy set up. They just need maybe a TV series instead of a movie to really work him in.

Also, him being a Vietnam vet, a family man, and a fan of Captain America is also a good setup for plot.

He can still be a good guy while mercilessly killing bad people. Just be like: "They had it coming" and "This is what the military trained me for" and whatnot

Then throw in a happy-go-lucky supporting cast to off-set his loner, broody personality. Get that Final Fantasy formula in there!

plus one-liners and witty banter because it's Marvel.

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DeathpooltheT1000

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The Punisher was created during a time of change, crime, action movies and more important exploitation films.

The problem is that society isnt the same, he doesnt feel relevant for most of people anymore.

Sure Taken and Liam Neeson exploitation films are there, but isnt a huge thing anymore.

If they wanted to make a great one, they would have to move The Punisher into the 70s and 80s where he was the king.

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dimitridkatsis

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#6  Edited By dimitridkatsis

They try too much to justify him, he's a serial killer, he should be a sort of antagonist in a good fellas/sopranos type of movie. We already know why he kills that type of people. He smashes women on bulletproof glass till it gives or feeds corporaration members to sharks, he clearly gets a kick out of it, I haven't seen Voorhees or Myers behave that way. There is some guilty pleasure to his stories.

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dimitridkatsis

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@joshmightbe: Wasnt he pretty much portrayed like that in warzone and that movie still kinda bombed?

Nah, he accidentally kills that undercover agent and tries to make up to his family. First scene was good but then it got mushy.

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Spambot

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#8  Edited By Spambot

I think they haven't worked because the idea of making a movie around the Punisher is a bit of a cliche to begin with. They can be done ok but he just isn't the sort of character to carry a major movie imo. He is a niche character who barely even appears in the comics.

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ShadowSwordmaster

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@dimitridkatsis:Didn't Garth Ennis say something like that during a interview?

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dimitridkatsis

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ShadowSwordmaster

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@dimitridkatsis: That sounds about right. I always thought that they should make Frank into a boogeyman character then a main character of a series.

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DeathpooltheT1000

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@those_eyes said:

@joshmightbe: Wasnt he pretty much portrayed like that in warzone and that movie still kinda bombed?

You have to notice they made a terrible job with the marketing and it looks like if they wanted the movie... well they wanted this kongsucker fail as hard as it could.

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black_wreath

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I'm not a huge fan of the 2004 one (the only one I've seen) because it was basically just like any action/revenge movie.

Although that fight with the Russian was too sweet!

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Deadgod

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All they need is to just adapt Punisher Max as a TV series, page by page at AMC or HBO.

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MasterKungFu

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#15  Edited By MasterKungFu

makes sense

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joshmightbe

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@spambot: Honestly I think he'd be best served in a smaller scale mid budget action movie. It doesn't need to be Iron Man or even Batman level spectacle. Maybe a Netflix show in the vein of Daredevil would be better.

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Tyger

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@joshmightbe: Wasnt he pretty much portrayed like that in warzone and that movie still kinda bombed?

Between the cheesy effects (Punisher punching a guy through his face?) and scene eating acting? Yeah, that didn't really win me over.

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lettsplay10

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Yeah

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joshmightbe

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I'm not a huge fan of the 2004 one (the only one I've seen) because it was basically just like any action/revenge movie.

Although that fight with the Russian was too sweet!

As an action movie it'd be great if it weren't for John Travolta doing whatever the hell he was trying to do, but it didn't feel much like a Punisher movie. It would have worked just as well with any vengeful guy.

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Heatblaze

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#20  Edited By Heatblaze

@joshmightbe: A Punisher movie? Yeah you're right. A Punisher netflix series? That could work.

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AllStarSuperman

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Dolph Punisher >>>>>>>>>

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joshmightbe

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@heatblaze123: I'd even be fine if Frank Castle himself wasn't to focal point, like have a series that focuses on cops tasked with bringing him in or some gangster trying like hell to survive or even some random person caught in the middle. So long as the keep the notion that even tho he only kills bad people he isn't a hero. Maybe he was a war hero or hero cop at some point but as the Punisher they should make it clear that its no longer the case. Might even be better with the whole fallen hero angle.