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The Punisher

The Punisher

2004
Suspense/Thriller
Crime
2h 4m
Special agent Frank Castle had it all: A loving family, a great life, and an adventurous job. But when his life is taken away from him by a ruthless criminal and his associates, Frank has become reborn. Now serving as judge, jury, and executioner, he's a new kind of vigilante out to wage a one man war against those who have done him wrong. (imdb)
Your probable score
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The Punisher

2004
Suspense/Thriller
Crime
2h 4m
Your probable score
Avg Percentile 32.62% from 4627 total ratings

Ratings & Reviews

(4627)
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Rated 14 Aug 2007
70
30th
I found this mix of cheap thrills, some amazingly crappy dialogue and absurd humour strangely enjoyable.
Rated 27 Aug 2008
15
1st
Even the comics read like Death Wish Part 27. Why make films about this character? There's nothing there. Film gets extra points for being unintentionally hysterical at times. After this I think we can safely say Travolta is back on the D-list.
Rated 02 Jun 2020
79
58th
Another interesting Marvel film from the days when the brand was still stumbling around in the wilderness - hard edged but enjoyable action film has a delightfully macabre sense of humour to its violence resembling the TAKEN films (though the humour seems to have been lost on some viewers) - not so far over-the-top that it loses credibility, however arch villian Travolta puffing furiously on a pipe while watching another guy dance with his wife is a subtextual highlight!
Rated 13 Feb 2009
70
45th
A lot better if you enjoyed the comic series. If not, then its just another run of the mill action flick.
Rated 14 Aug 2007
30
11th
I could barely stay awake during this tedious slog through the origin of one of Marvel's lamest characters.
Rated 20 Sep 2010
53
17th
I actually liked Tom Jane in this. Travolta however is one of the worst miscasts in recent memory. It wasn't a good comic, it wasn't good the first time they made a movie, and it isn't good now.
Rated 04 May 2016
35
5th
Today is the day I face all my repressed memories from a seemingly difficult youth. Anyway this one was a kinda harmless but numbingly half-assed piece of mostly clean urine as I recall. Not 100% sure I'm talking about the movie and not my life but I'm pretty sure that Travolta stole the D-list.
Rated 25 Jan 2010
65
16th
It's always puzzling how they can't seem to make a decent movie out of the Punisher, it's such a basic revenge movie setup. Thomas Jane is cool, though.
Rated 14 Aug 2007
70
50th
Tame, poorly acted (except for Tom Jane in the lead), but ultimately satisfying action flick. Not for everyone - gets fairly gruesome at points, and has a very straightforward, standard action movie plot.
Rated 23 Apr 2007
76
45th
A delightful old-school revenge flick. Some completely daft things happen throughout - like a climactic scene that would require an incredible amount of planning and forethought on the part of the Punisher - but it's a good time at the movies overall.
Rated 27 Mar 2007
56
22nd
For a comic book character I didn't much care for, and for John Travolta being the bad guy, I actually walked away from this film impressed. The action scenes are believable, the Punisher himself is a human being, and the sequel this movie spawned is supposedly not shit. Worth a view if you're tired of super hero movies featuring tight morals and over-the-top powers.
Rated 27 Feb 2007
64
44th
A decent action movie, and probably far more entertaining if you love the comic book character "The Punisher." However I didn't so this movie didn't really offer anything special.
Rated 14 Aug 2007
85
71st
Very good presentation of The Punisher's origins... Now if only Thomas Jane would do The Punisher 2.
Rated 14 Aug 2007
64
63rd
Quasi-Realistic violence shows it can still make it's way to the big screen and stick it to the man.
Rated 04 Mar 2009
50
36th
Not bad, but not be good enough too. Could be a better adaptation.
Rated 28 Feb 2008
71
74th
Good action movie.
Rated 31 Mar 2010
82
15th
good action scenes, decent plot and acting
Rated 04 Jul 2009
56
20th
Thomas Jane is fine, and the film isn't too bad, but it is kind of hard to get excited about due to some tonal troubles and its inability to distinguish itself from other similar films.
