Considering Dolph Lundgren got famous playing a blond Russian and can definitely act better than Kevin Nash, who doesn't even have any lines and is terrible, it's telling Jonathan Hensleigh didn't bring him back for a small role, an acknowledgment of the far superior 1989 Punisher adaptation.
Whereas that film--and to some extent, the one following this effort--tried to be a senselessly violent action revenge movie, Hensleigh's Punisher tries to rationalize the comic book character, who's never been conducive to such analysis. The closest is Garth Ennis's recently concluded terminating work on the character, which acknowledges the unreality and tragedy of being an unstoppable killing machine.
Hensleigh tries to turn Thomas Jane's Punisher into a sympathetic hero. He fails miserably and, as a result, gives Jane the worst written role in a movie filled with poorly written roles. When John Travolta, all in all, turns in a better performance than Will Patton, it might very be the end of the world as we know it.
Laura Harring is atrocious. Who else... oh, poor Roy Scheider. Why was he in this one?
The best performance is from Rebecca Romijn. Really. She's actually totally believable as a regular person with real problems. Ben Foster and John Pinette are both good too, as Romijn's sidekicks.
Hensleigh is a boring director, but not terrible. His wife, Gale Anne Hurd, probably got him the job. She should have brought in a real screenwriter.
Carlo Siliotto's music, though inappropriate (it's heroic), is all right.
CREDITS
Directed by Jonathan Hensleigh; screenplay by Hensleigh and Michael France, based on the Marvel Comics character created by Gerry Conway, John Romita Sr. and Ross Andru; director of photography, Conrad W. Hall; edited by Jeff Gullo and Steven Kemper; music by Carlo Siliotto; production designer, Michael Z. Hanan; produced by Avi Arad and Gale Anne Hurd; released by Lions Gate Films.
Starring Thomas Jane (Frank Castle), John Travolta (Howard Saint), Will Patton (Quentin Glass), Roy Scheider (Frank Castle Sr.), Laura Harring (Livia Saint), Ben Foster (Dave), Jon Pinette (Mr. Bumpo), Rebecca Romijn (Joan), Samantha Mathis (Maria Castle) and Marcus Johns (Will Castle).
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