The Punisher

Director: Jonathan Hensleigh, Avi Arad, Gale Anne Hurd Jonathan Hensleigh

Overview

"One man bent on seeing justice done takes his obsession to the streets in this big-screen adaptation of the popular comic book, which comes to DVD in an enriched edition from Lions Gate. The Punisher has been given a letterboxed transfer to disc in the widescreen aspect ratio of 2.35:1, which is also enhanced for anamorphic playback on 16 x 9 monitors. The audio has been mastered in two formats, Dolby Digital 5.1 EX and Dolby Digital Stereo; the dialogue is in English with optional subtitles in English and Spanish. Bonus materials include an alternate commentary track featuring director Jonathan Hensleigh, two deleted scenes, four short documentaries on various aspects of the production of the film, a music video from the band Drowning Pool, and a preview of a video game tied into the film."

Product Details

Release Date:	09/07/2004
UPC:	0012236162438
Original Release:	2004
Rating:	R
Source:	LIONS GATE
Region Code:	1
Presentation:	[Wide Screen]
Sound:	[Dolby Digital Surround EX]
Language:	English
Time:	2:03:00

Special Features

Closed Caption;"Keepin' It Real: The Punisher Stunts"; "Army of One": The Punisher Origins; War Journal: On the set of The Punisher; Music video "Step Up" by Drowning Pool; Sneak peek trailer; Drawing Blood: Bradstreet Style; Audio commentary with director Jonathan Hensleigh; Deleted scenes; 5.1 Dolby Digital Surround EX; 2.35:1 widescreen format

Cast & Crew

Performance Credits

Thomas Jane	Frank Castle
John Travolta	Howard Saint
Will Patton	Quentin Glass
Roy Scheider	Frank Castle, Sr.
Laura Harring	Livia Saint
Ben Foster	Specker Dave
Samantha Mathis	Maria Castle
James Carpinello	Bobby Saint
A. Russell Andrews	Jimmy Weeks
Eddie Jemison	Mickey Duka
John Pinette	Bumpo
Edward Jemison	Nicky Duka
Rebecca Romijn	Joan
Mark Collie	Harry Heck
Marcus Johns	Will Castle
Omar Avila	Joe Toro
Russ Comegys	Tattooed Mike
Antoni Corone	T.J.
Rick Elmhurst	Bay News 9 Newscaster
Carleth Keys	Bay News 9 Newscaster
William Hasenzahl	EMT
Marco St. John	Police Chief Morris
Bonnie Johnson	Betty Castle
Jeff Chase	Enforcer
Veryl E. Jones	Candelaria
Jim Meskimen	Accountant #1
Russell Durham	Tatooed Mike
Jack Swanson	Accountant #2
Alan Lilly	Accountant #3
Terry Loughlin	Spoon
Marc Macaulay	Dante
Kevin Nash	The Russian
Tom Nowicki	Lincoln
Sonny Surowiec	Saint Puerto Rico Enforcer
Steven Raulerson	Yuri Astrov
Eduardo Yáñez	Mike Toro
Hank Stone	Cutter
Nick Loren	Agent Moss
Tom Akos	Gunman at Club
Georgia Chris	Reporter
Darla Delgado	Castle Family Member
Charleene Closshey	Castle Family Friend
Matt Weber	Major Mars
Heather Trzyna	Castle Family Member
Jimmy Star	News Reporter
Kassie Spielman	Castle Family Member
Carlo Siliotto	Composer

Technical Credits

Jonathan Hensleigh	Director
Avi Arad	Producer
Gale Anne Hurd	Producer
Andreas Schmid	Executive Producer
Christopher Roberts	Executive Producer
John H. Starke	Executive Producer
Kevin Feige	Executive Producer
Christopher Eberts	Executive Producer
Stan Lee	Executive Producer,Sound Effects
Rickley W. Dumm	Sound Effects

Editorial Reviews

The Marvel Comics hero the Punisher comes to the screen a second time in this stylish, violent thriller, which brings more emotional heft to its subject matter than most movies of the type. Thomas Jane is appropriately grim as tight-lipped, humorless ex-FBI agent Frank Castle, whose entire family is massacred by henchmen of millionaire businessman and secret drug lord Howard Saint (John Travolta). Believed dead and living "under the radar" in a grungy boarding house, Castle hides behind a secret identity, the Punisher, as he systematically wreaks vengeance on Saint and everyone around him. Revenge takes the form of numerous, bloody conflicts, extravagantly mounted and creatively staged by first-time director Jonathan Hensleigh, the erstwhile screenwriter whose past hits include Jumanji and Armageddon. The fights and shootouts are unusually brutal, making this R-rated melodrama less family friendly than, for example, the Spider-Man or X-Men movies. But it's the absence of that comic book tone which enables Hensleigh and his actors to make The Punisher grittier and more visceral than other films of this genre. The nifty supporting cast includes Rebecca Romijn-Stamos as Joan, a plucky waitress who befriends Castle; Will Patton as Howard Saint's unscrupulous right-hand man, Quentin; Roy Scheider as the agent's doomed father; and Laura Harring as Saint's wife, Livia. Actors of this caliber, along with the relatively dark tone and savage violence, give The Punisher more gravitas than most comic book adaptations.