Rated 14 Aug 2007
25
29th
They screwed up this story again. Just go watch Dolf.
Rated 02 Jan 2016
94
56th
The movie is just an all around revenge movie. Simple plot. I just think this movie is super cool, and well executed. I also have never read the comics.
Rated 14 Aug 2007
10
4th
The only redeeming quality this movie had was being filmed in my hometown.
Rated 24 Aug 2011
40
31st
The Punisher is ultimately not very good. There's a good film in here somewhere, but it doesn't get to shine through when everything is so dark and dreary. It has its good moments, and has a surprising amount of characterization, but it's not all that enjoyable to watch. There are a few parts where it drags, the beginning of the film especially, and it is also incredibly anti-climactic. Watching it might be more of a punishment than anything that actually happens in the film.
Rated 18 Aug 2009
59
10th
Too silly at some parts to be a Punisher movie.
Rated 24 Apr 2010
45
2nd
The first half plays like a bad TV movie from the 80s or 90s, which is actually probably appropriate for the dated concept. Jane just doesn't bring anything to the role. The third act, where we see vengeance served, is semi-fun to watch, and Ben Foster is always a plus.
Rated 17 Aug 2018
80
62nd
I enjoyed The Punisher. Early Marvel Universe movies didn't really pack the punch of the latest releases but this movie was good for the time that it came out. Thomas Jane is brooding enough to play a man whose family was killed before his eyes. John Travolta is creepy enough to play the man who was stupid enough to kill off The Punisher's family. Rebecca Romijn, John Pinette, and the other apartment dweller added to the story in a positive way. It is a good movie but not great and that is okay.
Rated 05 Mar 2023
50
29th
2019-05-02: 60
Rated 29 Jan 2008
25
10th
I don't really know how to rate this. It's so bad that it's good.
Rated 10 Jun 2009
70
59th
Sooo much better than the sequel(not starring Jane btw), as dark as it should be, but maybe lacking in the script department.
Rated 03 Jan 2014
29
10th
A good cast fails to elevate this overly violent and by-the-numbers revenge flick.
Rated 23 Aug 2020
59
32nd
Some of the action scenes showed interesting moves/ideas . But some of the acting was terrible, and the tone switch confusing at times. Some comic relief characters and interactions seem just out of place for example
Rated 14 Aug 2007
46
30th
fun enough to watch travolta as a bad guy
Rated 26 Nov 2008
90
50th
Thomas Jane ist in Punisher sehr cool, leider wirkt Travolta als Schurke sehr öde. Außerdem gibt es viel interessantere Punisher Comicvorlagen, die für einen Film besser geeignet wären. Ich hoffe auf den neuen Punisher!
Rated 09 Feb 2015
55
35th
For a movie with ups and downs it is a lot of fun. Jane was a great Punisher, but he could strike me a little too "nice guy/George Clooney" type. Travolta is always the wrong choice for a villain, and that didn't help the movie, but neither did the slow build up, and meh supporting cast. The score was really cool however, and there are some really memorable scenes (see The Russian), so this movie really isn't all bad.
Rated 03 Jun 2013
80
77th
Travolta makes a great villain, and we have a great Frank Castle. I think the friends angle was a bit weird, but I loved the realistic displays here.
Rated 14 Aug 2007
70
65th
Having watched this movie again, I've upped my score slightly. I'll remember this as a good, solid action film that stays relatively on track to it's roots in The Punisher's history in the comics.
Rated 21 Nov 2007
70
41st
Dolph's was better. ...Plus, Castle shouldn't spend so much time drinking and crying.
Rated 23 Jul 2017
70
69th
We all have seen a revenge flick before, right? While "The Punisher" might not quite come close to (re-)inventing the wheel, it works great within its confines: contrary to the first film, here we get to witness Frank Castle's transformation into the titular vigilante, told in a very captivating way; the neighbors subplot is a lot of fun, offering a much-needed release; and the punishment itself consists not just of great action but also the few crucial cherries on top. A really strong watch.
