I just rewatched the -89 Punisher, and comparing it to 2004 version, I'd say they are about equal. -89 Punisher has more action and better done (body count's 93!), and grittier look than newer one. You can say many things about Dolph's acting, but he seemed to fit for the half-psychotic murder machine nicely (He did seem like he was drunk in several scenes, thought.), and is believable in action scenes. Tom Jane has not yet fully developed into action star, but he is working hard to become one (Jane trained half a year with SEAL guys and gained twenty pounds of muscle alongside heavy information with firearms and combat, gotta respect him for such dedication).
New Punisher's biggest problem to me was that it went for origin-route, which I can understand, many other comic book movie uses that route (Spider-Man, Hulk, Fantastic Four, etc), but because of that, we don't get to see enough action until last 10 minutes of the movie, where it does manage to deliver rather nice action, but too little, too late I'd say. Dolph's Punisher was placed well after the "birth", which allowed the movie focus more on action than shaping out the character from stage zero. Hensleigh's movie is trying to make it more emotionally complex by having Castle's whole family tree chalked over, but it comes as rather cheesy in the movie. Cheesiness just gets bigger with the way they introduced the skull in new film, and how Castle acquires the first set of weaponry. But Hensleigh has stated somewhere that script went throught heavy rewriting and cutting, so probably the original script had those scenes in more beliveable form.
Many fans dislike Dolph's film simply because he doesn't have the skull. I'd say boo hoo, because apart from that, the movie's athmosphere is way more loyal to Punisher than sunny sunday walk that 2004 was, and in action secquenses, we actually get to see what the fluck is going on! I totally HATE it when in new "action" films, they edit fights into shapeless fog where you have no freakin' idea what is going on. I believe they are trying to make it more "realistic" and "gritty", but I say they can take their shaky camera and shove it. I want to see the action, people getting killed in big numbers and gunfire instead of rap artists posing with guns and shooting misses and doing their stupid gongfu movements. New Punisher was a step to right way, but not big step enough.
To close my rant, I'd say Punisher -89 is a rather fine movie in genre known as "action", which was on fire at 70's and 80's, and died during 90's. Rest In Peace, Action Movies. *mourns*
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JonnyCarducci
17 years ago
I love this movie, okay so its a bit cheesy at parts, but it had the depressing vibe about it. dolph has so morose and wooden, thats more than tom jane, what a loser. i sit in my tampa apartment and drink bourbon. kiff story
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psphilly
17 years ago
is there some weird age target audience that goes along with this whole "2004 is way better than 89 Punisher"? Must be.
anyway. The Punisher doesnt where his skull tshirt? That's your big argument? That's the rough spot? The Punisher on a mental note is all that he should be in the 89 version. We got bullet hits, massive machines guns, shells flying everywhere. Dolph in physical appearance is so strung out looking it works the best. His nightmares, there's more underlying emotion in what the 89 version has. He's post orgin. Insane and naked in a sewer talking to god and just plain scarier than Jane. THE VOICE dolph puts on works on so many levels. the slow monotone, raw, throaty echoe of his monologues.
HERE IS JUSTICE. HERE IS PUNISHMENT, HERE ... IN ME. That line spoken wins out over Jane's long speech about preparing for war. Jane acts like hes going to war. Dolph is more at war with himself and works better. sorry.
He's a drone. he's a killing machine. he has a deathwish. There zero sense of torment coming from Jane in the 04 version. It's just one clever revenge plot. 04 is so *beep* typical hollywood BS it makes me sick.
People wanna see THe Punisher kill stuff and not give a *beep* WE WANNA actually see it. the visuals. 89 if you wanna look at it is the post origin movie and for my buck the better film.
Wanna know why and how, stick with 04.
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Lightman42
17 years ago
I can't really jump on the bandwagon of "they're both equally good"... because that is an insult to the 89 film. I love what the last guy wrote. I agree with you 100%. Dolph's demeanor, voice, and look was great. The other major point that does not get enough discussion is the 89 score. It truly is phenomenal film music. The 2004 movie felt like it was scored with stock music. It seemed like they just didn't understand the Punisher in the 04 version... like someone said "The Punisher is basically an alcoholic Superman". It really sucked. Thomas Jane was such a poor casting choice. I'm sorry, he has to be like the last person who should play this character... Jack Black would have been better. I'm just Thankful the 89 film was made.
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