ROTTEN TOMATOES: Exclusive Trailer : Marvel's Punisher: War Zone

Exclusive Trailer : Marvel's Punisher: War Zone

Take a look at the Punisher, rebooted.

by Jen Yamato | June 12, 2008

Whether you loved or hated the previous on-screen incarnations of Marvel's baddest good guy, Lionsgate is betting you'll give Frank Castle another chance. Is a darker, more brutal Punisher what audiences want? Check out the first exclusive teaser trailer below!

Punisher: War Zone finds vigilante crime fighter Frank Castle, AKA The Punisher (Rome's Ray Stevenson), going head to head with mob boss Billy Russoti (Dominic West), whose disfigured face and deranged quest for vengeance transform him into the Punisher's worst nemesis: Jigsaw. At the helm of the R-rated action flick is kickboxing champ-turned-director Lexi Alexander, who made her feature directorial debut with 2005's Green Street Hooligans.

After the mild disappointment of Thomas Jane's 2004 turn as the no holds barred anti-hero, Marvel seems to have upped the ante. Filmmakers have promised a darker, edgier Punisher this time around; much like how this week's Incredible Hulk is a polite reboot of Ang Lee's angst-ridden 2003 take, War Zone is not a direct sequel to either Jane's The Punisher or Dolph Lundgren's 1991 direct-to-video flick of the same name.

The villainous Jigsaw isn't the only character comics faithful will recognize. Also along for the ride is Punisher gadget guy/confidante Microchip (Wayne Knight), Punisher Task Force head Detective Martin Soap (Dash Mihok), Agent Paul Budiansky (Colin Salmon), and Irish crime lord Maginty (T.J. Storm); the character of Loony Bin Jim (Doug Hutchinson), Jigsaw's brother, appears to be the only major character without origins in the comics.

Tell us what you think of the Punisher: War Zone trailer! Punisher: War Zone hits U.S. theaters December 5, 2008.

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(1-20 of 126 posts) | Reply

ZiGyStRdUsT writes:
on Jun 12 2008 04:51 PM

omg, I just think the geek in me had a super ogasm

(Reply to this)

TragicVillain writes:
on Jun 12 2008 04:54 PM

That looks horrible. The writing sounds like Steven Seagall caliber...

This is a bad idea

(Reply to this)

ZiGyStRdUsT writes:
on Jun 12 2008 05:03 PM

what? that scene where the lights go out and all you see is the skull looked sick. Some of the lines did sound cheesy though, "sometimes I'd like to meet god" hahaha. Whatever it's a freaking comic. Plus I hear the guy that's playing him is good, from the trailer he seems like a bad ***.

(Reply to this)

lilheclou writes:
on Jun 12 2008 05:06 PM

looks good

(Reply to this)

Robocop Terminator writes:
on Jun 12 2008 05:08 PM

he said "sometimes I'd like to get my hands on God". It's cool because The Punisher would get God in a chokehold for some reason

(Reply to this)

Young Turk writes:
on Jun 12 2008 05:14 PM

That was awesome....

(Reply to this)

FullMelson writes:
on Jun 12 2008 05:14 PM

Good news this is exactly what the first Punisher should have been like,
bad news this ain't the first Punisher.

Marvel can get away with a reboot of a charater as popular as the Hulk
but this will probably tank...too bad though I loved Stevenson in Rome.

(Reply to this)

tomwaitsjr writes:
on Jun 12 2008 05:16 PM

It looks promising. I liked the Thomas Jane Punisher. If they make this Punisher as a vigilante who goes overboard, who can be seen as both a good or bad guy, than it's a winner.

I never bought a Punisher comic, but he showed up a lot in the comics I did buy, and I normally routed for him. I didn't see any bazooka in the trailer though.

Green Street Hooligans had some very intense scenes. The parts I didn't like had to do with some lazy screenwriting moments, and not the director.

(Reply to this)

holyschnickey writes:
on Jun 12 2008 05:34 PM

I hope this is decent, the first punisher was a stinker. Ray Stevenson was great in Rome, my favorite character I'd have to say. I fell ripped off that it was cancelled. I hope this movie is good. Anyone know if that's Stevenson's voice in the trailer, or is it an overdub?

(Reply to this)

arendr writes:
on Jun 12 2008 05:46 PM

Straight to video.

(Reply to this)

TheOldRonin writes:
on Jun 12 2008 05:51 PM

Eh. I hope it turns out well. I like Ray Stevenson. If anyone has sen the HBO series ROME, I think you will be impressed by him. That "God" comment was pretty bad though. I hope it gets cut in the final version.

(Reply to this)

Merlin235 writes:
on Jun 12 2008 06:20 PM

Seems a little grittier than the first one.

(Reply to this)

rosemay09 writes:
on Jun 12 2008 06:27 PM

A couple of days ago I saw his profile with nice pics on 'rich kiss.com'. It's a professional site. He has pics, blog and friend circle there. And more he's a certified millionaire. It seems he's very serious there.

(Reply to this)

the train writes:
on Jun 12 2008 07:11 PM

this looks like such absolute garbage. i don't care if it's true to the book or not. it has to be able to compete with other films on the basis of plot, writing, acting, effects, direction, etc. this looks like it'll be violent, but so what? it probably won't be violent enough to satisfy the people who beat off to megaviolence, which makes the film even more unremarkable, and without shocking, disturbing megaviolence to make up for sh***y character development and a poor script, i don't see the point. nothing remarkable about the direction, the writing is beyond terrible, the sets and lighting remind me a little of batman 3. what a waste of a hard-R rating.

also: several comic book films have shown that we, as paying audience members, can expect more from movies based on comics. this movie exists in a universe where batman begins, spider-man 2, and iron man never happened.

i will laugh when the watchmen elevates the genre and justifies its R rating, further humiliating those associated with this garbage and the whole fantastic 4 franchise. marvel better suck favreau's **** after this thing tanks if it wants to have the credibility to push thor and captain america on us.

(Reply to this)

nogard46 writes:
on Jun 12 2008 07:26 PM

nice turtleneck!

For some reason ultraviolent superhero and turtle neck doesn't seem to go together.

looks so bad, all I see is him shooting at everything WHOOPDEE-DOO!!!!

(Reply to this)

dickdynamite writes:
on Jun 12 2008 07:40 PM

OMFG T

(Reply to this)

dickdynamite writes:
on Jun 12 2008 07:47 PM

OMFG This looks horrible,first of all this dude is way too small and scrawny looking,his suit is a joke,the lines sound cheesy and the shooting just looks like that craptacular phantom movie wtf.This looks like Seagal/Van Dam straight to dvd territory.

I might have watched it if Tom Jane was back on board,I remember reading a few interviews and he seemed to have a genuine interest in where the franchise should go and the reason he's not on board is because of te horrible script.

Marvel just got back a lot of support with the awesome ironman and the positive response to the new Hulk movie - and this piece a SHlT is what they've got comin out next?Shame on you,and sign Jon Favreau up quick or I'll boycott ironman 2.well maybe not.

(Reply to this)

Cbears82 writes:
on Jun 12 2008 07:52 PM

everything except for "i'd like to get my hands on god" looked pretty good. but that line opens up a whole new debate about whether this will be complete garbage like the last film.

(Reply to this)

LowBalls writes:
on Jun 12 2008 08:16 PM

I think this has potential.

(Reply to this)

thobie1 writes:
on Jun 12 2008 08:28 PM

I hate to say it, but I like it! The action looks cool, but the guy who plays the Punisher better have something more to the character than just a mean look and a low raspy voice.

(Reply to this)

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