Rated 16 Feb 2009
2
39th
Not perfect like Punisher: Warzone, but somehow managed to hold my interest. And Tom Jane is pretty cool I guess.
Rated 16 Sep 2008
30
35th
kliche
Rated 09 Jun 2009
60
33rd
His only apparent gift is that he's hard to kill. Given trends in today's movies, being hard to kill is about as original as being a straight-laced cop and getting a wacko for a partner.
Rated 12 Apr 2018
56
37th
Undercooked comic adaptation with few of the source material's plot lines. Its attempts at picturing Frank Castle as a broken, sad person are well-intended though. The action scenes (few there are) are well choreographed and exciting and Travolta is awesomely cheesy as the main bad guy. The big problem is the mvoie's meandering pacing and, as said above, undercooked nature. Not very good, not nearly as bad as people make it out to be, just an allright b-grade action flick.
Rated 26 Jul 2008
71
47th
Sometimes you just want to see someone get revenge. It's not a great film but it's pretty mindless action.
Rated 10 Mar 2012
70
64th
Back to Back Movie Night: The Punisher Enjoyed Tom Jane's Punisher much more the second time around. We see much more of Frank Castle before he becomes The Punisher, and even as The Punisher, he has a smattering of friends. File under Nice Guy Frank.
Rated 19 Aug 2009
85
58th
Much better than War Zone (ugh!), but Travolta drags this one down. Get me a real villian...
Rated 09 Apr 2009
85
87th
This is one of the movies that I can watch over and over again, see some action, have some fun and a couple of laughs from time to time. Yes, it has got its flaws, yes it could have been way better as some scenes are plain stupid. Still it has got its moments which I enjoy seeing again and again.
Rated 24 Feb 2010
54
51st
This movie is pretty good, whenever there isn't any dialog to listen to. It lacks a lot of subtlety, but I always enjoy the action scenes.
Rated 14 Aug 2007
10
0th
Marvel's vigilante gets a second outing with Tom Jane as Frank Castle, out for revenge when his whole family is wiped out by mob boss John Travolta. Brutally violent but incredibly drawn out, full of caricatures and leaden dialogue. Some of the set pieces were good, but we've been here and done this before. A waste of time.
Rated 17 Jun 2011
0
0th
terrible
Rated 24 Feb 2008
14
2nd
Travolta is an amazing actor but not in this movie.. No one of the cast is.. Overacting through the entire movie.. And so stupid actually, that's what you can say about this film: it's just stupid, lame..
Rated 18 Dec 2007
70
24th
A very forgetable action film with nothing spectacular to offer.
Rated 18 Dec 2008
60
70th
It wasn't a great movie but was still a pretty fun one.
Rated 14 Aug 2007
60
42nd
This is set in Tampa? I'm sorry, but no New York, no Frank Castle. On the bright side, we do get a decent performance out of Kevin Nash, which is more than all the wrestling promoters of the world have gotten for the last 15 years.
Rated 08 Nov 2016
35
26th
"I just want my kids back"
Rated 14 Aug 2007
49
37th
What? It was okay.
Rated 12 Sep 2018
60
28th
Good genrefilm. Only thing I miss was a truly badass protagonist, Kurt Russell comes to mind. It is very unbalanced because of a poorly executed combination of some sad attempts at 'comedy' and pretty brutal violence with a dark and depressing background story.
Rated 22 Jul 2017
62
52nd
Well made and filmed revenge flick here which builds up to its finale just fine. Jane taking on the main role does a fine job, and most of the rest of the cast is good as well, my main beef is Travolta doing his usual shitty acting job again.
Rated 17 Jul 2012
85
94th
This is my favorite Punisher movie. Thomas Jane played a great Punisher, and unlike Warzone this movie actually has a good plot.
Rated 12 Dec 2006
25
26th
[]Deice of shit
Rated 14 Aug 2007
75
40th
John Travolta's badass in this. Especially the way he dies. Sick action. Thomas Jane is another guy who's underrated.
Rated 19 Mar 2007
70
46th
Had this movie had a better actor as 'the punisher,' it would have been better-received, especially being released at the same time as "Man on Fire" and "Walking Tall." Thomas Jane still gets the job done just fine, and the movie still works on its own terms; plenty violent, plenty dark, and a fight scene versus a giant Russian to be remembered.
Rated 03 Dec 2013
6
41st
The Punisher character hasn't had much fortune when it's come to film adaptations. But I actually didn't mind this version and all round it's not a bad action film. Thomas Jane does a decent enough job in the leading role but Travolta is horribly miscast. The supporting cast is made up of annoying and forgettable players though. But there's a good cameo from Roy Scheider. The revenge concept is tired and generic, but the action, violence and set pieces are enjoyable enough to carry the film.
Rated 06 Apr 2011
39
36th
Revisited (2)
Rated 27 Jan 2012
38
16th
Tom Jane is no Dolph Lundgren, and even the 80s film wasn't that great.
Rated 17 Apr 2009
55
45th
eh
Rated 12 Jun 2009
59
35th
Reborn vigilante seeks revenge. Not a bad film of its type.
Rated 05 Nov 2011
87
42nd
I love comics, and The Punisher is one of the ones I read growing up. I was excited when this film came out. It did not disappoint me.
Rated 12 Jul 2013
30
16th
Leave it to Hollywood to screw up one of the most fascinating comic book characters ever imagined. This Punisher is poorly written. There seems to be no madness in him and he actually comes off to the viewer as too gentle. The action scenes are nothing to write home about, as you'll probably be too busy trying to stay awake. Thomas Jane and John Travolta do well with what they're given but even they can't save this disaster.
Rated 09 Nov 2010
20
3rd
Poor film. Score based on partial viewing (missed the start).
Rated 12 Dec 2006
10
1st
Unwatchable tripe. Avoid.
Rated 28 Jun 2007
30
7th
Bad movie, plain and simple. No, the violence doesn't make up for it.
Rated 01 Mar 2007
20
8th
I really wish this had been coherent. The action was okay, and Thomas Jane is actually a good actor, but this movie would have you believing otherwise. The beginning where his whole family is brutally murdered is so absurdly hilarious that it takes away from the rest of the movie.
Rated 14 Aug 2007
52
34th
When I first saw this, I loved it, but I think that's because the fan-pleasing parts are that much fun and follow the books closely enough. However, the film tries way too hard to be deep and layered, and falls pretty flat. It's very cool here and there, but it's very empty and comes off very forced at points. The 80's Dolph version is superior.
Rated 22 Feb 2009
40
23rd
This movie clearly wants to be a hard-ass action/revenge thriller a la _Death Wish_ or something, but it is far from that. Silly and annoying. Also, when a comic book has been published for many years, you shouldn't have to plagiarize other action movies (e.g. _Mad Max_) to get your script together
Rated 03 Mar 2008
70
33rd
Far better than I ever could have expected.
Rated 01 Aug 2009
40
18th
This film was pretty boring. Tom Jane is a pretty bad actor, and I don't really like John Travolta, so maybe that had something to do with it.
Rated 19 Aug 2009
23
0th
You couldn't pay me to watch it again. War Zone was the only decent film in this franchise, and even it suffered from a ridiculous villain. It started out well enough with an excellent mafia angle for the antagonists. The opening slaughter was a little strange but ok, but then Jigsaw and his brother step in. STOP MAKING THESE SHIT MOVIES WITH FUNNY BAD GUYS.
Rated 15 Jul 2019
82
44th
2004. had a feeling that it was early 90ies...maybe soundscapes...
Rated 31 Dec 2016
30
8th
I can't believe nobody else has used the phrase "punishingly boring" yet.
Rated 26 Sep 2017
12
17th
6/6
Rated 01 May 2007
38
23rd
Thanks to this film it's Jonathan Hensleigh's new nickname.
Rated 26 Dec 2018
78
6th
The tale of vengeance is always a sad and poetic one, yet The Punisher somehow manages to turn Frank Castle's bloodlust into a calm, collective plan for justice. This results in a somewhat predictable outcome, as John Travolta plays a tragically dumb mafioso, who Frank plays like a fiddle throughout the film.
Rated 14 Aug 2007
70
26th
Incredibly cliche, apparently stays true to the comic books (although I never read them). However, no-one is horrible, and the fighting isn't too bad either. I just wish they hadn't tried to put so many laughs in - it should be darker.
Rated 20 May 2016
40
10th
I was surprised that a 'comic book' film made after the first two X-Men films and the first Spider-man film missed the mark so badly. I'm not the biggest Punisher fan/expert but the comics I read had Punisher as a much darker and unhinged sort. Here Frank Castle just seems sad. Also the first half hour was needlessly long and didn't make me feel the character's pain any greater than they could have in half the time. Tonally this film just seemed all wrong to me and was a big disappointment
Rated 20 Aug 2009
90
87th
Much closer to the comic than the Dolph Lundgren movie
Rated 20 Sep 2010
40
10th
Standard revenge flick fare with a little superhero baggage. It's like Death Wish, only not as good.
Rated 23 Jun 2021
20
0th
An abysmal Punisher adaptation, and even besides that it's a complete rubbish movie.
Rated 20 Jan 2019
6
3rd
The Punished are the audiences. The slow pacing and action scenes, which seem impossible suck the life out of the room while Thomas Jane and John Travolta deliver sad, wooden performances that make you care about the death of absolutely no one in the film.
Rated 17 Nov 2012
66
14th
The editing on this film is bizarre. Inexplicable fade-outs, establishing shots thrown in well after the location was established, weird insert shots that don't seem to belong, seemingly reusing footage from 10 minutes ago. It's pretty much the only thing I noticed after a while.
Rated 26 Nov 2009
33
24th
The script is really, really weak. Kind of a modernized Mad Max with some douchebag playing the lead instead of Mel Gibson.
Rated 09 Aug 2023
50
31st
Plot 11/20 Fiction 10/20 Casting/Acting 13/20 Worldbuilding 7/20 Entertainment 9/20
Rated 14 Aug 2007
60
16th
I kind of liked this movie at first, but then after a while I realized I only liked the scene where that Johnny Cash lookalike played the song for Frank in the diner.
Rated 21 Jul 2007
30
12th
There's definitely some badass stuff in this, but overall it's just not that good.
Rated 18 May 2008
60
25th
Highly flawed, but one of those flaws is NOT Thomas Jane, which makes it all the more bizarre that he's not coming back for the probably terrible 2nd movie.
Rated 19 Dec 2015
60
36th
I watched Punisher: War Zone first and the craziness of that is just so much more appealing.
Rated 14 Aug 2007
43
40th
I like when he puts the knife up through the guy's jaw.
Rated 24 Jan 2011
28
15th
The guy is hot. That's it.
Rated 18 Mar 2008
43
23rd
Funny that fanboys were up in arms over Tom Jane's casting -- he's the only redeemable piece of this clunky actioner, giving a leading performance for the movie to hang its hat on. Too bad the rest of the flick is collapsing all around him: Travolta chews the scenery in his worst performances this side of Battlefield Earth, and the script can't decide what story it wants to tell, shoving together way too many aspects of various Castle adventures, and ruining them all in the process.
Rated 14 Aug 2007
60
51st
Decent crowd-pleaser, but certainly not worthy of repeat viewings.
Rated 26 Jan 2009
70
54th
Good action movie.
Rated 29 Mar 2011
25
15th
If the first ninety minutes shared anything in common with the film's final thirty, the Punisher might be a fairly interesting comic adaption. Instead, this is a laughable Hollywood action comedy with a pathetic cast and almost no redeemable qualities. However, the final thirty minutes provide some excellent action and showcase John Travolta in another genius portrayal of villainy.

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